UDesmond Makhanya wazalwa eduzane nase-Adam’s Mission ngomhlaka 14 Septhemba 1935. Eneminyaka eyisikhombisa uMakhanya waqala isikole esigabeni sezinsana e-Adams College, isizukulwane sesine emndenini wakhe ukwenza lokho. Wahlala ekolishi waze wenza umatikuletsheni ngo-1954, futhi waba nokuxhumana okuqhubekayo nesikhungo esidumile sokufunda impilo yakhe yonke, esebenza esigungwini esilawulayo kusuka ngo-1999-2006. Njengoba isazi-mlando sasekolishi esasizakhele sona uMakhanya wahlonishwa kabanzi njenge ‘nkumbulo ephilayo ye-Adams College’.
Desmond Makhanya 
Desmond Makhanya 
Desmond Makhanya
Ngemuva kokuqeda isikole, wasebenza esibhedlela i-McCord iminyaka emithathu wase efunda e-Fort Cox Agricultural College e-Eastern Cape kusuka ngonyaka ka-1958 kuya ku-1960. Usebenze kwa-SAPPI SAICCOR Mill eMkomaas ezikhundleni ezahlukahlukene kusuka ngo-1961 kuya ku-1989.
UDesmond Makhanya waqala ukubhala umlando wakhe wase-Adams College ngo-1998, esebenzisa izinto zokubhekisela ezivela e-Killie Campbell Africana Library ukufakazela okwamehlelayo, kanye nemilando yomlomo ayeyiqoqe eminyakeni edlule. Umbhalo wesandla, okwamanje ongakashicilelwa, uqopha umlando wokulandelana kwezikhathi kwe-Adams Mission kanye ne-Adams College yakamuva, kusukela ekufikeni kwezithunywa zevangeli ngo-1835, kuya ku-2003.
Njengokusho kukaDesmond Makhanya ukubhala ngokwenzekayo emlandweni okulethwe yimibono yezithunywa zevangeli kanye nemizamo yokhokho bakhe, ubebuye akhathazeke ngentuthuko . UMakhanya wachaza umsebenzi wakhe ‘njengokuthuthukiswa komphakathi’. Ukusebenza kwakhe noNgqongqoshe Wezempilo kanye namakhosi endawo kuhloswe ngakho ukunciphisa ubuphofu ngokukhiqizwa kokudla – lawa maphrojekthi abandakanya uhlelo lokutshala ukudla kanye nohlelo ‘lwezingulube nezinkukhu’ lapho abantu bezokhulisa khona izilwane futhi bakwazi ukugcina inzalo.
Udlule emhlabeni ngoJulayi 2016 eneminyaka engu-80..