Drum’s intrepid photographers looked for their images in the most unexpected places to illustrate important stories. Their images display an expressive freshness borne out of a wild optimism. They often tried to get themselves arrested in order to take photos inside prisons using disguises. For instance, Jürgen Schadeberg went to great lengths for the convict-labor story, as did Bob Gosani for the prison story, Peter Magubane for the mine-workers story, and GR Naidoo for the children’s hospital story.

Jürgen Schadeberg

Jürgen Schadeberg was born in 1931 in Berlin where he worked as an apprentice photographer during his youth. In 1950 he moved to South Africa to rejoin his family, and later joined Drum magazine as official photographer. He captured many of the pivotal moments of the decade with sharp clarity and great compositional skills. Some of the famous people he photographed include Nelson Mandela and Miriam Makeba. He was recognized as a leading photographer who was open and knowledgeable about black life and culture. Schadeberg worked as art director and was the first picture editor of Drum. Under his mentorship, he directed a handful of talented photographers such as Bob Gosani, Ernest Cole, Ian Berry, and Peter Magubane.

Bob Gosani

Bob Gosani was born in 1934 in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1951, he joined Drum magazine as a messenger before moving to the photographic department as an apprentice of Jürgen Schadeberg. He soon learnt the skills of picture taking and after a few years became one of Drum’s most outstanding photographers. Gosani shot several pictures in townships of South Africa. Some of his pictures have become iconic images of the decade, including photos of Nelson Mandela before his imprisonment and photos of prisoners forced to dance naked.

Peter Magubane

Peter Magubane was born in 1932 in Johannesburg. In 1954, he started off at Drum magazine as a driver and a messenger. He regularly assisted reporters and photographers when they went outside for stories. His interest in picture shooting grew and led him to the photographic department where he worked as a darkroom assistant of Schadeberg. During his assignments, he covered most of the major political events in the country and befriended some political figures including Nelson Mandela. In 1969, Magubane was arrested for two years and banned from taking photographs for five years upon his release. Five years later, he defiantly resumed his photojournalistic career.

GR Naidoo

GR Naidoo was born in 1928 in Durban. He was drawn to journalism through photography. In 1954, he joined Drum magazine where he worked as a photojournalist covering several important events. Fifteen years later, he became the first black chief editor at Drum magazine. Through his reporting, he felt the frustration and anger of many people whose movements were restricted by the authorities. In 1962, he hosted a dinner party inviting handful friends including Nelson Mandela, one day before he was arrested.

Alf Khumalo

Alfred Khumalo was born in 1930 in Johannesburg. In his youth, his interest for photography grew while he was intrigued by the characteristics and impact of pictures. In 1951, he began his working career as a journalist and took himself the pictures to illustrate his stories. Five years later, he joined the Golden City Post and later received assignments from some publishers including Drum. Khumalo photographed several daily as well as historical events like liberation movements or notorious trials. He took the risk to document these significant events, despite the fact that this often lead to persecution, arrests, and detention. His work has been published in both local and international newspapers.