SAHO global search

1803-1894

Rev. Aldin Grout

Aldin Grout was born on 2 September 1803 in Pelham, Massachusetts in the United States. In 1830 Grout graduated from Amherst College and continued to study in…

B-0008127

1919-2020

Florence Elizabeth Mnumzana

Florence Elizabeth Mnumzana (née Mhinga) was born on 21 February 1919 in Mhinga Village, Northern Transvaal (now Limpopo), into the Mhinga traditional royal…

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Bisho Jarsa

Article by Sandra Rowoldt Shell, University of Cape Town. When Neville Alexander used to visit his maternal grandmother Bisho Jarsa as a boy, he never…

B-0099923

1920-1964

Vuyisile Mini

Vuyisile Mini was born in 1920 in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Mini's father was a Port Elizabeth dockworker active in labour and community struggles,…

B-0008562

1906-1968

Archibald Campbell Jordan

Archibald Campbell Mzolisa Jordan, the son of an Anglican minister, was born on 30 October 1906 at the Mbokothwana Mission Station in the Tsolo District of…

B-0008216

1931-1998

Justice John Mowbray Didcott

John Mowbray Didcott was born on 14 August 1931, Durban, Natal.  After matriculating at Hilton College, outside Pietermaritzburg, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) in…

B-0008005

1936-2015

Letsau Nelson Diale

Nelson Diale was born on 1st January 1936 at Ga-Masemola in Limpopo where he spent most of his childhood years. He attended school in Sekobetlane Maphutha. In…

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1934-2010

Bertha Gxowa (Mashaba)

Bertha Gxowa was born on the 28th of November 1934, in Germiston Location where she spent her early childhood. She attended the Thokoza Primary School and then…

B-0008468

1945

Refiloe Jackie Phelile Sedibe

Refiloe Phelile Florence Jackie Sedibe (known as Jackie Sedibe) was born at White River in Mpumalanga. Sedibe’s mother was a domestic worker and her father …

B-0093133

Martin Nambala Wilpard

Martin Nambala Wilpard was acknowledged as the Chief of the Ondonga community in Ovamboland, South West Africa [now Namibia].  It was claimed that he was…

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1847-1935

Mary Matilda Brown

Mary Matilda Brown was born in Sea Point, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa on 20 July 1847. She advocated for social and moral reform and was a campaigner…

B-0150463

1977

Mzukisi Nobhadula

Mr Mzukisi Nobhadula died in detention on 20 December 1977 at the North End Prison in Port Elizabeth.Mr Nobhadula was an awaiting-trial prisoner on a charge of…

B-0149978

1938

Ngugi wa Thiong’o

The academic and social activist, Ngugi wa Thiong’o is one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. He was born James wa Thiong’o Ngugi in Limuru, Kenya on…

B-0123171

1931-2011

Isaiah Stein

Isaiah Stein was born to a Coloured family in Durban in 1931, the son of a pastor and property developer. After both his parents died, during his teens, he…

B-0064870

1922

Elsa Joubert

Elsabé Antoinette Murray Joubert (married surname Steytler) was born on 19 October 1922 in Paarl where she grew up, and studied at the universities of…

B-0008221

1927-2005

Kalushi Drake Koka

Kalushi Drake Koka was bornin Pietersburg on the 9th  of June,1927. He enrolled for teacher training after completing his matric. In 1960, he became actively…

B-0095114

1913-1994

Stephen J.C. Dlamini

Stephen Dlamini was born in 30 November 1913 in Natal (KwaZulu-Natal). As a factory worker, Dlamini became a trade union member and rose through the ranks,…

B-0008010

1922-1963

Solwandle Looksmart Khulile Ngudle

Looksmart Khulile Ngudle was born on 22 May 1922 in KwaZali village, near Alice in the Eastern Cape. His mother, Notyhume, named him Looksmart because when he…

B-0008782

1873-1917

Nokutela (nee Mdima) Dube

Nokutela Dube was the first wife of Reverend John Langalibalele Dube, the first President General of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC- later…

B-0093906

1930

Josiah Khiphusizi Jele

Josiah Khiphusizi Jele was born on 1 May 1930, in Alexandra, Johannesburg. He was a son to Joseph Jele and Alvinah Khanyile Jele.Like many black South Africans…

B-0070373

1937-2006

Stella Margaret Nomzamo Sigcau

Stella Margaret Nomzamo Sigcau was born on 4 January 1937, she was the eldest of the three children of Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau of East Pondoland who…

B-0009051

1950

Dr Sathasivan “Saths” Cooper

Sathasivian “Saths” Cooper was born on 11 December 1950 in Durban, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), South Africa. He was the eldest child of Alimal and Appasamy…

B-0007957

1922-2013

Vesta Smith

Vesta Smith (affectionately known as Ma Vee) was born in Sophiatown, Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng) on 20 July 1922. Her father worked as a clerk at…

B-0096465

1927

Sydney Brenner

Sydney Brenner was born in Germiston, close to Johannesburg, to Jewish parents on 13 January 1927. His father was a shoe repairman who had moved to South…

B-0007885

1943-2020

Devikarani Priscilla Jana

Devikarani Priscilla Jana was born on 5 December 1943, in Westville, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), to a middle class Indian family.[i] From an early age Jana…

B-0120811

1929-2011

Arthur Goldreich

Arthur Goldreich was born in Johannesburg on 25 December 1929. He grew up in Pietersberg in the Northern Transvaal (now Limpopo). One morning, his secondary…

B-0065024

1936-2011

Lawrence Schlemmer

Eminent sociologist and political analyst Professor Lawrence Schlemmer was born in Pretoria, Transvaal (now Gauteng) on 11 September 1936. After matriculating…

B-0096867

1948-2021

King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu

King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu was born in July 1948 at Nongoma, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal - KZN). He is the eldest son of King Cyprian Bhekuzulu…

B-0068907

1961

David Hartman

Dave Hartman was born in 1961 in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Province (now Eastern Cape) where he grew up in an English speaking liberal home. His mother was born…

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