Johnny Makatini

Johnstone Mfanafuthi Makatini (8 February 1932 – 3 December 1988), also spelled Makathini or Makhathini, was a South African politician and anti-apartheid activist. A longstanding diplomatic representative for the African National Congress (ANC), he was the head of the ANC's Department of International Affairs from 1983 until his death in exile in 1988.

Makatini was born in Natal Province, where he trained as a teacher, but he went into exile with the ANC in 1962. Before he took office as director of international affairs, he represented the ANC in Algeria from 1964 to 1975 and at the United Nations in New York from 1977 to 1982. He was also a member of the ANC National Executive Committee from 1963 to 1988.

Early life and activism Makatini was born on 8 February 1932 in Durban in the former Natal Province. He attended Adams College and trained as a teacher in Inanda. As a teacher, he was active in activism against the Bantu Education Act, imposed in 1953 by the apartheid government, and he ultimately resigned from the profession to study law part-time at the University of Natal.

From 1964 to 1975, Makatini remained in the office until his death in 1988; he was also a member of the National Executive Committee until his death. for "His excellent contribution to the cause of freedom".

Personal life He married Valerie O'Conner Makatini, a Jamaican student at Howard University whom he met at the airport in Washington D.C. while he was stationed in New York. They had one daughter, named Nandi.