Struggle icon Nxele Makana drowns while escaping from Robben Island

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Post the Fourth Frontier War 1811-1812, the Cape Governor, Sir Charles Somerset, made a verbal treaty with Gaika, the supposed paramount chief of the Western Xhosas. Unfortunately this agreement between Sir Charles Somerset and Gaika helped provoke a quasi-nationalist movement among the Western Xhosas, led by the 'prophet' Makana, which led to a renewal of the civil war between Gaika and Ndlambe. The Xhosa prophet Makhanda Nxele known by many people as Makana, was later imprisoned on Robben Island for leading an attack on Grahamstown in 1818. On 25 December 1819, Makana, together with about thirty other prisoners, attempted to escape from Robben Island in three boats. The boats capsized and Makana, while marshalling and urging his men to swim to shore, drowned. Only four of the prisoners survived. Makana became a lasting symbol of resistance. The island is sometimes referred to as Makana Island.

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01Elphick R. & Davenport R. (1997) ‘Christianity in South Africa’, (University of California Press) pg 72
02South African History Online, (2013), ‘Chapter IV - Divide and Rule’, from SAHO [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 05 November 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, December 19). Struggle icon Nxele Makana drowns while escaping from Robben Island . South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094435

South African History Online (2012) 'Struggle icon Nxele Makana drowns while escaping from Robben Island ', South African History Online, 19 December. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094435 (Accessed: 23 July 2026).

South African History Online, Struggle icon Nxele Makana drowns while escaping from Robben Island [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094435, (accessed 23 July 2026).

"Struggle icon Nxele Makana drowns while escaping from Robben Island ." South African History Online, 19 Dec. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094435. Accessed 23 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Struggle icon Nxele Makana drowns while escaping from Robben Island ." South African History Online. December 19, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094435.