Legendary photographer and anti-apartheid activist Peter Magubane has died at the age of 91.
Born on January 18, 1932, the renowned photographer passed away days before his 92nd birthday at his home on Monday afternoon.
Details surrounding his death are still vague, but the family has confirmed the news.
Popularly known for his photographic work, Magubane started his career during the apartheid era. He was internationally acclaimed for his coverage of the 1976 student uprising. He won international and local awards for his contributions to the arts and culture in his career.
He also worked for Drum Magazine, where he covered major political events, including the Rivonia Trial and the Sharpville Massacre.
Magubane later became former president Nelson Mandela's official photographer after he was released from prison in the 1990s until his early years in the Presidency.
His association with Mandela and Winnie Mandela dates back to the 1950s, both as friends and as a photographer.
His daughter, Fikile Magubane, said her father was unwell before his passing but stated that the family will remember his passion to help and advocate for humanity through his life.
In a statement, the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) described him as a giant in the field of photojournalism and one of the courageous journalists who defiantly opposed the apartheid regime in South Africa.
“Throughout the oppressive years of apartheid, he faced harassment, beatings, buckshot wounds, and prolonged periods of interrogation and detention.
“Remarkably, he survived being shot seventeen times at a student's funeral in Natalspruit, Gauteng Province, and endured over 586 days in solitary confinement in 1969,” it said.
According to Sanef, Magubane's resistance was not only evident in his actions but also in his creative methods of capturing the truth, highlighting that he ingeniously hid his camera in a hollowed-out Bible.
Sanef further extended its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire media fraternity during this time of profound loss.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL