SAHO global search

1915-1995

Yusuf Cachalia

Yusuf Cachalia was born in Johannesburg on 15 January 1915. A leading figure in the South African Indian Congress (SAIC) in the 1940s and 1950s, who was…

B-0007913

1957

Dr Mathume Joseph “Joe” Phaahla

Mathume Joseph Phaahla was born on 11 July 1957 in Ga-Phaahla, Limpopo. Phaahla studied for a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of…

B-0067723

1891-1965

Dr Silas Modiri Molema

Dr. Silas Modiri Molema (Silas Modiri) was born in 1891 in Mafikeng, South Africa. His father was a member of the Royal family of the Barolong chieftaincy and…

B-0068069

1924-1993

Cornelius Judah Fazzie

Cornelius Judah Fazzie  was born in 1924 Queenstown Eastern Cape,but grew up largely in Tsolo.His migrant father worked in the Western Cape.He began school at…

B-0008060

1959

Romeo Zamani Makhanya

Zamani Romeo Makhanya was born in Durban, 1959. He experienced the trauma of losing his brothers one after the other to genetic heart-related conditions. The…

B-0008398

1918-1975

Thomas Patrick Murray

Thomas Patrick Murray was the eldest of the three sons of Patrick Murray, a boiler-maker and trade unionist, and his wife, Florence Mabel Essex. After…

B-0008713

Joel Joffe

Joffe was born to a Jewish family on 12 May, 1932 in Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng). His father, Abraham Joffe, a businessman, had come from Latvia and…

B-0066325

Unknown-Unknown

Samuel Chibane

Samuel Chibane was born in Pretoria and became involved with the PAC as a student at Wilberforce Institute in Evaton, near Sharpeville. In 1963 he was…

B-0007938

1962

Molatodi Thomas Lehupela

Molatodi Thomas Lehupela was born on 7 September 1962 in Paradys Location, Thaba' Nchu in the Free State Province. He attended Penyang Primary School and was…

B-0008310

2012

Bonginkosi Yona

Bonginkosi Yona (32) was from MaQhashu, Ladyfere in the Eastern Cape. He began working for Lonmin in 2010. On 16 August 2012 Bonginkosi was killed at scene 1…

B-0121631

1945

Horst Gerhard Hermann Kleinschmidt

Horst Gerhard Hermann Kleinschmidt was born on 17 October 1945 in Swakopmund, Namibia. At the age of four his family moved to Johannesburg where he grew up…

B-0008267

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

1815-1892

King Sarhili kaHintsa

King Sarhili was the last King to rule over Xhosaland before it was fragmented by the consequences of the ‘Cattle Killing Movement’ of 1856-7. The movement was…

B-0123686

1949-2010

Robert Edward Jansen

Legendary Cape Town jazz musician, Robert Edward Jansen was born on 5 August 1949.  The Cape Doctor, as he was popularly known, was one of South Africa’s most…

B-0008196

Stephen Bernard Lee

Stephen Lee was arrested in 1978 while completing his Master’s Degree in Sociology at the University of Cape Town. At the time he was a British citizen with…

B-0008306

1959-1985

Nomkhosi Mary Mini

Nomkhosi  Mary Mini was born in 1959, the daughter of Vuyisile Mini, South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) activist and first African National…

B-0008564

1932-2016

Diana Mary Mitchell

Diana Mitchell was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, or what was then known as Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, on 16 November 1932[i]. She was famous for many things,…

B-0121532

1929-1967

Selbourne Charlton Sobizwa “Selby” Mvusi

Selbourne Charlton Sobizwa Mvusi (known as Selby) was born in Richmond, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) on 18 June 1929, to Vunina (born Nxasana) and Jotham Mvusi,…

B-0008719

1956

Jennifer Schreiner

Jennifer Schreiner (known as Jenny) was born in Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng) in 1956 to G.D.L. Deneys and Else Schreiner.  Else and Deneys were…

B-0093139

1918-2000

Ismail Chota Meer

Ismail Chota Meer (known as IC) was born September 5, 1918 in the small town of Waschbank in Northern Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal). His father was a trader. He…

B-0008538

1932-2013

Louis Luyt

Louis Luyt was born on 18 June 1932, and grew up in modest circumstances in the Karoo. In the 1940s Luyt was employed as a railway clerk. During his rugby…

B-0008347

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

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

1879-1931

Stephen William Black

Stephen Black was the son of Henry and Sarah Black. He was born in September 1879 in Claremont, Cape Town and was brought up and educated under extremely poor…

B-0007859

1886-1955

Richard Victor Selope Thema

Richard Victor Selope Thema was born in Ga-Mamabolo, Pietersburg district, in 1886. Both his parents were Pedi speaking but not originally belonging to the…

B-0009137

1946-2011

John James Issel

John James Issel was born on 17 August 1946 in the wine-growing area of Worcester outside Cape Town. At a tender age, he worked on a vineyard, cleaning grapes…

B-0064876

1932-2008

Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba was born in March 4th, in 1932 Johannesburg, during a time of economic depression. Her mother, a domestic worker, was imprisoned for six months…

B-0008394

1846-1921

James Smith Morland

Born Liverpool, England 1846, died Cape Town, 1921. Morland was descended from a family of British artists that includes the famous George Morland (1763 - 1804…

B-0008646

1910-1974

Raymond Francis (Ray) Budd

Raymond Francis (Ray) Budd was born on 9 June 1910 in Mowbray, Cape Town. He was the only child of Robert and Ada Lea Budd. His father, originally from England…

B-0007895

1919-1976

Dr James Lowell Zwelinzima Njongwe

James Lowell Zwelinzima Njongwe was one of the most dynamic leaders of the African National Congress(ANC) after its turn to mass action in the 1950s, Njongwe…

B-0068251