Ramaphosa: Apartheid govt failed in mission to destroy ANC members

CAPE TOWN - As the African National Congress (ANC) reflects on its 113 years of existence, party president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said that the apartheid government failed in its mission to destroy its members.

Party leaders visited Robben Island in Cape Town on Wednesday, celebrating the milestone.  

During a tour of the island, ANC leaders were deeply disturbed by the harsh facilities designed to suppress the morale of freedom fighters.

ALSO READ:

• Ramaphosa says visit to Mandela's cell on Robben Island reminds him of his own time in prison

• ANC leaders reflect on traumatic experiences endured by members incarcerated on Robben Island

Ramaphosa said that Robben Island's brutal conditions only strengthened the ANC, rather than destroy it.

When Ramaphosa took a tour of Nelson Mandela's prison cell, this was one of the first questions he asked tour guides on Robben Island. 

"So Madiba would have been locked in here for how many hours a day?"

"If you're talking the 60s and it's not a working day, we're talking 23 hours. It was only at about 1967 when they were allowed on Saturdays to engage in sporting activities," one of the tour guides explained.

But Ramaphosa said that these brutal conditions failed to destroy the ANC's freedom fighters.

"They didn't succeed. Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki and many others were still able retain their dignity and retain their courage to come out here without being broken down."

The party concluded its birthday celebrations with a cake-cutting ceremony in Athlone.