Alfred Kumalo, South African photographer who illustrated the brutalities of apartheid, dies

Govan Whittles | one day ago

Alfred Kumalo, a South African photographer whose work chronicled the brutalities of apartheid and the rise of Nelson Mandela, died of renal failure in a Johannesburg hospital on Sunday night, the ruling party said Monday. The African National Congress described Kumalo as a “rare and significant talent that was pivotal in raising social consciousness and exposing the brutality of the apartheid administration.” He was 82.

By Associated Press

Published: October 22, 2012

“South Africa has lost a self-taught giant in the media field who still bears the scars of torture and mental scars of continuous detentions by the apartheid security forces,” the ANC said. “The (ANC) bows its head in honor of a singularly brave and daring South African who bequeathed our country and future generations historic moments captured in his camera.”

Kumalo, whose work graces museum walls across South Africa, was perhaps best known for his photos of Nelson and Winnie Mandela as a young couple. The photographer’s career “mirrored the rise in Mr. Mandela’s political career,” said the Nelson Mandela Center of Memory. The center said Kumalo captured “many of the historic events in which (Mandela) played a key role.”

Gallo Images

The opposition Democratic Alliance similarly praised Kumalo, saying his work inspired South Africans with a message of hard work and integrity. “Mr. Kumalo was a photographer who had the courage to honestly reflect the reality of South African life,” the DA said. “His photos provide a visual history of South Africa’s struggle against the brutal apartheid regime and remind us of the importance of an independent media in exposing the excesses of the state.”

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