A lens, pen and a cause

The compelling life stories of a struggle veteran, a subversive photographer and a village satirist reclaim history through bold authorship

- Marlan Padayachee

Three newly published books landed on my desk — each chronicling the lives of fellow travellers from South Africa's epic struggle era and beyond.

These richly textured works spotlight a Robben Island commissar and confidant of Nelson Mandela; a streetwise photographer who worked outside the confines of the mainstream media and a bold Indian woman news broadcaster-turned-author documenting life across the country’s colour lines.

All are South Africans of Indian descent, who shaped, and were shaped by, the political and cultural evolution of Durban and our nation.

Spanning over 650 pages, Shades of Difference: Mac Maharaj and the Struggle for South Africa (Penguin Random House), by Padraig O'Malley, offers blockbuster insights into the life of Sathyandranath Ragunanan “Mac” Maharaj.