SAHO global search

1913-1993

Jan Gerard Sekoto

“Art is the spark, the illumination which is socially significant for it brings about understanding.” Jan Gerard Sekoto was born on 9 September 1913 in…

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1926-2004

Anthony Sampson

Anthony Sampson was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church in Oxford, and served on the Royal Navy from 1944-7. In 1951, due in part to his…

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1931-1989

Richard Rive

Richard Rive was born on 1 March 1931 in Cape Town, and grew up in District Six, which was a Coloured, or “mixed race”, area under apartheid. With the aid of…

B-0008959

1897-1974

Victor Poto

Victor Poto was born in 1897 at Libode in western Pondoland, attended Healdtown and the' South African Native College (later Fort Hare), and was installed as…

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Henry Solomon Leon Polak

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1880

Sir Ernest Oppenheimer

Ernest Oppenheimer was born on 22 May 1880 in Friedberg, Germany. He was the son of Edward Oppenheimer, a cigar merchant. Oppenheimer began his working life at…

B-0008856

1936-2010

Lewis Nkosi

Lewis Nkosi was born in Chesterville, Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal and was educated at local schools before enrolling at M. L. Sultan Technical College in Durban. …

B-0008808

1937-1965

Ndazana Nathaniel Nakasa (Nat Nakasa)

Ndazana Nathaniel (Nat) Nakasa was born on 12 May 1937 in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape. Nakasa was the second of three children of Joseph Nakasa and his wife,…

B-0008741

1922

Sir Sydney Kentridge

Sydney Kentridge was born in Johannesburg in 1922. He matriculated in 1938 at the King Edward VII High School. In 1941, he obtained a BA degree at the…

B-0086256

1960

Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi

Geraldine Fraser was born in 1960 in Lansdowne, Cape Town. She received her primary education in Wynberg and matriculated at Livingstone High School in…

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1923-1986

William “Bloke” Modisane

William 'Bloke' Modisane was born on 28 August 1923. He grew up in Sophiatown, a multiracial suburb in Johannesburg. His father was murdered and sister died…

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1948-1985

Thamsanqa “Thami” Mnyele

"For me as craftsman, the act of creating art should complement the act of creating shelter for my family or liberating the country for me people. This is…

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1942

Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki

Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki was born on June 18 1942, in Mbewuleni (meaning ‘place of seed’), a tiny village in Idutywa in Transkei (now Eastern Cape). His middle…

B-0008516

1915-2003

Kaiser Daliwonga Matanzima

Kaiser  Daliwonga Matanzima was a chief of the Thembus. Matanzima was born June 15,1915 in Qamata in Eastern Cape. When the South African government introduced…

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1939-2018

Hugh Masekela

Hugh Ramopolo Masekela was born on 4 April 1939 in Witbank, near Johannesburg. Masekela showed musical ability from a young age, and began to play piano as a…

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Nise Bulelwa Malange

Nise Malange was born in 1960, in Cape Town Western Province (now Western Cape Province), South Africa and grew up in Clovelly. As a young teenager she became…

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1932-2005

Arthur Maimane

Arthur Maimane was born on 5 October 1932 in Pietersburg. He completed his matric at St Peter's College in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, which was also known as…

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1933-1986

Samora Machel

Samora Machel was born in 1933 and was raised in the village of Chilembene. He was a member of the Shangana ethnic group and his parents were poor. Machel…

B-0008358

1956

Anthony James (Tony) Leon

Tony Leon was born on 15 December 1956 in Durban, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal). He was born to Sheila Schulz and Ramon Leon. His father was an Advocate and later…

B-0008317

1930-2012

Alfred Khumalo

Alfred "Alf" Khumalo was born in Johannesburg and matriculated at the WiIberforce Institute in Evaton. Khumalo began his working career as a journalist in…

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1643-1674

Krotoa (Eva)

Krotoa (known as Eva to the Dutch and English settlers) was the niece of Autshumao, a Khoi leader and interpreter to the Dutch (he was known as Harry/Herry…

B-0008280

1914-2006

Nnoseng Ellen Kate Khuzwayo

Nnoseng Ellen Kate Khuzwayo was born on the 29th of June 1914 in Lesotho. She grew up on her grandfather's farm in Thaba Nchu and inherited the farm in 1930…

B-0008257

1921-1980

President Seretse Khama

Seretse Khama was born on 1 July 1921 at Serowe, Bechuanaland (now Botswana). His grandfather was Kgosi (King) Khama III, known as Khama the Good, the ruler of…

B-0008250

1896-1951

Clements Kadalie

Clements Kadalie was born in April 1896 in Nkhata Bay District at Chifira village near the Bandawe Mission Station in Nyasaland, presently Malawi. He was the…

B-0008223

1939

Wopko Jensma

Wokpo was born on 26 July 1939 in Middelburg, Cape Town. He received his education at the University of Potchefstroom, but his studies were temporally…

B-0008203

1885-1959

Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu

Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu (D. D. T) Jabavu was born in the Cape Colony in 20 October in 1885. He was the eldest son of John Tengo Jabavu, a politician turned…

B-0008190

1952

Barbara Anne Hogan

Barbara Hogan was born on 28 February 1952 and grew up in Benoni. After completing her primary school education, Hogan enrolled and completed her matric at St…

B-0008169

1937-1986

Bessie Amelia Head

Bessie Amelia Head was born at Fort Napier Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), South Africa, the asylum her mother was committed to at the…

B-0008149

1867-1946

Josiah Tshangana Gumede

Josiah Tshangana Gumede was born on 9th October 1867 in Healdtown Village, Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape. His father, John Gumede, and his mother were…

B-0008131

1917-1958

Christopher W. M. Gell

Christopher Gell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1917. One of the most respected White champions of the African cause,After graduating from Cambridge…

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