Daredevil charity flight from Robben Island

A man plans to fly from Robben Island to Cape Town using 200 helium-filled party balloons, in aid of charity.

Matt Silver Vallance, who has been planning the event for four years, is currently waiting for optimum weather conditions for the flight which will take place before 27 April.

The goal of the "Robben Island Balloon Run" is to raise R10 million for the construction of the proposed 200-bed Nelson Mandela Children's hospital in Johannesburg.

The SA Civil Aviation Authority has approved the flight after reviewing the safety precautions which include support teams on the ground and an accompanying paraglider.

Wearing a wetsuit and life jacket, Vallance is expected to ascend to a maximum altitude of 182 m. The distance between Robben Island and the mainland ranges between 9km and 14km.

Robben Island was where Nelson Mandela, the Nobel Laureate and former president of South Africa, was imprisoned for 18 of the 27 years he served behind bars. The island is now a World Heritage Site and museum.