Background
Arthur William Blaxall was born in Britain on 15 May 1891.
Arthur William Blaxall was born in Britain on 15 May 1891.
He founded the Ezenzeleni workshop for the blind at Roodepoort in In 1954, he founded the Arthur Blaxall School for the Blind, but it was forced to change its name when he was exiled for his opposition to the National Party government in 1964. In the 1960s, he was secretary of the South African branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, a pacifist organisation. He was invited by Nelson Mandela to visit him whilst he awaited trial, which he did on three occasions when they prayed together.
In 1963, he was charged with various offences under the Suppression of Communism Acting, and given a suspended sentence, mainly on grounds of his age, and went into exile in the United Kingdom.