As South Africa ushered the New Year, world renowned and anti-apartheid photographer, Peter Magubane, passed away.

The respected award-winning lensman, who became Nelson Mandela?s personal photographer after his release from jail, would have turned 92 on January 18.

The respected photographer started his career at Drum magazine during the years of apartheid.After doing odd jobs at Drum, Magubane was given a photography under the tutelage of Jurgen Schadeberg, who was the chief photographer at the time. Magubane covered major political events in the 1960s, like the Sharpeville Massacre and the Rivonia Trial.He was in the thick of things during the 1976 Soweto student uprising.

From the photos Magubane took, he won numerous international awards.

After leaving Drum, Magubane joined the Rand Daily Mail in 1967.

Magubane at some point was also arrested and spent almost 100 days in solitary confinement where he spent six months in prison. 

Magubane, who was born in the then Vrededorp, now Pageview, in Joburg, released a pictorial biography titled Nelson Mandela, Man of Destiny in 1996. 

His photos have also featured in many books and international publications like Time magazine.

He also appeared in the documentary, Dying to Tell the Story, in 1998 where Magubane appeared as himself in the project. 

The following year, he appeared in Peter Magubane Photographer in the BBC Millennium diaries.

He was quoted in the diaries as, "Having recorded the turbulent events in South Africa over the past 45 years on camera, he tells of the journey to his homeland of today."

President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his deep condolences to the Magubane family, his friends and his countless associates around the country and globally.

"For most of his life, Peter documented our nation and the early years of freedom of Nelson Mandela with a prosaic passion that was powered as much by what he felt from the heart as what he saw through his lens. He has sadly left us at the start of the year in which we are marking 30 years of freedom. As we revisit our journey to freedom and the progression of our democratic dispensation, Dr Peter Magubane's imagery will be an important part of our reflections,"said Ramaphosa.

A LIVING LEGEND

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Zizi Kodwa, expressed sadness at the passing of Magubane. 

Kodwa's department recently recognised Magubane in the Van Toeka Af Living Legends Recognition Series, which gives flowers to South Africa's creative and cultural sector legends while they can still smell them. 

Magubane was also honoured with the National Order of Luthuli in Silver in 2017, he has also received many more honours locally and internationally.

Additional reporting by Sibonelo Zwane