SAHO global search

1912-2003

Walter Ulyate Sisulu

Walter Ulyate Max Sisulu was born in the village of Qutubeni in the Engcobo district of the Transkei on 18 May 1912. Sisulu was born out of wedlock. His father…

B-0065415

1949-1985

Sicelo Mhlauli

Sicelo Mhlauli was born on 25 May 1949 in Cradock. After completing high school, he trained as a teacher at Lovedale College and upon completion taught at…

B-0064864

1945

Graça Simbine Machel

Graça Simbine Machel was born on 17 October 1945, in Gaza, Mozambique, the last in a family of six children. Her father, a Methodist minister who had died…

B-0008357

1851-1897

Barney Barnato

Barney Barnato was born in 21 February 1851, Whitechapel slum of London. His original name was Barnett Issacs but changed it to Barney Barnatto when he was…

B-0007830

1931-1981

Dr Nomava Eslinah Shangase

Nomava Eslinah Shangase was born in Pondoland on 9 May 1931. Shangase qualified as a nurse at King Edward Hospital in Durban. As a nurse, in South Africa, she…

B-0074795

1926-1994

Lennox Sebe

Lennox Sebe was born on 26 June 1926. He completed his matric at the Lovedale College. Upon his completion he went to attend a teachers college. Sebe had a…

B-0009002

1927-2019

Ben Turok

Leading member of the South African Congress of Democrats (CoD). He was born in Latvia in 1927 and came with his family to South Africa in 1934. After…

B-0068644

1914-2011

Jean Bernadt (nee Alkin)

Jean Alkin was born on 19 May 1914 in Panevezys, Lithuania. She was the eldest of four children. Jean’s family moved to South Africa when she was about six…

B-0094343

1795-1875

Abraham Faure

Abraham Faure was born on 29 August 1795 in Stellenbosch. Faure was one of the leading personalities of his tune in church and intellectual circles at the Cape…

B-0007766

1947-2017

Raymond (Ray) Chikapa Enock Phiri

Raymond Chikapa (Ray) Phiri was born in 1947 in Nelspruit (present-day Mbombela) in Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga). He grew up with a passion for music,…

B-0064906

1949-2004

Matome Maponya

Matome Maponya was born on May 14 1949 in the Thabakgone village of Lephapane in the district of Tzaneen, where his parents eked out an existence on their…

B-0008440

1964

Joseph Manana

Manana was born in Escourt, KwaZulu-Natal. He has been working as an artist since the mid 1980s and is largely self-taught. A few years ago he received an…

B-0008427

1954

Bulelani Thandabantu Ngcuka

Bulelani Ngcuka was born on 2 May 1954 in Middledrift, Eastern Cape. His early schooling was in the former Bantustan of Transkei. He later married Phumzile…

B-0008775

1936-2009

Dawood Parker

Dawood Parker was the Chairman of the Wynberg Civic Association. He played a prominent role in local civic affairs. He was a leading voice in the struggle…

B-0068299

1956-1985

Andries Raditsela

In 1982, Raditsela became deeply engaged in politics after becoming a member of the Chemical Workers' Industrial Union (CWIU), an affiliate of the Federation…

B-0008928

Professor Harry Ranwedzi Nengwekhulu

Harry Ranwedzi Nengwekhulu’s activism in the struggle began in the 1960s. Nengwekhulu alongside Steve Biko and others broke away from National Union of South…

B-0073829

David Perumal

David Perumal lived in Derby Street, Durban, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) and worked at College Clothing in Albert Street. He was educated up to standard six …

B-0122926

1927-2018

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe was born on 27 of July 1927 in Hlobane, Natal (now Kwazulu-Natal), South Africa. Mrs Sobukwe (then Miss Mathe) was a trainee nurse…

B-0123818

1918-2013

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Childhood in the Eastern CapeNelson Rolihlahla Mandela was the son of Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Henry Mgadla Mandela, a chief and chief councillor to the paramount…

B-0065300

1943-1989

Dr. Abu Baker Asvat

This article was written by Michelle Hayman and forms part of the SAHO Public History Internship The ‘People’s Doctor’ ‘He struggled to liberate…

B-0084103

1926-2021

Maniben Sita

Maniben Sita was born on 24 December 1926 in the Asiatic Bazaar, (Marabastad, Pretoria) in Transvaal (now Gauteng), into a highly politically-active family…

B-0068475

1937-2021

Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim

Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim was born in Durban on 1st July in 1937,  the second of five children. When he was a few months old Ebrahim's mother became ill and he…

B-0008038

1961-1994

Feroza Adam

Feroza Adam was born on the 16 August 1961. She was drawn into political activity in 1976 while she was a student at Lenasia’s Nirvana High School. While…

B-0007772

1926

Johannes Jacobus Degenaar

Johannes Jacobus Degenaar was born on 7 March 1926 in Ladysmith. As a young man he was sent to the Cape to study at the University of Stellenbosch, where he…

B-0007981

1912

Goolam Hoosein Ismail Pahad

Pahad left India for South Africa in 1919, but returned to India with his father in 1922 to continue with his educational studies. When Dadoo came to India in…

B-0008860

Molefe Pheto

Molefe Pheto grew up in Alexandra, Johannesburg. As a talented young boy who displayed many interests in the arts, he was sent to London to study music and…

B-0122658

1919-2005

Ntwaesele “Fish” Keitseng

Ntwaesele "Fish" Keitseng was born in Kanye, Botswana in 1919, the son of a peasant,the oldest of six children. At the age of 23, he came to South Africa as a…

B-0008238

1956

Mavivi Myakayaka-Manzini

Mavivi Manzini was born in Alexandra Township, outside of Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng) in 1956, and then moved to Soweto. Manzini suffered from polio…

B-0096368

1906-1979

Cecil Williams

Cecil Williams was born in Cornwall, England in 1906. Williams whose father was a blacksmith left Cornwall for Johannesburg in 1928. After his arrival, he…

B-0068742

1940

Sindiso Mfenyana

Background and Childhood Sindiso Mfenyana is descended from the Bhele clan, which is an offshoot of the Hlubi tribe. He traces his roots back to a small town…

B-0123703