Biography Index
| Last name | First name | Synopsis | Date of birth | Date of death | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | La Grange | Ashley | Teacher, Photographer | 1953 | |
 | La Guma | Alex | Writer, member of the SACP, leader of the South African Coloured People's Organisation (SACPO) and a defendant in the 1956 Treason Trial, chief representative of the African National Congress in the Caribbean | 20-February-1925 | 11-October-1985 |
 | la Guma | James (Jimmy) | Trade unionist and political activist, member of the ICU, CPSA and the ANC | 23-August-1894 | 1961 |
 | la Guma | Blanche | Member of the Communist Party of South Africa, specialised midwife, politically active in the Federation of South African Women, detained, banned, exiled in the United Kingdom, returned to Cape Town in 1992. | 30 November 1927 | 6 July 2023 |
| Laaka | Erick | 17-June-1976 | |||
 | Lafasi | Clifford | |||
| Lailaje | Charles | |||
 | Lakhi | Cassim Mahomed | 1915 | 1989 | |
 | Lambert | Ellen | Member of the African National Congress, the United Democratic Front (UDF), a Congress of the People volunteer and Anti-Apartheid activist. | 05-March-1934 | 11-April-2012 |
| Lamolo | John | |||
 | Lamont | Archibald | finister of religion and politician. | 14 September 1864 | 27 November 1933 |
| Lan | A member of the South African Communist Party (SACP) | |||
| Lan | Rebecca | a member of Habonim, Modern Youth Society; social researcher; worked at the University of Cape Town’s Board of Studies; acting General Secretary of the Food and Canning Workers Union; banned | 1933 | ||
 | Landau | Paul | Professor Landau is an historian of culture and politics in southern Africa. | ||
| Lande | Lennox | |||
| Lande | Siphiwo | 1966 | 14 April 1988 | |
| Landingwe | Vondela | Robben Island prisoner, MEC in the Western Cape government | November 2018 | ||
 | Landman | Frank | School teacher, husband, father, anti-Apartheid activist, exile. | 25 August 1918 | 21 March 1990 |
 | Landman | Olive | Schoolteacher, anti-apartheid activist, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. | 5 August 1919, Knysna | |
| Lang | Colin | A member of the Liberal Party of South Africa (LPSA), banned by the apartheid government. | ||
| Lang | John | A member of the Liberal Party of South Africa (LPSA) and the African Resistance Movement (ARM) | ||
 | Langa | Pius | Deputy President Constitutional Court, Deputy Chief Justice of the South African Constitutional Court, and Chief Justice and head of the Constitutional Court. | 25 March 1939 | 24 July 2013 |
| Langa | Jerome | ||||
| Langa | Benjamin | Secretary General and Cultural Officer of SASO, political activist, poet, member of MK and the ANC | |||
 | Langa | Mandla | poet, novelist, editor | 1950 | |
| Langa | Christopher | |||
| Langa | Vincent | |||
| Langben | Mountain | |||
 | Langdown | Amos | Artist | 07-May-1930 | 01-February-2006 |
 | Lapinsky | Sheila | Anti-apartheid activist, gay rights activist, feminist, former Secretary-General of NUSAS, founding member of OLGA, lobbied for gay rights to be constitutionally recognised, banned | 1944 (or 1945) | |
 | Lapsley | Michael | 2 June 1949 | ||
| Laredo | John | |||
| Lareno | John | |||
 | Larrabee | Constance | Artist | 07-August-1914 | 27-July-2000 |
| Lasentyana | Sunduza | |||
| Latiff | S. | |||
 | Latsky | Louise | Author and zoologist, first women to recieve a doctorate from Stellenbosch University | 22-October-1901 | 08-November-1980 |
 | Laubscher | Frederik | Paint salesman, Artist, teacher, founder and director of the Ruth Prowse Art Centre. | 3 February 1927 | 22 May 2013 |
 | Laubser | Maria | South African Artist whose paintings are now much sought-after | 14 April 1886 | 1973 |
| Laurence | Sindane | |||
 | Laurie | Anneke | Photographer | ||
| Lauwerijs | Modestus (Modest) | flemish elocutionist and teacher. | 28 December 1887 | 11 March 1967 |
| Lawana | Mto | |||
| Lawana | Nontsokolo | |||
| Lawrence | Edward | |||
| Lawrence | Mvula | |||
| Lawrence | Ngiwa | |||
| Lawrence | Pokela | |||
| Lawrence | Selekoe | |||
| Lawrence | John | 20 November 1993 | ||
 | Lawson | Lesley | Photographer and a member of Afrapix | 27-March-1952 | |
| Layton | Mpongoshe | |||
| Lazar (nee Hayman) | Ruth | A member of the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) and the Liberal Party of South Africa (LPSA). Banned by the apartheid government. | 1913 | 1981 | |
| Lazarus | Chiwayo | |||
| Lazarus | Zachariah | |||
| Le Roux | Philippe | |||
| Leadus | Gwamando | |||
| Lebajao | Peter | 1932 | 14 August 1984 | |
| Lebajoa | Peter | August-1984 | |||
 | Leballo | Potlako | Leader in the Africanist movement and National Secretary in the Pan Africanist Congress, serving as its secretary general from its founding in April 1959, and later as its acting president in exile. | 19-December-1915 | January-1986 |
| Leballo | Joel | 1941 | 19 November 1965 | |
| Lebekoe | Tom | banished person | ||
| Lebele | Frank | |||
| Lebelo | Albert | 04-August-1976 | |||
| Lebeloane | Lazarus | |||
| Lebelwane | Barney | |||
| Lebese | Michael | |||
| Lebo | Ena | |||
| Lebogang | Headman | ||||
| Lebogang | Headman | |||
| Leburu | John | 18-June-1976 | |||
| Lediye | Motse | 11-November-1988 | |||
 | Ledochowski | Chris | Photographer | 1956 | |
| Ledwaba | Jacob | 26-December-1976 | |||
| Ledwaba | Walter | 19 Sept. 1986 | ||
| Lee | Stephen | ANC, SACP and MK activist | ||
| Lee | Ralph | 08-September-1976 | |||
| Lee | H. | |||
 | Lee-Warden | Leonard (Len) | Linotype operator and printer of The Guardian, Lee-Warden was elected as Native Representative for the Cape in 1954, and a member of the Congress of Democrats. Lee- Warden was one of the accused in the 1956 Treason Trial. | 1913 | 1998 |
| Lee-warden | Leonard | |||
| Leeuw | Jeremiah Baden | Former ANC youth league member who was one of the group of Africanists that broke away to form the PAC, prisoner on Robben Island | 1932 | 2008 |
 | Lefakane | Zekia | 21-March-1960 | ||
 | Leftwich | Adrian | Author, exile, President of NUSAS, member of the African Resistance Movement, Lecturer in Politics | 1940 | April 2013 |
 | Legae | Ezrom | South African sculptor and painter whose work provides a harsh social commentary on life under apartheid | 01-June-1938 | January 1999 |
 | Legingoane | John | Miner, Worker, Marikana Casualty | 16 August 2012 | |
| Lehloko | Archie | 07-September-1986 | |||
 | Lehupa | Jackson | Miner, Worker, Marikana Casuality | 16 August 2012 | |
| Lehupela | Molatodi | Sculptor | 7 September 1962 | ||
| Leisa | Mildred | |||
 | Leisa | Selloane | Anti-apartheid activist, member of the ANCWL and FEDSAW, founding member of ASHA, played a role in the 1956 Women’s March | 22 February 1914 | 6 July 2016 |
| Lekalakala | Albanus | |||
| Lekele | Peter | |||
 | Lekganyane | Joseph | Bishop and leader of St Engenas Zion Christian Church (the Dove). | 21 January 1931 | 11 November 1972 |
 | Lekgetho | Simon | Painter | 1929 | 1985 |
| Lekgoete | Elias | |||
 | Lekitla | Mirriam | 21-March-1960 | ||
 | Lekota | Mosiuoa Gerard | Member of SASO, the UDF, the ANC and COPE. Political prisoner, Politician, President and Leader of the Congress of the People since 16 December 2008. | 13-August-1948 | 4 March 2026 |
| Lekoto | Merementsi | |||
 | Lembede | Anton | Political Activist. | 21-March-1914 | 30-July-1947 |
 | Lemon | T. J. | Photographer | ||
| Lengisi | Joel | ANCYL secretary, political prisoner, banned and banishedperson | 1920 | |
| Lengwali | Patrick | 11-January-1977 | |||
| Lenkoe | James | 10-March-1969 | |||
| Lennox | Gudlindlu | |||
| Leo | Contriens | |||
 | Leon | Anthony James (Tony) | Former leader of the Democratic Alliance | 15 December 1956 | |
| Leon | Consalves | |||
 | Leon | Ruth | Women’s rights activist, gay rights activist, anti-apartheid activist | 4 May 1945 | 15 August 1996 |
| Leonard | Knight | |||
| Lepee | Salanyane | |||
| Lepolesa | S. Mac | trader and national ANC deputy-speaker | 1927 | |
| Lepota | David | 26-December-1976 | |||
| Leroke | Hermina | 26-December-1977 | |||
| Leromo | Kopano | 07-September-1986 | |||
| Lerumo | Luvuyo | 11-November-1986 | |||
| Lesejane | Ashely | 31.12.76 | ||
| Lesele | Tutu | 11-August-1976 | |||
| Leshoai | Sam | |||
| Leshoro | Robert | |||
| Lesia | Ephraim | |||
| Lesia | Moeketsi | |||
| Lesia | Mildred | |||
 | Lesiea | Mildred | Trade unionist, political detainee, banned person, member of the ANC, ANCWL, SACP, FSAW and the UWO, Member of Parliament, recipient of Provincial and National Government Awards. | 28-January-1933 | |
| Lesimola | Lawrence | 07-November-1988 | |||
| Lesley | Motse | 00/00/88 | ||
| Lesolang | S. J. J. | Businessman | 1927 | |
| Letanka | Daniel Simon | Court interpreter, journalist and political activist and founding member of the ANC | 1874 | 1932 |
 | Letele | Arthur | Doctor and ANC member | 02- October-1916 | 20-December-1965 |
| Lethebe | Hermanus | Member of the CPSA | Unknown | 16-December-1929 |
| Letladi | Patrick | |||
| Letlaka | Tsepo | member of the ANCYL and later the PAC | 19-December-1925 | 2006 |
| Letlaku | J. | 26.12.76 | ||
| Letlalo | Petrus | |||
| Letleka | Dominic | 18.6.76 | ||
| Letsela | Reuben | |||
| Letseleba | William | |||
| Letsholo | Peter | 25.8.76 | ||
| Letsila | Rueben | 11-November-1986 | |||
 | Letty | Cythna | Painter | 01-January-1895 | 03-May-1985 |
| Leukes | Owen | |||
 | Levetan | Laura Jean | NUSAS Projects Officer and External Vice President, founding member of SSD, a member of UWO, Five Freedoms Foundation and the Australian Labour Party | 1955 | |
 | Levin | Aubrey | Aubrey Levin was a psychiatrist who worked in the South African Defence Force (SADF) where he earned the nickname “Dr Shock” for his use of electro-convulsive shocks on gay and lesbian conscripts under the guise of curing them of their homosexuality. | 18 December 1938 | |
| Levinson | Mankankaza | |||
 | Levitan | Ronnie | Photographer | 28 December 1943 | 28-January-2005 |
 | Levson | Freda | Political activist, administered the 1956 Treason Trial Defence Fund and IDAF worker | 21-November-1911 | 07-October-2004 |
 | Levy | Leon | Trade unionist, Author, SACTU Leader and 1956 Treason trialist | 07-August-1929 | 31 January 2026 |
 | Levy | Norman | Member of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and South African Congress of Democrats (COD), sat on the South African Congress of Democrats Resolutions Committee member, defendant in the Treason Trial and ‘Fischer Trial’ | 7 August 1929 | 4 July 2021 |
| Lewatle | Pope | |||
 | Lewin | Hugh | Journalist, author, anti-apartheid activist, political prisoner, jailed for sabotage, exiled person, member of the African Resistance Movement and the Liberal Party of South Africa, recipient of the Olive Schreiner Prize for his prison memoir Bandiet Out of Jail and the Alan Paton Award for Stones against the Mirror, recipient of the International Human Rights Book Award for Stones against the Mirror, media trainer | 1939 | 16 January 2019 |
 | Lewis | Neville | Artist | 08-October-1895 | 26-June-1972 |
| Lewis | Jack | |||
| Lewis | Dave | |||
| Lewis | Henrietta | Olive Schreiner’s elder sister, founder of “The Highlands” home, member of Women’s Temperance Union | 1850 | 1912 | |
| Lewiton | Archie | A member of the Communist Party of South Africa. | ||
| Lewiton | ||||
 | Leyden | Jock | Cartoonist | 1908 | 2000 |
| Liander | Dlamini | |||
 | Liau | Janeveke | Miner, Worker, Marikana Casuality | 16 August 2012 | |
| Libate | Carl | |||
| Liberty | Eric | 28 December 1989 | ||
| Lichabe | Sam | |||
| Lickard | Lickard | ||||
 | Liebenberg | John | 1958 | 15 February 2020 | |
| Likhing | J. S. | member and chaplain of the ANC | ||
| Limba | Cyril | 9.9.76 | ||
| Limbada | Ahmed | medical doctor, exile, member of the Unity Movement of South Africa and the African Peoples Democratic Union of South Africa | 1922 | 1988 |
| Linda | Petrus | 26.12.76 | ||
| Linda | Bikitsha | |||
| Linda | Fibi | |||
| Linda | Mampane | |||
| Lindwa | Shortman | |||
 | Linerabotapi | Isaac | 21-March-1960 | ||
| Lingisi | Joel | |||
| Linus | Dhlamini | |||
| Lion | Solomon | Banished person | 21 September 1971 | |
| Lionel | Curtis | |||
| Lionel | Davis | |||
| Liphoko | Patrick | |||
 | Lipman | Alan | Member of the CPSA, member of the ANC, author, teacher, intellectual and architect | 6 June 1925 | 27 January 2013 |
| Lisa | Canzi | |||
| Litha | Jalobe | |||
| Lithako | Jim | Banished person | ||
| Litho | Mlahleki | |||
 | Livingstone | David | Worked at a cotton mill company while at school, Trained as a Medical doctor, Missionary of the London Missionary Society (LMS), Explorer. | 1813 | 1873 |
| Liwana | Sityepi | |||
| Liza | Mbiko | |||
| Lizo | Mtoto | |||
 | Llewellyn | Charles | The first non-white South African cricketer. | 29 September 1876 | 7 June 1964 |
| Lloyd | Tobilo | 05-April-1988 | |||
| Lloyd | Candi | |||
| Lloyd | Jan | 26.12.76 | ||
| Lloyd | Tobile | 1961 | 14 April 1988 | |
| Lloyd | John | A member of the African Resistance Movement (ARM) | ||
| Lokwanye | Nujoma | |||
 | Lollan | Stanley B. | Secretary of SACPO in the Transvaal and 1956 Treason Trialist | 1925 | |
| Lollan | Stanley | Secretary of SACPO in the Transvaal and 1956 Treason Trialist | 1925 | 1987 |
| Lolwane | Sidwell | |||
| Lolwane | Beauty | |||
 | Lombard | Rashid | Photographer, co-founder of the Cape Town Press Centre, CEO of espAfrika, Festival Director of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, recipient of the National Order of Ikhamanga (Silver) | 10-April-1951 | 4 June 2025 |
| Lombard | Mbata | |||
| Londe | Siphiwo | 29-March-1988 | |||
 | Long | Samuel | Working class martyr, trade unionist and communist | 1891 | 17 November 1922 |
 | Loots | Hermanus | 19-07-1936 | 25-01-2016 | |
 | Loram | Charles | Educationist | 10-May-1879 | 1940 |
| Lot | Hamateni | |||
| Louis | Mtimkulu | |||
| Louis | Pedro | |||
 | Lourens | Jansie | ANC operative and charged with treason | ||
 | Louw | Eric Hendrik | Politician and a diplomat | 1890 | 1968 |
 | Louw | Suzanne | Artist | 1964 | |
| Louw | D | |||
| Lowe | Nazeem | |||
| Loza | Elijah | 1918 | 01-August-1977 | |
| Lubeko | Gilbert | |||
| Lubepe | Francis | |||
| Lubisi | Andy | |||
| Lubisi | Noimbithi | |||
 | Lubowski | Anton | 3 February 1953 | 12 September 1989 | |
| Lubuzo | Acting | |||
| Lucas | Cornelius | |||
| Lucas | Bbatha | |||
| Lucas | Giyane | |||
| Lucas | Mahlangu | |||
| Lucas | Makunyane | |||
| Lucas | Jusuf | |||
| Lucas | Michael | 1967 | 25 March 1988 | |
 | Ludbrook | Kim | Photographer | 9 June 1969 | |
| Ludi | Gerard | Agent infiltrated into MK, Liliesleaf Raid | ||
| Ludidi | Zulani | |||
| Ludwe | Lobese | |||
| Lufele | Jackson | 26 October 1992 | ||
| Lujiza | Theodore B. | Trade unionist and ICU Branch Secretary | ||
| Lukas | Nkinki | |||
| Lukele | Andrew | |||
| Lukhele | Oupa | 28-March-1988 | |||
| Lukhele | Willie | |||
| Lulamile | Mate | |||
| Lulamile | Xate | |||
| Lumis | Dlamini | |||
| Lumkile | Mkefa | |||
 | Lumumba | Patrice | First Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo (now called Democratic Republic of the Congo) | 2 July 1925 | 17 January 1961 |
| Lungile | Lydia | |||
| Lungisani | Kunene | |||
| Lungiso | Musi | |||
| Luphindo | Inspector | 2.7.76 | ||
| Luphondo | Mlungisi | 06-November-1988 | |||
| Lupiwane | Goowill | 18.2.77 | ||
| Lupondwana | Rex | |||
| Lupulwana | Fuzile | August 1986 | ||
 | Lurie | David | Photographer | 1951 | |
 | Lurie | Hannah | Photographer | ||
| Lushaba | Dumudumu | |||
 | Luthuli | Albert John | Teacher, ANC President-General, 1956 Treason Trialist, banned person and Nobel Peace Prize winner | 1898 | 21 July 1967 |
 | Luthuli | Nokukhanya | Teacher and farmer, wife of Chief Albert John Luthuli, community leader, involved in the ANC and Daughters of Africa. | 3 March 1904 | 16 December 1996 |
| Luthuli | Phendulani | |||
| Luthuli | Daluxolo | ||||
| Lutuli | Martin | Farmer, wagon maker, Chief and founder of the Natal Native Congress | mid 1800s | 1921 |
| Luvatsha | Reginald | 26.12.76 | ||
 | Luyt | Louis | Businessman, former President of SARFU and politician | 18-June-1932 | 01-February-2013 |
| Lwana | Meshak |