Former political prisoners from Namibia and South Africa who were sentenced at Robben Island gathered for a reunion at the world heritage site on Saturday. 

Held under the theme "Reuniting with Robben Island as the Stronghold that Fortified Our Resistance to Achieve Our Freedom", the gathering represented a moment of remembrance, healing, and national reflection. 

Imagine coming back to a place where you were once jailed for your beliefs.

Only this time, you are free and get to meet up with old friends you have not seen in decades. 

For the general public, this was also an opportunity to learn about the struggles, trials and tribulations of those who were imprisoned here. 

The widow of the late Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo, Vicki Ya Toivo, said, "A lot of these families really suffered over the years.

They suffered when their fathers were not around; they were harassed, but also, somehow, the former Robben Island prisoners were a very humble group."

South Africa's Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, in partnership with the Association for Ex-Political Prisoners and the Robben Island Museum, organised the gathering, which ultimately served as a symbolic homecoming for many who endured incarceration on the island.

 
South Africa's Minister of Culture, Gayton McKenzie, apologised to the former freedom fighters, admitting that those who were imprisoned at Robben Island were not given the recognition they deserved. 

"We have not treated you in the manner that you should have been treated, and I am sorry for that. They say the only way to see if a person's apology is genuine is changed behaviour, and you are going to see a different government with different behaviour."

Many of the ex-political prisoners who are still alive today made it, but those who couldn't were represented by their families. 

They were awarded with commemorative medals. 

This wall was once bare. Today, it carries the names of thousands of ex-political prisoners. 

The reunion also changed the aesthetics of the island. 

Today, one is able to see 6 statues of iconic figures, serving as enduring symbols of their bravery. 

This is also to ensure that their legacy is permanently etched into the nation's collective memory.

One such figure is that of Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo, who was incarcerated at Robben Island for 16 years. 

Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Art and Culture Sanet Steenkamp said, "We salute these gallant sons and daughters who stood tall when it was neither popular nor safe to do so, when speaking out meant imprisonment, persecution, or even death. You chose principle over fear, because what you believed in was just."

Robben Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a living monument of resilience, unity, and hope for present and future generations.