DC22/NAMM/0015

To honor the life of Johnny Makhathini, who contributed immensely and fought for a free and Democratic South Africa. 
Makhathini was born in Durban on 8 February 1932. He underwent his high school education at Adams College and went on to train as a teacher. He taught in his rural village, Mzinyathi in Inanda. He resigned from the teaching profession protesting against the imposition of Bantu Education and registered as a part-time law student at the University of Natal. He devoted the rest of his time to organising people as an activist of the ANC, becoming a key youth and student organiser around Durban and in the rural areas of Natal. Makhathini was one of the principal organisers of the historic Pietermaritzburg conference in March 1961, which was addressed by Nelson Mandela and the highly successful anti-fascist strike of May 1961. In 1962, he was among the first group of volunteers from Natal to be sent out of the country for military training.Makhathini was a member of the ANC National Executive Committee. In 1966, he was appointed ANC Chief Representative in Algeria. In 1977, he was appointed head of the ANC Mission to the United Nations and later head of the ANC's Department of International Affairs. A tireless fighter, highly regarded diplomat and leader, he died on 3 December 1988. He was survived by his wife and a daughter.