Henry “Mthofozigidi” Khumalo was a professional soccer player. Mthofozigidi played for African Wanderers and Orlando Pirates between 1976 and 1984. He died in 2010.

Dumisani Makhaye was born in Cato Manor in 1955. When he was three his family was removed under the Group Areas Act, moving to KwaMashu. His participation in the demonstrations and street marches that were part of the 1976 student protests brought him to the attention of the police and in late 1976 he went into exile. He underwent military training in Angola where he came into contact with MK commanders like Joe Modise, Joe Slovo, Chris Hani and Cassius Maake. He then spent two years studying political science in Cuba before being sent for further military training in East Germany. When he returned, he became part of MK’s command structure in Swaziland, responsible for sending units into South Africa and planning operations. In the mid-1980s he was arrested by Swazi officials and deported to Tanzania. From there he was sent to Lusaka where he worked in the ANC’s department of information and publicity. After the unbanning of the ANC he became a member of the ANC’s national executive committee and at various times minister of housing, agriculture, the environment, local government and traditional affairs in KwaZulu-Natal.

Dorris Mpamla was a leading activist in the KwaMashu Women’s League. Dorris later joined the ANC after being harassed severely by the security forces due to her activities in the township. Although she never trained as an MK cadre she was were instrumental in a number of underground operatives, not only in KwaMashu but other townships around Durban. She was assassinated by the Apartheid state in 1986.

Daphney Hlomuka was born and raised in KwaMashu during the Apartheid era.

She began acting in the theater in Durban in 1968, and was considered to be a protégé of the Durban-based playwright, Welcome Msomi. Her earliest theater credits included performances in two of Msomi’s theatrical productions: Qombeni and Umabatha, which was a Zulu adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Umabatha became one of Msomu’s most famous works. Hlomuka worked in Zulu language radio plays in the interim between Qombeni and Umabatha. She left South Africa briefly during the 1970s to tour with the cast of Iphi ‘Ntombi in Europe. During the 1960s and 1970s, roles on screen or stage for black actors in South Africa were often difficult to find due to Apartheid. Hlomuka often appeared off-screen as a radio actor in several popular Zulu drama series. Hlomuka finally had success on South African television during the 1980s when she was cast in the role of MaMhlongo in the dramatic television series, Hlala Kwabafileyo. Her character, MaMhlongo, was the wife and widow of a wealthy tycoon.

To this day in South Africa, the word MaMgobhozi, which originated from the series and Hlomuka’s character, describes the gossip habits attributed to women. She also appeared in the 1980s television comedy, S’gudi S’naysi, opposite well known actor, Joe Mafela. Mafela portrayed the tenant, S’dumo. Hlomuka’s character, Sis May, was S’dumo’s well intentioned, tolerant landlady. The series was popular during its run. Hlomuka’s film and television credits spanned the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. She appeared in the 1995 film, Soweto Green as a maid and housekeeper named Tryphina, opposite actor John Kani. She also starred as Queen Ntombazi in the 1986 South African television miniseries, Shaka Zulu.

As build up to a new memorial being built in kwaMashu, we are looking at heroes and heroines from the township.

First up is Alfred Nokwe, who grew up in Cato Manor and worked as a clerk in Native Affairs Administration. During the demolition of Cato Manor he was relocated to kwaMashu, despite the fact that he was working for the city council.

Nokwe started his artistic career as an actor in a play by Alan Paton, uMkhumbane. He featured in many TV dramas as an actor and later as a director/producer. Nokwe worked as a local historian and artist and also assisted destitute children in kwaMashu. He was recognised as a “living legend” by the eThekwini Municipality.