Home > Raymond Mhlaba

He was born in Mazoka village in the Fort Beaufort district. He started working at a laundry in Port Elizabeth after leaving school. He became a trade unionist in his youth, and was one of the ANC leaders arrested during the transport boycott of 1952.

Mhlaba joined the ANC and the SACP in 1944 and 1943, respectively. He was the district secretary of the Communist Party from 1946 until it was banned in 1950. He was chairman of the Port Elizabeth branch of the ANC from

After the ANC was banned he joined other exiles in obtaining military training. Returning to South Africa in 1962, he commanded Umkhonto we SizweUmkhonto we Sizwe (MK) (Spear of the Nation) was the military wing of the African National Congress (ANC). Founded December 16, 1961, by the ANC and South African Communist Party (SACP) as the answer to the political, social and economical oppression agai until

Rivonia.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia trial, and served time on Robben IslandRobben Island ( Dutch for "seal island") is an island 12 km off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. It was first inhabited thousands of years ago when the channel dividing it from the mainland was not under water. Since the end of the 17th century, Robb. In 1982Events January January 6 William Bonin is convicted of being the "freeway killer". January 8 AT&T agrees to divest itself of twenty-two subdivisions January 11 Mark Thatcher, son of the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, disappears in the Sahara du he was transferred to Pollsmoor . By special permission he married his common-law wife Dedika Heliso in 19861986 is a common year starting on Wednesday. Events January January 1 Spain and Portugal enter the European Community January 1 Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands and is separated from the Netherlands Antilles. January 9 After losing a pa, with whom he had three children.

Nelson Mandela was a witness at the ceremony, conducted in the prison commandant's office. Afterwards Mhlaba was legally permitted to touch his wife for the first time in 22 years.

After his release from prison in October 19891989 is a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 7 Akihito becomes Emperor of Japan following the death of Hirohito. The Heisei period begins January 8 the Kegworth Air Disaster A British Midland Boeing 737 cra, he was elected to the ANC national executive and the South African Communist Party central committee. He became national chairperson of the SACP in 19951995 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). It has a Golden number of 1, and was the first year of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995- 2005): http://www. org/culture/indigenous . Events January events Ja.

In January 19941994 is a common year starting on Saturday, and was designated the International year of the Family''. Events January events January 1 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect January 6 Nancy Kerrigan is clubbed on the right leg by an he was chosen as the ANC's premier-designate for a unified Eastern Cape. He helped to establish the house of traditional leaders. He then became the High Commissioner to Uganda and Rwanda, until he retired in 2001.

In April 2001 he released a book of his memoirs, narrated by him and researched and compiled by Thembeka Mafumadi .

Mhlaba had a stroke on July 19, 2003, but he recovered quickly.

He is seen as a stalwart member of both the ANC and the SACP. He was recognised with the Isitwalandwe Award in 1992 for his role in the liberation struggle, and the Moses Kotama Award in 2002 for his contribution to the SACP.