1932
Born in Vrededorp, South Africa. Matriculates from Western Native Township High School.
1954
Worked as a photojournalist for Drum Magazine, South African publication, until 1963.
1957
Honourable Mention in South African Best Picture of the Year Contest.
1960
Double page coverage on Sharpeville Funeral in Time Magazine.
1963
Worked as a freelance photographer in South Africa until 1966.
1967
Worked as a photojournalist for Rand Daily Mail, English morning paper, until 1980.
1969
Detained and kept in solitary confinement for 586 days. Magubane was made to stand for 5 days and 5 nights on three bricks of which the middle one was unstable. He was given only black bitter coffee to drink and collapsed on the fifth day.
1970
Placed under Banning Orders for 5 years. Magubane was forced to resign from the Rand Daily Mail.
1972
Served 6 months in prison for breaking Banning Orders.
1975
October, The Orders expired and Magubane resumed employment with the Rand Daily Mail.
1976
Magubane covered the Student Uprising as a photographer for the Rand Daily Mail. During the course of the uprising, he was assaulted by the police on many occasions. Subsequently his nose was broken by a police club and he was hospitalised for 5 days. In August this year Magubane was again detained with other black newsmen for 123 days, and his house was burnt down.
1978
Worked for Time Magazine until 1988.
1979
Held a lecture at The International Centre of Photography, New York, U.S.A.
1980's
Freelanced for UNICEF and The High Commissioner of Refugees.
1980
The picture Ndebele Woman, is published on the front cover of National Geographic's February Issue.
1985
Magubane was shot 17 times below the waist at a student's funeral in Natalspruit. Buckshot still remains in his body.
1986
Robert Capa Award New York, U.S.A.

Saved the lives of a mother and daughter in Leandra. The son was killed outside their house, chopped to pieces, by an angry mob. He had killed the Leader of the group who was buried that day.

1990
Started working as a reelance photojournalist until present day.

Official Photographer for Former President Nelson Mandela, until Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa in 1994.

1997
Mother Jones Leica Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (Excellence for a Lifetime Achievement).
1999
Order for Meritorious Service Class II from former President Nelson Mandela.
2003
Awarded Honorary Doctorate (Degree DLITT ET PHIL Honoris Causa) by the University of South Africa, Pretoria.
2006
Awarded Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Laws (LLD) Honoris Causa) by Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Technology, Fort Hare University.
Lifetime Achievement Award, Photographic Institute, Bangladesh.
Honorary Doctorate from Tshwane University of Technology.
Awarded Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society, London.

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