•
Neville Alexander, proponent of a multilingual South Africa and former revolutionary •
Autshumato (probably around 1625 – 1665), one of the first activists against colonialism, and a Robben Island prisoner from 1658 to around 1660. • Imam
Abdallah ibn Qadi Abdus Salaam (also known as
Tuan Guru), imprisoned from 1780 until 1793 for his anti-colonial activities against the Dutch. •
Klaas Blank, first convict executed for sodomy •
Dennis Brutus, former activist and poet •
Patrick Chamusso, former activist of the
African National Congress •
Laloo Chiba, former accused at
Little Rivonia Trial •
Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, South African anti-apartheid activist of Indian-origin and member of the ANC's armed wing
Umkhonto We Sizwe. •
Eddie Daniels, anti-apartheid activist •
Jerry Ekandjo, Namibian politician •
Nceba Faku, former Metro Mayor of Port Elizabeth •
Joe Gqabi, former ANC activist •
Harry Gwala, former ANC activist •
Nkwenkwe Nkomo, South African politician activist •
Petrus Iilonga, Namibian trade unionist, activist and politician •
Ahmed Kathrada, former
Rivonia Trialist and long-serving prisoner • Koesaaij, Malagasy co-leader of the
Meermin slave mutiny in February, 1766 •
Langalibalele, The King of the
Hlubi people, one of the first activists against colonialism •
John Kenneth Malatji, former activist and special forces of ANC – Tladi, Soweto •
Njongonkulu Ndungane, later to become
Archbishop of Cape Town •
Mosiuoa Lekota, imprisoned in 1974, President and Leader of the Congress of the People •
Mac Maharaj, former accused at Little Rivonia Trial •
Makana, one of the activists against colonialism •
Vusumzi Make, former PAC activist •
Clarence Makwetu, former PAC Activist •
Nelson Mandela, African National Congress leader and former president of South Africa (first black president) •
Gamzo Mandierd, activist •
Jeff Masemola, the first prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment in the apartheid era •
Amos Masondo, former mayor of Johannesburg • Massavana, Malagasy leader of the
Meermin slave mutiny in February, 1766 •
Michael Matsobane, leader of Young African Religious Movement. Sentenced at Bethal in 1979; released by PW Botha in 1987. • Chief
Maqoma, former chief who died on the island in 1873 •
Govan Mbeki, father of former president of South Africa
Thabo Mbeki. Govan was sentenced to life in 1963 but was released from Robben Island in 1987 by PW Botha •
Wilton Mkwayi, former accused at Little Rivonia Trial •
Andrew Mlangeni, former Rivonia Trialist •
Johnson Mlambo, former PAC activist •
Murphy Morobe,
Soweto Uprising student leader •
Dikgang Moseneke,
Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa •
Zephania Mothopeng, former PAC activist •
Elias Motsoaledi, former Rivonia Trialist •
Sayed Abdurahman Moturu, the
Prince of Madura, one of Cape Town's first imams, who was exiled to the island in 1740 and died there in 1754 •
Griffiths Mxenge, a South African Lawyer and member of the African National Congress •
Billy Nair, former Rivonia Trialist and ANC/SACP leader •
M. D. Naidoo, a South African lawyer and member of the African National Congress •
John ya Otto Nankudhu, Namibian liberation fighter •
John Nkosi, Serving life but released by PW Botha in 1987 •
Jan Shoba, leader in the
Azanian People's Liberation Army •
Samuel Sisulu Founder of South African Freedom Organisation •
Nongqawuse, the Xhosa prophetess responsible for the Cattle Killing •
Maqana Nxele, former Xhosa prophet who drowned while trying to escape •
John Nyathi Pokela, co-founder and former chairman of the PAC •
Joe Seremane, former chairperson of the
Democratic Alliance. •
Tokyo Sexwale, businessman and aspirant leader of the African National Congress •
Gaus Shikomba,
Namibian politician •
Walter Sisulu, former ANC Activist •
Raymond Mhlaba, former ANC Activist and first former
Premier of the Eastern Cape. •
Stone Sizani, ANC Chief Whip •
Robert Sobukwe, former leader of the
PAC •
Seth Mazibuko, youngest member of the
South African Students' Organisation that planned and led the
Soweto uprising •
Steve Tshwete, former ANC Activist •
Moses Twebe, former ANC Activist •
Andimba Toivo ya Toivo,
Namibian politician •
Sakaria Nashandi,
Namibian politician •
Jacob Zuma, former president of South Africa and leader of the African National Congress • Achmad Cassiem, former leader of the
Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) and leader of the Qibla movement • Setsiba Paul Mohohlo, former APLA unit commander • Micheal Ludumo Buka, former ANC Activist •
Kgalema Motlanthe, Former deputy president of the African National Congress and South Africa's third president since the dawn of democracy • John Aifheli Thabo, an ANC political activist •
Ezra Mvuyisi Sigwela, an ANC political activist • Xolani Casper Jonas, an ANC political activist • Kwezi Nontsikelo, ANC political activist, Advisor to the Minister of Defence • King Sigcau kaMqikela,
Mpondo royal king, grandson of King
Faku kaNgqungqushe and one of the first activists against colonialism • Kisten Moonsamy, former Rivonia Trialist •
Dimitri Tsafendas, Greek-Mozambican lifelong political militant and the assassin of
Prime Minister of South Africa Hendrik Verwoerd • Stephen Dlamini, ANC activist •
Peter Mokaba, former ANC Activist •
Vejaynand Ramlakan, former ANC Activist •
George Naicker, prominent anti-apartheid activist •
Zakaria Modobi Maholobela, a.k.a.
Zakaria Modipi Maholobela, an ANC political activist •
Jeremy Vearey, ANC activist • Lazarus !Guiteb, Namibian freedom fighter, PLAN commissar (1942- July 2025) • Wilbard Sakaria Niitembu Ihuhwa, Namibian freedom fighter (09 February 1953 - 08 September 2025) File:Nelson Mandela's cell-Robben Island.jpg|Nelson Mandela's prison cell File:Japhta Masemola (1963-89) (5998332162).jpg|Japhta Masemola's prison cell File:Paul Langa (1977 - 91) (5997933222).jpg|Paul Langa's prison cell File:Thami Mkhwanazi (1980 - 83) (5998332864).jpg|Thami Mkhwanazi's prison cell File:Zahkele Mdlalose (1964 - 74; 77 - 90) (5998331940).jpg|Zahkele Mdlalose's prison cell ==Gallery==