The family of the world renowned photo-journalist, Cloete Breytenbach, who died following heart bypass surgery, have described him as strong-spirited and brave.
Breytenbach’s work includes photographs of the first world heart transplant at Groote Schuur hospital, the forced removals in District Six and conflicts across Africa including Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
His daughter Anna Breytenbach says her father’s photographs have been categorised as belonging to the genre of actuality with a strong focus on investigative journalism.
“I’ll certainly remember my dad as a very strong willed character, fiercely independent, which is what I think got him in so many unusual places and coming back with unusual stories, and very controversial, again he wasn’t going to be guided by anyone’s opinion, so very controversial but also highly intelligent and such a brave spirit, not only physically in his work, but when facing the issues, although not for long, with his heart.”
