Peter Sexford Magubane was born on 18 January 1932 in Vrededorp (now Pageview, a suburb of Johannesburg); he grew up in Sophiatown.

[2] In 1954 he read a copy of Drum, a magazine known for its reporting of urban blacks and the effects of apartheid.

After six months of odd jobs, he was given a photography assignment under the mentorship of Jürgen Schadeberg, the chief photographer.

"[4] Magubane photographed most of South Africa's historic moments, such as Sharpeville in 1960 and also Mandela's Rivonia trial in 1964.

[citation needed] Following his release, Mugabane was assigned to cover the Soweto riots which occurred from June through to August 1976.

In February 1977, he would win an excellence in journalism award, sponsored by Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery and presented by Walter Cronkite.

He worked on assignments for Time magazine, the United Nations and for Sports Illustrated photographing a series about the South African teenage runner Zola Budd.

[7] In 1985, Magubane spent time in hospital recovering from buckshot wounds received when he was caught in police crossfire at a funeral near Johannesburg.

[8] In 2006, the South African Post Office issued a miniature sheet, commemorative envelope and a special canceller postmark on National Women's Day.