Mark Shinners

Shinners began his detention on Robben Island when he was 17 years old. He served two ten year terms. He is a born storyteller, with the clear, compelling insight of a philosopher-king and the delivery of a poet. He is immediately recognizable as an “old soul”: even as a youngster, he seems to have left the dross and noise of youth behind him. Whether this is because of his calm interior, or because it has been stripped off him by the violence of the time, we cannot tell. The Makana Football Association benefitted greatly from his wisdom. Mark also played for Gunners Football Club on Robben Island.

Today Shinners lives in Atteridgeville, Pretoria West.

He was one of the Pan African Congress (PAC) negotiators in the talks that resulted in the first democratic South African constitution.

BACK