Where does Robben Island get their supplies?

By Angelo Bowers

On Robben Island there is only one shop which is mainly used by the local people of Robben Island and workers.

The Robben Eiland Ledewinkel stocks normal supplies like bread, milk, sugar and butter. The shop gets their supplies from the Waterfront in Cape Town. The goods are transported by boat from the Waterfront to Robben Island. The shop normally gets their supplies from Makro in Cape Town, the bread from Sasko and dairy products from Dairy Bell.

The shop only supplies small amounts like, for example, at a big shop you can a 5 kg sugar and at the Ledewinkel they only stock 2.5 kg and they don’t over stock. On the mainland bread is cheaper but a 1,5-litre cooldrink is more expensive on the mainland.

The island also has leaded and unleaded petrol pumps, and a diesel pump. The only vehicles allowed on the island are the Robben Island vehicles.

The unleaded is at the transport department, and the leaded and diesel pumps are at the shop.

Some people who work at the shop and petrol station don’t work weekends and normally leave the island.