Family members of renowned photojournalist and anti-apartheid activist Peter Magubane hope that he will be remembered for capturing the plight of black South Africans.
Magubane died peacefully at his home at the age of 91 on Monday afternoon.
His family said that the struggle icon was not feeling well prior to his death.
Magubane’s interest in photojournalism started in 1954 when he got a job as a driver at Drum magazine – a publication that was known for celebrating black excellence during the apartheid era.
Six months later, he found himself holding a camera in his hands as he was assigned to cover the ANC’s convention in 1955.
A few years later, Magubane captured the Sharpeville massacre and also got to cover Nelson Mandela’s Rivonia Trial between 1963 and 1964.
Little did he know that he would soon become Madiba’s official photographer and would be honoured as one of South Africa’s struggle icons.
His granddaughter Lungile Magubane said her grandfather was a gift to the nation during the liberation struggle.
“His work is something to be celebrated but also quite dark in a way that he had to see all that. We are alive to see the country change because of the sacrifices he made.”
She added that she is glad that his work has been recognized, albeit many years later.
-EWN
In other news – Continue resting in peace: Mzansi celebs who died in 2023
It’s a new year, and we do not forget the loved ones we lost in the previous year! From musicians and actors to sports stars, chefs, media personalities, and activists, the South African entertainment industry bid farewell to several big names in 2023.
Here’s a look at some of the celebrities who died in 2023: Rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his lifelong friend and celebrity author Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane were shot dead outside a restaurant in Durban on February 10. Their murder is under investigation. Read More