36 Notable alumni of
University of Fort Hare
Updated:
The University of Fort Hare is 1270th in the world, 27th in Africa, and 7th in South Africa by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 36 notable alumni from the University of Fort Hare sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Nelson Mandela
- Occupations
- political prisonerpoliticianautobiographerlawyerscreenwriter
- Biography
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Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by fostering racial reconciliation. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist, he served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.
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Robert Mugabe
- Enrolled in the University of Fort Hare
- In 1951 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Robert Gabriel Mugabe was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) from 1975 to 1980 and led its successor political party, the ZANU – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF), from 1980 to 2017. Ideologically an African nationalist, during the 1970s and 1980s he identified as a Marxist–Leninist, and as a socialist during the 1990s and the remainder of his career.
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Seretse Khama
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE was a Motswana politician who served as the first President of Botswana, a post he held from 1966 to his death in 1980.
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Julius Nyerere
- Occupations
- politicianlinguistwritertranslatorteacher
- Biography
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Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian politician, anti-colonial activist, and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as president from 1962 to 1964, after which he led its successor state, Tanzania, as president from 1964 to 1985. He was a founding member and chair of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) party and of its successor, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, from 1954 to 1990. Ideologically an African nationalist and African socialist, he promoted a political philosophy known as Ujamaa.
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Oliver Reginald Tambo
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid politician and activist who served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1967 to 1991.
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Chris Hani
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Chris Hani, born Martin Thembisile Hani SSA, SBS, CLS, DMG, MMS, was the leader of the South African Communist Party and chief of staff of uMkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). He was a fierce opponent of the apartheid government, and was assassinated by Janusz Waluś, a Polish immigrant and sympathiser of the Conservative opposition on 10 April 1993, during the unrest preceding the transition to democracy.
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Mangosuthu Buthelezi
- Enrolled in the University of Fort Hare
- Studied in 1948-1950
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Prince Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi was a South African politician and Zulu prince who served as the traditional prime minister to the Zulu royal family from 1954 until his death in 2023. He was appointed to this post by King Bhekuzulu, the son of King Solomon kaDinuzulu, a brother to Buthelezi's mother Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu.
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Makaziwe Mandela
- Occupations
- anthropologistbusinessperson
- Biography
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Pumla Makaziwe "Maki" Mandela-Amuah is the daughter of Nelson Mandela and his first wife Evelyn Mase.
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Robert Sobukwe
- Occupations
- educatoractivist
- Biography
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Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe OMSG was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and founding member of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), serving as the first president of the organization.
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Yusuf Lule
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yusuf Kironde Lule was a Ugandan professor and politician who served as the fourth president of Uganda between 13 April and 20 June 1979.
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Ace Magashule
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Elias Sekgobelo "Ace" Magashule is a South African politician and former anti-apartheid activist who served as the Secretary General of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's governing party, between December 2017 and his suspension on 3 May 2021. He served as the Premier of the Free State, one of South Africa's nine provinces, from 2009 until 2018, and was known to be influential in the ANC of his home province.
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Govan Mbeki
- Occupations
- writerjournalistpolitician
- Biography
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Govan Archibald Mvunyelwa Mbeki was a South African politician, military commander, Communist leader who served as the Secretary of Umkhonto we Sizwe, at its inception in 1961. He was also the son of Chief Sikelewu Mbeki and Johanna Mahala and also the father of the former South African president Thabo Mbeki and political economist Moeletsi Mbeki. He was a leader of the South African Communist Party and the African National Congress. After the Rivonia Trial, he was imprisoned (1963–1987) on charges of terrorism and treason, together with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba, Ahmed Kathrada and other eminent ANC leaders, for their role in the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He was sometimes mentioned by his nickname "Oom Gov".
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Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Mantombazana "Manto" Edmie Tshabalala-Msimang OMSS was a South African politician. She was Deputy Minister of Justice from 1996 to 1999 and served as Minister of Health from 1999 to 2008 under President Thabo Mbeki. She also served as Minister in the Presidency under President Kgalema Motlanthe from September 2008 to May 2009.
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Dennis Brutus
- Enrolled in the University of Fort Hare
- 1944-1947 studied psychology and English
- Occupations
- university teacheractivistwriterpoet
- Biography
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Dennis Vincent Brutus was a South African activist, educator, journalist and poet best known for his campaign to have South Africa banned from the Olympic Games due to its racial policy of apartheid.
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Bulelani Ngcuka
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Bulelani T. Ngcuka is a South African attorney, prosecutor and activist, who served as the first Director of Public Prosecutions in South Africa, and is the husband of former Deputy President of South Africa Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
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Z. K. Matthews
- Occupations
- politicianuniversity teacherwriterdiplomatanthropologist
- Biography
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Zachariah Keodirelang Matthews OLG was a prominent black academic in South Africa, lecturing at South African Native College (renamed University of Fort Hare in 1955), where many future leaders of the African continent were among his students.
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Alfred Nzo
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo was a South African politician. He served as the longest-standing secretary-general of the African National Congress. He occupied this position (ANC) between 1969 and 1991. He was also the South African minister of foreign affairs from 1994 to 1999. He was also the first black health inspector in the country. The Alfred Nzo Award is now awarded to deserving health practitioners in South Africa.
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Manuel de Araújo
- Occupations
- politicianeconomist
- Biography
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Manuel A. Alculete Lopes de Araújo is a Mozambican politician who has been Mayor of Quelimane since December 2011.
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Thulas Nxesi
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Thembelani Waltermade "Thulas" Nxesi is a South African politician and former trade unionist who was the Minister of Employment and Labour from May 2019 to June 2024. A representative of the African National Congress (ANC), he has been a member of cabinet since October 2011 and the Deputy National Chairperson of the South African Communist Party (SACP) since July 2012.
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Wendy Luhabe
- Occupations
- businessperson
- Biography
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Wendy Yvonne Nomathemba Luhabe is a South African entrepreneur.
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Barney Pityana
- Occupations
- university teachertheologianlawyer
- Biography
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Nyameko Barney Pityana FKC GCOB is a human rights lawyer and theologian in South Africa. He is an exponent of Black theology.
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Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela
- Occupations
- writeruniversity teacherpsychologist
- Biography
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Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela is the Research Chair in Studies in Historical Trauma and Transformation at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. She graduated from Fort Hare University with a bachelor's degree and an Honours degree in psychology. She obtained her master's degree in Clinical Psychology at Rhodes University. She received her PhD in psychology from the University of Cape Town. Her doctoral thesis, entitled "Legacies of violence: An in-depth analysis of two case studies based on interviews with perpetrators of a 'necklace' murder and with Eugene de Kock", offers a perspective that integrates psychoanalytic and social psychological concepts to understand extreme forms of violence committed during the apartheid era. Her main interests are traumatic memories in the aftermath of political conflict, post-conflict reconciliation, empathy, forgiveness, psychoanalysis and intersubjectivity. She served on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). She currently works at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein as a senior research professor.
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Zola Skweyiya
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Zola Sidney Themba Skweyiya OLS was a South African politician who was Minister of Public Service and Administration from 1994 to 1999 and Minister of Social Development from 1999 to 2009. Skweyiya was re-elected to the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress in 2007.
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Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Nozizwe Charlotte Madlala-Routledge is a South African politician who was South Africa's Deputy Minister of Defence from 1999 to April 2004 and Deputy Minister of Health from April 2004 to August 2007. President Thabo Mbeki dismissed her from the Cabinet on 8 August 2007, after which she maintained her role as a member of parliament representing the African National Congress. On 25 September 2008, she became Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, serving in that capacity until resigning from Parliament in early May 2009. She has been a member of the South African Communist Party since 1984.
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Noxolo Kiviet
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Noxolo Kiviet is a South African politician who served as the Minister of Public Service and Administration from 2023 to 2024. She was formerly the Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure from 2019 to 2023 and also served as the Premier of the Eastern Cape from 2009 to 2014.
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Cedric Phatudi
- Years
- 1912-1987 (aged 75)
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Dr Cedric Namedi Phatudi was the Chief Minister of Lebowa, one of the South African bantustans.
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Bernhardt Esau
- Years
- 1957-.. (age 68)
- Occupations
- trade unionistpolitician
- Biography
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Bernhardt Martin Esau is a Namibian politician. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Esau has been a member of the National Assembly since being nominated by President Sam Nujoma and subsequently elected in the 1994 Namibian general election.
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Archibald Campbell Jordan
- Years
- 1906-1968 (aged 62)
- Occupations
- writernovelist
- Biography
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Archibald Campbell Mzolisa "A.C." Jordan was a novelist, literary historian and intellectual pioneer of African studies in South Africa.
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John Mutorwa
- Years
- 1957-.. (age 68)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John Mutorwa is a Namibian politician and currently a deputy prime minister and Minister of Works and Transport. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Mutorwa has served in the National Assembly of Namibia as well as the cabinet since 1992.
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Immanuel Ngatjizeko
- Years
- 1952-2022 (aged 70)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Immanuel Ngatjizeko was a Namibian politician and member of the ruling SWAPO Party. He held five ministerial portfolios from 2003 until his retirement in 2018.
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Tokozile Xasa
- Years
- 1965-.. (age 60)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tokozile Xasa is a South African politician who was the Minister of Sport and Recreation from February 2018 to May 2019. Before that, she was the Minister of Tourism from March 2017 to February 2018. A member of the National Assembly between 2009 and 2019, she took office as South African Ambassador to Belgium in February 2021.
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James Hoth Mai
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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General James Hoth Mai is a South Sudanese army officer. He served as Chief of General Staff of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) from 2009 until 2014.
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Joshua Pulomo Mohapeloa
- Occupations
- composer
- Biography
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Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa was a prominent choral music composer in Sesotho.
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Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe
- Enrolled in the University of Fort Hare
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe was a Botswanan politician and diplomat with the Botswana Democratic Party. She was her country's high commissioner to the United Kingdom and Nigeria and ambassador to West Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the European Economic Community. She was Botswana's Minister for Trade and Industry in 1977, and in 1984, she became the Foreign Minister. She served as the Minister for Education from 1994 to 1999.
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William Frederick Nkomo
- Occupations
- physician
- Biography
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William Frederick Nkomo was a South African medical doctor, community leader, political activist and teacher from Pretoria. He was the founding chairman of the African National Congress Youth League. While at the University of the Witwatersrand, Nkomo was the first black student to serve on the Students Representative Committee.
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Snowy Khoza
- Occupations
- businesspersonchief executive officer
- Biography
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Snowy Joyce Khoza is a South African who is chief executive officer of Bigen Africa and President of Agape Christian Women.
