Franco Frescura was born in Trieste, Italy, on 28 September 1946. Both his parents originally came from Fiume, today known as Rijeka, in present-day Croatia. His father, Umberto, practiced as a civil engineer, while his mother, Fiore (nee Cottiero), came from a family of small industrialists and landowners. A second son, Fabio, was born in 1950. In about November 1953 the family moved to Rome, where they lived until February 1956, when they immigrated to South Africa.

Magwaza Alfred Maphalala was born on 6 April 1948 in Bergville, Ladysmith in Natal. He was an only son. Maphalala completed his schooling and matriculated in Bergville. He then moved to Durban to look for work.  

John Jacques William Aitchison was born to Harold Aitchison and Phyllis Jacques, in Durban, Natal (now kwaZulu-Natal) on 2 June 1944. He was brought up by his grandparents as his mother passed away a few days after he was born.

Aitchison grew up in Durban where he attended the Durban Prepartory High School for his primary education and Durban High School for Secondary education. He then went to Pietermaritzburg to study at the University of Natal and remained in Pietermaritzburg until relocating to Durban in 2011. 

Job Shimankana Tabane (largely known as Cassius Make, his alias name) was born in Maile village (Diepkuil) just outside Rustenburg on 6 December 1942. Tabane began his primary education in 1949 at Diepkuil Primary School and had to balance his school work with tending his grandfather’s cattle.  At the age of 12 he left his paternal home in Mosenthal and enrolled for Standard two at Tweetepoort Bantu School where he studied until completing Standard five in 1956.

Leo Linda Sihlali was born on 9 September 1915 in Butterworth. He went to primary school in Tarkastad where his mother worked as a teacher. On completion he went to Lovedale to commence his secondary school education. Sihlali then enrolled at the University of Fort Hare for his tertiary education, and also later received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Abdul Samad Minty was born on 31 October 1933 in Hartebeesfontein, Northern Transvaal (now known as Limpopo Province). Minty grew up in Johannesburg where he completed his schooling. He left South Africa in June 1958, for Britain, to further his studies.

Following widespread resistance, the Native Affairs Department (NAD) was forced to abolish the Bapedi tribal authority because of a lack of support.  This led to the suspension of Paramount Chief Sekhukhune as Regent for a month and Lot Kgagudi Maredi and Kgagudi Marutanyane were banished from Geluks Location, Sekhukhuneland, Lydenburg District, Transvaal [now Lydenburg, Mpumalanga]in November 1957.

Jack Monamudi Matsepe’s banishment appears to be linked to the Maleuskop between Groblersdal [Limpopo Province] and Middelburg [Mpumalanga] to Tafelkop relocation and conflict*.  His banishment documentation noted thatthere wasconsiderable unreston thefarm Tafelkop in the Groblersdal District, which was believed to be initiated by ‘leftist elements.’  It had already led to the death of Lucas Scott, a ‘Bantu Information Assistant’ in the Department of Information.

Gilbert R Tsikalanga was headman in the Mphaphuli Tribal area, Sibasa District, [Northern] Transvaal, [now Tshivhase, Limpopo Province]

He was relieved of his duties due to his insistence on becoming the chief, for agitating against the incumbent chief and the headman, and for causing serious divisions in the community.

He was banished on 3 June 1969 to Ardath Farm No.  Ku.C.O. 5-33, Kuruman District, [Northern] Cape, [now North West Province]

 Gilbert R Tsikalanga’s order was withdrawn on 30 September 1976.