Nelson Mandela, Oliver Thambo and Walter Sisulu. © Omar Badsha

Madiba did not achieve greatness alone; he was influenced and supported by many people who worked alongside him during the struggle. We recognise, as Mandela has, that his achievements would not have been possible without the influence and support of his comrades in the struggle for Freedom. Therefore, we have compiled a list of Mandela's contemporaries. These lists are in alphabetical order and are currently a work in progress that will be expanded.

Political Contemporaries – 1960s

• Chief Albert Luthuli
• Don Davis (NEUM)
• Marcus Solomons (NEUM)
• Elizabeth van der Heyden (NEUM)
• Fikile Bam (NEUM)
• Ian Leslie van den Heyden (NEUM)
• Dorothy Alexander (NEUM)
• Dulcie September (NEUM)
• Doris van der Heyden (NEUM)
• Gordon Hendricks (NEUM)
• Nomzamo Winnifred Madikizela-Mandela
• Albertina Sisulu
• Babla Saloojee (killed in detention)
• Paul Joseph
• Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo
• Kaiser Dalunonga Matanzima
• Nonqaphi Nosekeni Mandela (Mother)
• Harold Wolpe
• Lieutenant-Colonel Gawie Marx (Deputy Commander- Pollsmoor Prison)
• James Gregory (Warder)
• Reverend Frank Chikane (Mandela Crisis Committee)
• Cyril Ramaphosa (Mandela Crisis Committee)
• Aubrey Mokoena (Mandela Crisis Committee)
• Sister Bernard Ncube (Mandela Crisis Committee)
• Sidney Mufamadi (Mandela Crisis Committee)
• Reverend Beyers Naudé (Mandela Crisis Committee)
• PW Botha
• F.W. de Klerk (Politician and former president of South Africa)
• Oliver Tambo (business partners, close comrades and lifelong friend)
• Ferdie Hartzenberg (CP)
• Eugene Terre Blanche (AWB)
• Graca Machel
• Kobie Coetsee (Minister of Justice)
• Chris Hani
• Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi
• King Goodwill Zwelithini
• I.B. Isaac Bangani Tabata
• Maulvi Cachalia (Indian Congress leader and deputy Volunteer-in-Chief to Mandela in the Defiance Campaign)
• Yusuf Chachalia (Political Activist)
• Dr. Yusuf Dadoo (comrade, SACP and Freedom Charter Campaign leader)
• Patrick Duncan (Liberal Party and defiance campaign leader)
• Ruth First (activist, journalist and friend)
• Bram Fischer (Lawyer in the Treason and Rivonia trials and political activist)
• Archibald Gumede (Parliamentarian, lawyer and political activist)
• Michael Harmel (intellectual and revolutionary. He was a member of the SACP and later a member of the MK’s high command)
• Helen Joseph
• Ahmed Kathrada (ANC leader and co-accused in the Treason and Rivonia Trials)
• Moses Kotane (comrade and co-forger of the Congress Alliance and the Freedom Charter Campaign)
• Anton Lembede (comrade and one of the co-founders of the ANC youth league)
• Graca Machel (Mandela's 3rd wife)
• Cecil Williams (activist and friend)
• Ashley Mda (comrade and one of the co-founders of the ANC youth league)
• Thabo Mbeki (Succeeded Mandela as president)
• IC Meer (Lawyer and political activist)
• Fatima Meer (Politician and activist)
• Phyllis Naid oo
• Beyers Naude (NG Kerk minister and anti-apartheid activist)
• Dorothy Nyembe (activist)
• Goolam Hoosein Ismail Pahad (activist)
• Thayanayagie Pillay (passive resistance activist)
• Rev Michael Scott (Scottish Anglican cleric and anti-racism activist who worked in South Africa)
• Reg September
• Joe Slovo (comrade, SACP and Freedom Charter Campaign leader)
• Walter Sisulu (lifelong friend, political mentor and closest political confident)
• Nana Sita (Gandhian and defiance campaign leader)
• Robert Sobukwe (friend and political opponent, PAC leader)

The ten Rivonia Trialist and those arrested in the Lilliesleaf Raid:

• Nelson Mandela (defendant)
• Walter Sisulu (defendant)
• Govan Mbeki (defendant)
• Raymond Mahlaba (defendant)
• Ahmed Kathrada (defendant)
• Lionel Bernstein (defendant)
• Bob Hepple
• Dennis Goldberg (defendant)
• Arthur Goldreich (defendant)
• Harold Wolpe (defendant)
• Elias Motsoaledi (defendant)
• Andrew Mlangeni (defendant)

Rivonia trialists and names of some other prisoners on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela 

• Nelson Mandela
• Walter Sisulu
• Govan Mbeki
• Ahmed Kathrada
• Rusty Bernstein
• Dennis Goldberg
• James Kantor
• Andrew Mlangeni
• Elias Motsoaledi
• Raymond Mhlaba
• Philip Kgosana (PAC)
• Neville Alexander (NEUM)
• Fikile Bam (NEUM)
• Lionel Davis (NEUM)
• Andimba Toivo Ja Toivo (SWAPO)
• Eddie Daniels
• Laloo Chiba
• Nkosi Molala (BC)
• Harry Gwala
• Zithulele Cindi (BC)
• Johnson Mlambo (PAC)
• James Mange
• Petros Mashigo
• Saths Cooper
• Kgalema Motlanthe
• Mac Maharaj
• Mike Xego (BC/ANC)
• Strini Moodley
• Jeoff Masemola (PAC)
• Lassie Chiwayo
• Saki Macozoma
• Nkosi Patrick Molala (BC)
• Mosibudi Mangena (BC)
• Mosiua ‘Terror’ Lekota (BC/ANC)
• Sibusiso Ndebele
• Pandelani Nefolovhodwe (BC)

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