The hum of conversation and smell of freshly brewed coffee in the foyer signalled this was no ordinary talk. Residents, students, visitors and parishioners at St Thomas’ Anglican Church, Rondebosch, gathered to hear another side of Nelson Mandela: one of reconciliation, humanity, respect, and the Christo Brand and Nelson Mandela friendship, which was an unexpected bond.
Christo Brand, the former Robben Island prison guard who befriended Mandela during his years behind bars, shared his journey in an intimate talk that alternated between hushed silence and warm applause.
A bond forged on Robben Island
Brand, only 19 when he first met Mandela in 1978, recalled how his duty as a warder evolved into trust and mutual admiration. “I myself was a prisoner as a guard, with no life, and the island was where I spent most of my life. Who would have thought I’d ever write a book? If it weren’t for Mandela I wouldn’t have. He always stressed legacy, leaving one behind.”
His book, Mandela My Prisoner, My Friend, has taken him around the world to speak on reconciliation and the importance of seeing people as human beings first. For Brand, Mandela was more than a prisoner under his watch; he was a mentor whose quiet dignity shaped Brand’s outlook on life. “He treated me with respect, even though I was meant to enforce rules. That taught me something powerful: respect is not about status; it’s about humanity.”
Why St Thomas’ hosted Brand
Church warden Lucia Earl, who helped organise the event, explained the choice. “I’ve known Christo for more than 15 years, first meeting him on Robben Island when I was a tour guide myself. His story with Mandela is a powerful one of empathy and reconciliation, which is why we have him here today.”
Local resident Micky Wright agreed. “Such talks should be spread among youth at schools so learners can hear directly about resilience, forgiveness and humanity. Its history still speaks to the present.” She said exposing young people to these lessons could help foster respect and understanding in classrooms and communities where divisions often persist.
Mandela beyond politics
For many attendees, the most striking part of Brand’s talk was how he humanised Mandela beyond his political stature. He spoke not of a distant icon but a man who cared deeply, even for a young warder. “Men such as Warrant Officer Brand reinforced my belief in essential humanity, even of those who had kept me behind bars,” Mandela once said, an acknowledgment Brand treasures.
Brand urged South Africans to continue building bridges and living with compassion. “We must respect one another as human beings.”
A timeless reminder
As the evening concluded, many lingered to greet Brand or buy his book. His story, which began on the stark grounds of Robben Island, resonated as a timeless reminder that reconciliation is possible, legacies can be shaped by kindness, and every person has the capacity to leave the world a little better than they found it.
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