SAHO global search

1947-1985

Matthew Goniwe

Matthew Goniwe was born on 27 December 1947 in Lingelihle Township on the outskirts of Cradock in the Eastern Cape. His parents David and Elizabeth were farm…

B-0064852

1919-2017

Peter Henry Abrahams

Peter Henry Abrahams Deras (Peter Abrahams) was born in Vrededorp, Johannesburg’s largest Coloured and Asian slum, on 19 March 1919. Abrahams is a 'Coloured'…

B-0085147

1951-1985

Sparrow Mkonto

Sparrow Mkonto was born on 24 December 1951 in Cradock. He left school after Standard 8 (Grade 10) and worked for the Railways, where he joined the railway…

B-0064863

1921-1984

Peter Becker

Peter Loubser Were Becker was born in Rivonia South Africa the youngest of the three sons of Harold Paley Becker and his wife, Anna Petronella Louw. Becker's…

B-0007838

1932

Mimi Coertse

Mimi Coertse was South Africa's first operatic prima donna."Prima donna", in its true sense, properly indicates the chief female vocalist in an opera company…

B-0007947

1947-1974

Abram Ramothibi Onkgopotse Tiro

Abram Onkgopotse Ramothibi Tiro was born on 9 November 1947 in Dinokana, a small village near Zeerust North West Province, South Africa. His parents, now late,…

B-0009149

1952

Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa

 Cyril  Matamela Ramaphosa was born in Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng) on 17 November 1952. He is the second of the three children of Erdmuth and Samuel…

B-0008934

1941

Navanethem (Navi) Pillay

Navanethem (Navi) Pillay was born on 23 September 1941 in Clairwood, Durban, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal). She attended the University of Natal (now University of…

B-0124151

1892-1956

Manilal Gandhi

Manilal Gandhi was born  on 28 October 1892 in Rajkot, India, the second son of Kasturba and Mohandas Gandhi. He had three brothers, with whom he first came to…

B-0008091

1913-1998

Father Trevor Huddleston

Father Trevor Huddleston was born on 15 June 1913 in Chaucer Road, Bedford, England to Ernest Huddleston and his wife. Soon after, the family moved to Golders…

B-0008180

1929-2009

Ronald “Ron” Press

Ron Press was born in 1929.  His father a cinematograph operator became the secretary of the Cinematograph Workers Union, a post he held for over 20 years.  He…

B-0008914

1935-1988

Dulcie Evonne September

Dulcie Evonne September, the second eldest daughter of Jakobus and Susan September was born on the 20th August 1935 in Royal rd, Maitland and grew up on the…

B-0009021

1949-2024

Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan

The contribution of Pravin Gordhan may never be truly understood and appreciated by millions of South Africans. For those of us who have had the privilege to…

B-0096463

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

1924-2009

Dennis Brutus

Dennis Brutus was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe) on 28 November in 1924.His parents moved to Port Elizabeth where he grew up,at the age of…

B-0007892

1958

Jack Mkhuseli

Mkhuseli Jack was born on the farm Mosskraal in Humansdorp on 31 May 1958.  Jack was the second youngest of eight children of Fikile and Alice Jack, a domestic…

B-0008573

Benjamin Johnson Langa

Benjamin (Ben) Johnson, Langa’s father, was a Minister of Religion and his mother was a housewife who was also intensely involved in the church. There were…

B-0080452

1881-1965

Margaret Roach Killie Campbell

Margaret Roach Campbell (Killie Campbell) was born at Mount Edgecombe on 9 September 1881, the second of four children of the Natal senator and sugar magnate,…

B-0007917

1945

Luis Inácio Lula da Silva

Luis Inácio Lula da Silva was born on 27 October 1945 in the state of Pernambuco in Brazil. He was the 35th President of Brazil.President Lula had little…

B-0065251

1958

Mkhuseli Khusta Jack

Mkhuseli Jack was born on the farm Mosskraal in Humansdorp on 31 May 1958.  Jack was the second youngest of eight children of Fikile and Alice Jack, a domestic…

B-0067959

1938-2014

Patrick Vuyo Matshikiza

Article first published in The Sunday Independent January 4 2015 at 10:37am By Sam Mathe Johannesburg - Pianist, singer and composer Pat Matshikiza, 76, who…

B-0098784

1920-2003

Rev. Theo Kotze

The Reverend Theo Kotze was born at the Heads in Knysna, Cape Province (now Western Cape) on 19 May 1920.Kotze came from Afrikaaner stock. His father, a lawyer…

B-0080428

1901-1968

Zachariah Keodirelang Matthews

Zachariah Keodirelang Matthews was born  20th October, in 1901 Kimberley , the son of Peter Motsielwa and Martha Mooketsi Matthews, a Tswana mineworker who…

B-0008500

1932-2016

Mewa Ramgobin

Mewalal “Mewa” Ramgobin was born on 10 November 1932 in Inanda, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal). His grandparents arrived in Natal as indentured labourers. His…

B-0008936

1956-1985

Fort Calata

Fort Calata was born on 5 November 1956. Fort’s grandfather, the Reverend Canon James Arthur Calata, was the Secretary General of the African National Congress…

B-0064862

1855-1920

Olive Schreiner

Olive Schreiner was a writer and feminist and one of the first campaigners for women’s rights. She was also a pacifist. She did not agree with British…

B-0008997

1959

Jane Alexander

This biography was written by SAHO in collaboration with Artthrob Modus Operandi Jane Alexander is known for her figurative sculptures, often appearing…

B-0007786

1942-2018

Gerald Patrick Kearney

Gerald Patrick ‘Paddy’ Kearney was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) on 28 August 1942. He was educated at Catholic schools and for some…

B-0125558

1825-1904

Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger

Paul Kruger is believed to have been born on 10 October 1825 on his grandfather's farm, Bulhoek, in the Cradock district, near the present day town of…

B-0064847

1946-2010

Paul Alberts

Paul Alb erts, one of South Africa’s leading social documentary photographers, was born in 1946 in Pretoria.  He spent his youth in Botswana and the Limpopo…

B-0007779