SAHO global search

1966-1986

Andrew Sibusiso Zondo

Andrew Sibusiso Zondo grew up in KwaMashu, Durban, Natal (now Kwazulu-Natal). He attended Ngazane Lower Primary School and went on to Phakama Higher Primary…

B-0085558

1929-2000

Esme Bodenstein

Esme Bodenstein was born on 6 July 1929 in Johannesburg. She trained as a physiotherapist at St Mary’s Hospital in London before moving to Cape Town. There…

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1955

Shirley Gunn

Gunn enrolled for a degree in social work in 1977 and after completion proceeded to study for her Honors degree. While studying for her Honors degree, she…

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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…

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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…

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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 …

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Siva Pillay

Siva Pillay was a B.Sc. student at university in Durban, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), when he joined uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the African National Congress’s…

B-0123671

1939-2025

Sunny Girja Singh

Sunny Girja Singh was born in Cato Manor (uMkhumbane), Durban, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), in 1939 to a working-class family. His father, Girjabaksh, came to…

B-0124272

1944

Subbiah Moodley

Subbiah Moodley is probably the most anonymous of the early uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), the military wing of the African National Congress (ANC), recruits. He…

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1963

Jeremy Vearey

Jeremy Vearey was born in 1963 in Elsies River. He describes the area as a ‘different Elsies River’ than today as it was only around 50% built houses. It was a…

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Aubrey Mokoena

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1932-1968

Benson Tsele

Benson Tsele died on 21 March 1968 in combat against the then white supremacist Rhodesian army. The Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) guerrilla was part of the Luthuli…

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1957-2020

Vejaynand ‘Vejay’ Indurjith Ramlakan

Dr Vejaynand Indurjith Ramlakan, more popularly known as 'Vejay', was born in Durban, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), South Africa in 1957. He matriculated at…

B-0146829

1941-2023

Stephanie Kemp

Stephanie Kemp was born in the Karoo in 1941 and grew up with her two sisters in Malmesbury in the Swartland. The town was dominated by the Dutch Reformed…

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Marion Monica Sparg

Marion Monica Sparg was born in East London and was one of six children. She grew-up in a white middle-class English-speaking South African family in the…

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Lindelwa Mtutuzeli Mabandla

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Aubrey Mokoena

Mokoena was born in Orlando West, Johannesburg during World War II. He grew up in the township, but due to his mother’s bad health was brought up by Anna Khomo…

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1967-1989

Coline Williams

Coline Williams was born on 30 May 1967 and grew up in Bonteheuwel, a township in the Western Cape, South Africa. The eldest of three siblings, Coline, her…

B-0149719

1969-1989

Robert Anthony Basil Waterwitch

Robert ‘Robbie’ Anthony Basil Waterwitch was born on 15 July 1969 and grew up in Athlone, a suburb of Cape Town located on the Cape Flats. Remembered as a…

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1966-1987

Norman “Billy Holiday” Pietersen

Norman Pietersen (also known as Billy Holiday) was born in 1966 in Paarl, Western Cape. In 1982, he was recruited by uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) veterans and became…

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1957-1988

Makhosi “Tholi” Nyoka

Makhosi “Tholi” Nyoka was born on 3 April 1957 and grew up in KwaMashu, a township north of Durban, where she attended Umzuvele Secondary School. Nyoka was…

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1967-1988

Nontsikelelo June-Rose Cothoza

Nontsikelelo June-Rose Cothoza was born at King Edward Hospital, Umbilo, Durban, in June 1967. The second child of Zizile Cothoza, Nontsikelelo Cothoza, or…

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1960-2020

Zindziswa “Zindzi” Nobutho Mandela

Zindziswa “Zindzi” Nobutho Mandela was born on 23 December 1960 in Soweto to South African struggle icons Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. It…

B-0150021

1957-1980

Leonard Tebogo Tume

Leonard Tebogo Tume, known as Norman Nkosi, was born on 10 April 1957 in Galeshewe, Kimberly. He attended Barkly Road High School and after he left school in…

B-0150094

Mary Butcher Turok

Mary Butcher Turok is the wife of the anti-apartheid activist, parliamentarian and Professor Ben Turok, who played a prominent role in the writing of the…

B-0150129

1952-1981

Robert Mokwena (George Sello)

Robert Mokwena, also known by his guerrilla name as George Sello, was born on 4 April 1952 in White City Jabavu, Soweto in the Transvaal (now known as Gauteng…

B-0150238

1935

Moyisile Douglas Tyutyu

Moyisile Douglas Tyutyu was born in 1935* in KwaZakhele, Port Elizabeth, Transkei (now Eastern Cape Province). His interest in politics was sparked from a…

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1956

Susan Shabangu

Susan Shabangu was born on 28 February 1956. She attended Madibane High School in Soweto, Transvaal (now Gauteng). From 1980, she became involved in politics…

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1944-2020

Rajes Pillay

Rajaluxmi Pillay (also known as Rajes) was born on 4 August 1944 in Pietermaritzburg, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal – KZN). Her parents were from Kimberley in the…

B-0150649

1958-1995

Nithianandan ‘Elvis' Ganese Govender

Nithianandan Ganese Govender (Elvis) was born on 1 November 1958 in Esperanza, a village on the south coast of Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal – KZN), on the eastern…

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