This is a list of notable and famous South Africans who are the subjects of Wikipedia articles.

Academics

Academics

* Shulamith Behr, art historian (1946–2023) *

Estian Calitz Estian Calitz (born 23 May 1949) is the executive director of finance and professor of economics at Stellenbosch University, South Africa since 2003. Calitz was born and grew up in the Western Cape Province town of George, South Africa. After co ...

, academic (born 1949) *

Jakes Gerwel Gert Johannes Gerwel (18 January 1946 – 28 November 2012) known mononymously as Jakes, was a South African academic and anti-apartheid activist. He served as director-general of the presidency when Nelson Mandela was in office. In 1999 Ge ...

, academic and anti-apartheid activist (1946–2012) *

Adam Habib Adam Mahomed Habib (born 1965) is a South African academic administrator serving as Vice-Chancellor of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London since 1 January 2021. Previously he served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal ...

, political scientist (born 1965) * Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr, academic and politician (1894–1948) * Thamsanqa Kambule, South African Mathematician and Educator (1921–2009) *

Tshilidzi Marwala Tshilidzi Marwala (born 28 July 1971) is a South African artificial intelligence engineer, a computer scientist, a mechanical engineer and a university administrator. He is currently Rector (academia), Rector of the United Nations University ...

, academic and businessman (born 1971) * Revil Mason, archeologist (1929–2020) *

Shula Marks Shula Eta Marks, OBE, FBA (born 14 October 1938, in Cape Town) is emeritus professor of history at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London. She has written at least seven books and a WHO monograph on Health and A ...

, historian (born 1938) * Njabulo Ndebele, Principal of the University of Cape Town (born 1948) * D. C. S. Oosthuizen, philosopher (1926–1968) * Adriaan N. P. Pelzer, historian and Vice-Principal University Pretoria (1915–1981) * Michiel Daniel Overbeek, South African

amateur astronomer Amateur astronomy is a hobby where participants enjoy observing or imaging celestial objects in the sky using the unaided eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Even though scientific research may not be their primary goal, some amateur astronomers m ...

and prolific

variable star A variable star is a star whose brightness as seen from Earth (its apparent magnitude) changes systematically with time. This variation may be caused by a change in emitted light or by something partly blocking the light, so variable stars are ...

observers (1920–2001) * Pierre de Villiers Pienaar, pioneering role in speech language therapy and lexicography in South Africa (1904–1978) * Calie Pistorius, academic and Principal of the University of Pretoria (born 1958) * Milton Shain, academic and professor of Modern Jewish history at the University of Cape Town (born 1949) *

Benedict Wallet Vilakazi Benedict Wallet Vilakazi (6 January 1906 – 26 October 1947) was a South African people, South African novelist, linguist, a descendant of the Zulu royal family, and a radically innovative South African poetry, poet who created a combination ...

, author, educator, and first

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

South African to receive a PhD (1906–1947) * David Webster, anthropologist (1945–1989)

Medical and veterinary

* Abraham Manie Adelstein, UK Chief Medical Statistician (1916–1992) *

Christiaan Barnard Christiaan Neethling Barnard (8November 19222September 2001) was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant operation. On 3 December 1967, Barnard transplanted the heart of accident victim ...

, pioneering heart surgeon (1922–2001) *

Wouter Basson Wouter Basson (born 6 July 1950) is a South African cardiologist and former head of the country's secret chemical and biological warfare project, Project Coast, during the apartheid era. Nicknamed "Dr Death" by the press for his alleged acti ...

, medical scientist (born 1950) * John Borthwick, veterinary surgeon in the

Cape Colony The Cape Colony (), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope. It existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with three ...

(1867–1936) * Mary Malahlela, first black woman to register as a medical doctor in South Africa (1916–1981) * Joan Morice, first female veterinary surgeon in South Africa (1904–1944) * Anna Coutsoudis, public health scientist (born 1952) *

Patrick Soon-Shiong Patrick Soon-Shiong (born July 29, 1952) is a South African and American businessman, investor, medical researcher, and transplant surgeon. He is the inventor of the drug Abraxane, which is used for lung, breast, and pancreatic cancer. Soon-S ...

, surgeon, founder Abraxis BioScience, billionaire (born 1952) * Arnold Theiler, veterinarian (1867–1936) * Max Theiler, virologist, 1951

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...

winner (1899–1972) * Lindiwe Sidali, surgeon (born 1984)

Scientists

Andrew Geddes Bain Andrew Geddes Bain (baptised 11 June 1797 – 20 October 1864), was a Cape Colony geologist, road engineer, palaeontologist and explorer. Life history The only child of Alexander Bain and Jean Geddes, both of whom died when Bain was still a ...

, geologist (1797–1864) * Peter Beighton, geneticist (1934–2023) *

Wilhelm Bleek Wilhelm Heinrich Immanuel Bleek (8 March 1827 – 17 August 1875) was a German linguist. His work included ''A Comparative Grammar of South African Languages'' and his great project jointly executed with Lucy Lloyd: The Bleek and Lloyd Archive ...

, linguist (1827–1875) *

Robert Broom Robert Broom Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS FRSE (30 November 1866 6 April 1951) was a British- South African medical doctor and palaeontologist. He qualified as a medical practitioner in 1895 and received his DSc in 1905 from the University ...

, palaeontologist (1866–1951) *

Sydney Brenner Sydney Brenner (13 January 1927 – 5 April 2019) was a South African biologist. In 2002, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with H. Robert Horvitz and Sir John E. Sulston. Brenner made significant contributions to wo ...

, biologist, 2002 Physiology or Medicine Nobel Prize winner (1927–2019) *

Phillip Clancey Phillip Alexander Clancey (26 September 1917 – 18 July 2001) was a leading authority on the ornithology of South Africa. Background and education Phillip Clancey was born, brought up and educated in Glasgow, Scotland. He studied at the G ...

, ornithologist (1918–2001) * Allan McLeod Cormack, physicist (1924–1998) * Zodwa Dlamini, biochemist *

Clement Martyn Doke Clement Martyn Doke (16 May 1893 in Bristol, United Kingdom – 24 February 1980 in East London, South Africa) was a South African linguist working mainly on African languages. Realizing that the grammatical structures of Bantu languages are qu ...

, linguist (1893–1980) *

Mulalo Doyoyo Mulalo Doyoyo (13 August 1970 – 11 March 2024) was a South African engineer, inventor, and professor. Doyoyo was a researcher in applied mechanics, ultralight materials, green building, renewable energy, and other fields of engineering. ...

, professor and inventor (born 1970) *

Alexander du Toit Alexander Logie du Toit FRS ( ; 14 March 1878 – 25 February 1948) was a geologist from South Africa and an early supporter of Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift. Early life and education Du Toit was born in Newlands, Cape Town i ...

, geologist (1878–1948) *

Robert Allen Dyer Robert Allen Dyer (21 September 1900 in Pietermaritzburg – 26 October 1987 in Johannesburg) was a South African botanist and taxonomist, working particularly on Amaryllidaceae and succulent plants, contributing to and editing of ''Bothalia'' ...

, botanist (1900–1987) * Melville Edelstein, sociologist, killed due to

Soweto uprising The Soweto uprising, also known as the Soweto riots, was a series of demonstrations and protests led by black school children in South Africa during apartheid that began on the morning of 16 June 1976. Students from various schools began to p ...

(1919–1976) *

Wendy Foden Wendy Foden is a conservation biologist, best known for her work on climate change impacts on biodiversity loss. Education While completing her master's degree at the University of Cape Town (2001), she discovered a latitudinal pattern of die-o ...

, conservation biologist *

J. W. B. Gunning Jan Willem Boudewijn Gunning (3 September 1860 in Hilversum, North Holland – 26 June 1913 in Pretoria), was a Dutch physician, who served as the director of both the Staatsmuseum and what was then known as the Pretoria Zoological Gardens ...

, zoologist (1860–1913) *

Quarraisha Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim is an infectious diseases epidemiologist and co-founder and Associate Scientific Director of CAPRISA. She is a Professor in Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York and Pro-Vice Chancellor for African Health, ...

, Associate Scientific Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (

CAPRISA CAPRISA ("Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa") is the name of an AIDS research center based in Durban, South Africa. History CAPRISA was established in 2002 under the National Institutes of Health program called Comprehe ...

) (born 1960) * Salim Abdool Karim, South African

epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population, and application of this knowledge to prevent diseases. It is a cornerstone ...

and infectious diseases specialist (born 1960) *

David Lewis-Williams James David Lewis-Williams (born 1934) is a South African archaeologist. He is best known for his research on southern African San (Bushmen) rock art. He is the founder and previous director of the Rock Art Research Institute and is currently p ...

, archaeologist (born 1934) *

Lucy Lloyd Lucy Catherine Lloyd (7 November 1834 – 31 August 1914) was the creator, along with Wilhelm Bleek, of the 19th-century archive of ǀXam and !Kung texts. Early life Lucy Catherine Lloyd was born to a Welsh family in Norbury in England on ...

, anthropologist (1834–1914) *

Thebe Medupe Thebe Rodney Medupe (born 1973) is a South African astrophysicist and founding director of Astronomy Africa. He is perhaps best known for his work on the ''Cosmic Africa'' project that attempts to reconcile science and mythology, myth.Schieb, R. ' ...

, astrophysicist (born 1973) *

Hans Merensky Hans Merensky (16 March 1871 – 21 October 1952) was a South African geologist, prospector, scientist, conservationist and philanthropist. Early life and education Johannes "Hans" Merensky was born on 16 March 1871 at the Berlin Missionar ...

, geologist (1871–1952) * Austin Roberts, zoologist (1883–1948) *

Peter Sarnak Peter Clive Sarnak (born 18 December 1953) is a South African and American mathematician. Sarnak has been a member of the permanent faculty of the School of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study since 2007. He is also Eugene Higgins ...

, mathematician (born 1953) * Ramotholo Sefako, astrophysicist (born 1971) * Buyisiwe Sondezi, physicist (born 1976) *

Basil Schonland Sir Basil Ferdinand Jamieson Schonland OMG CBE FRS (2 February 1896 – 24 November 1972) was noted for his research on lightning, his involvement in the development of radar during World War II and for being the first president of the South ...

, physicist (1896–1972) *

J. L. B. Smith James Leonard Brierley Smith (26 September 1897 – 8 January 1968) was a South African ichthyology, ichthyologist, organic chemist, and university professor. He was the first to identify a taxidermied fish as a coelacanth, at the time thought t ...

, ichthyologist (1897–1968) *

Phillip Tobias Phillip Vallentine Tobias (14 October 1925 – 7 June 2012) was a South African palaeoanthropologist and Professor Emeritus at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. He was best known for his work at South Africa's hominid fossil ...

, palaeontologist (1925–2012)

Theologians

Also see: Prelates, clerics and evangelists * David Bosch (1929–1992) * John W. de Gruchy (born 1939) *

Dion Forster Dion Angus Forster (born 14 January 1972 in Zimbabwe) is an academic and clergyman. He serves as a professor of Public theology, Public Theology in the Faculty of Religion and Theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is a Full Professor ...

(born 1972) *

Johan Heyns Johan Adam Heyns (1928–1994) was an Afrikaner Calvinist theologian and moderator of the general synod of the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) in South Africa. He was assassinated at his home in Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria. Early life an ...

(1928–1994)

Writers

Authors

* Lady Anne Barnard, travel writer and artist (1750–1825) * Herman Charles Bosman, author (1905–1951) *

André Brink André Philippus Brink (29 May 1935 – 6 February 2015) was a South African novelist, essayist and poet. He wrote in both Afrikaans and English and taught English at the University of Cape Town. In the 1960s Brink, Ingrid Jonker, Etienne Lerou ...

, author (1935–2015) *

Justin Cartwright Justin James Cartwright (20 May 1943 – 3 December 2018) was a British novelist, originally from South Africa. Biography Cartwright was born in Cape Town, South Africa, but grew up in Johannesburg where his father was the editor of the '' R ...

, novelist (1943–2018) *

J. M. Coetzee John Maxwell Coetzee Order of Australia, AC Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, FRSL Order of Mapungubwe, OMG (born 9 February 1940) is a South African and Australian novelist, essayist, linguist, and translator. The recipient of the 2003 ...

, 2003

-winning author (born 1940) *

K. Sello Duiker Kabelo Sello Duiker (13 April 1974 – 19 January 2005) was a South African novelist. His debut novel, '' Thirteen Cents'', won the 2001 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book, Africa Region. His second novel, ''The Quiet Violence of Dre ...

, novelist (1974–2005) * Sir Percy FitzPatrick, writer, businessman and politician (1862–1931) * Graeme Friedman, author and clinical psychologist * Damon Galgut, author (born 1963) *

Nadine Gordimer Nadine Gordimer (20 November 192313 July 2014) was a South African writer and political activist. She received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1991, recognised as a writer "who through her magnificent epic writing has ... been of very great ben ...

, 1991

-winning author (1923–2014) * Alfred Hutchinson, South African author, teacher and activist (1924–1972) *

C. J. Langenhoven Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven (13 August 1873 – 15 July 1932), who published under his initials C.J. Langenhoven, was a South African poet who played a major role in the development of Afrikaans literature and cultural history. His poetry was ...

, writer and poet (1873–1932) * Pule Lechesa, essayist, literary critic, and poet (born 1976) * Kgotso Pieter David Maphalla, the

Sesotho language Sotho (), also known as ''Sesotho'' (), Southern Sotho, or ''Sesotho sa Borwa'' is a Southern Bantu language spoken in Lesotho as its national language and South Africa where it is an official language. Like all Bantu languages, Sesotho is ...

writer (1955–2021) *

Dalene Matthee Dalene Matthee (13 October 1938 – 20 February 2005) was a South African author best known for her four "Forest Novels", written in and around the Knysna Forest. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages, including English, Fre ...

, author (1938–2005) * Gcina Mhlope, author, storyteller, playwright, director, actor (born 1959) *

Deon Meyer Deon Godfrey Meyer is a South African thriller novelist, writing primarily in Afrikaans. His works have been translated into 28 languages. He has also written numerous scripts for television and film. Early life and education Deon Meyer was ...

, author (born 1958) *

Phaswane Mpe Phaswane Mpe (10 September 1970 – 12 December 2004) was a South African poet and novelist. He was educated at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was a lecturer in African literature. He did his master's degree in publishing at Oxfor ...

, novelist (1970–2004) *

Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh (born 4 January 1989) is a South African University lecturer, Podcaster, author, musician and activist. Mpofu-Walsh was president of the University of Cape Town Students' Representative Council in 2010. He holds a DPhil in Inte ...

, author and musician (born 1989) *

Alan Paton Alan Stewart Paton (11 January 1903 – 12 April 1988) was a South African writer and anti-apartheid activist. His works include the novels '' Cry, the Beloved Country'' (1948), '' Too Late the Phalarope'' (1953), and the short story ''The Wa ...

, author (1903–1988) * Margaret Roberts, herbalist and writer (1937–2017) * Karel Schoeman, novelist and historian (1939–2017) *

Olive Schreiner Olive Schreiner (24 March 1855 – 11 December 1920) was a South African author, anti-war campaigner and intellectual. She is best remembered today for her novel '' The Story of an African Farm'' (1883), which has been highly acclaimed. It dea ...

, author (1855–1920) *

Mongane Wally Serote Mongane Wally Serote (born 8 May 1944) is a South African poet and writer. He became involved in political resistance to the apartheid government by joining the African National Congress (ANC) and in 1969 was arrested and detained for several ...

, poet and writer (born 8 May 1944) *

Wilbur Smith Wilbur Addison Smith (9 January 1933 – 13 November 2021) was a Northern Rhodesian-born British-South African novelist specializing in historical fiction about international involvement in Southern Africa across four centuries. He gained a f ...

, novelist (1933–2021) *

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...

, author of The Lord of The Rings (1892–1973) * Etienne van Heerden, novelist (born 1956) *

Marlene van Niekerk Marlene van Niekerk (born 10 November 1954) is a South African poet, writer, and academic. She is best known for her novels, the satirical tragicomedy ''Triomf'' (1994) and the Hertzog-winning ''Agaat'' (2004), which explore themes including th ...

, novelist (born 1954) *

Lyall Watson Lyall Watson (12 April 1939 – 25 June 2008) was a South African botany, botanist, zoology, zoologist, biologist, anthropologist, ethology, ethologist, and author of many books, among the most popular of which is the best seller ''Supernature'' ...

, writer (1939–2008) *

David Yudelman David Yudelman is a South African author and financial writer who resides in Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A theory for the emergence of modern South Africa His major work, ''The Emergence of Modern South Africa: State, Capital, and the Incorp ...

, writer * Rachel Zadok, London-based South African writer (born 1972)

Editors

* Kojo Baffoe, magazine editor (born 1972) * Khanyi Dhlomo, magazine editor (born 1975) * Laurence Gandar, Rand Daily Mail editor (1915–1998) *

Niel Hammann Dirk Daniël Hammann, known as Niel Hammann (born 6 September 1937), is a retired South African senior journalist. He was editor-in-chief of the Afrikaans weekly family magazine ''Huisgenoot'', as well as its English sister publication, ''You'' ...

, editor of magazines (born 1937) *

John Tengo Jabavu John Tengo Jabavu (11 January 1859 – 10 September 1921) was a political activist and the editor of South Africa's first newspaper to be written in Xhosa. Early life John Tengo Jabavu was born on 11 January 1859 near Healdtown in the Cap ...

, political activist and newspaper editor (1859–1921) *

Aggrey Klaaste Aggrey Zola Klaaste OMSG (6 January 1940 – 19 June 2004) was a South African newspaper journalist and editor. He was best known for being editor of the Soweto-based newspaper, the '' Sowetan'', from 1988 to 2002. He introduced the concept of "na ...

, journalist and editor (1940–2004) *

Max du Preez Max du Preez (born 10 March 1951) is a South African author, columnist and documentary filmmaker and was the founding editor of ''Vrye Weekblad''. Vrye Weekblad Online or Vrye Weekblad II was launched on 5 April 2019 again with Max du Preez as ...

, newspaper editor (born 1951)

Poets

Journalists

Jani Allan Jani Allan (11 September 1952 – 25 July 2023) was a South African journalist, columnist, writer, broadcaster, and media personality. In 1980, Allan became a columnist for a centrist newspaper, the ''Sunday Times'', South Africa's most widel ...

, journalist and radio personality (born 1953) * George Claassen, journalist (born 1949) *

Robyn Curnow Robyn Curnow is a South African journalist, broadcaster, and author. She was an anchor and foreign correspondent for CNN International and CNN USA. She hosted CNN’s ''Newsroom with Robyn Curnow'' from 2020 to 2022 from the CNN Center in Atl ...

CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...

television reporter and anchor *

John Charles Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly (February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991) was an American journalist, host, CBS radio and television personality, ABC News (United States), ABC News executive, TV anchor, and game show host, best known for his wor ...

, television journalist, executive and game show host (1914–1991) * Arnold S de Beer, journalist and academic (1942–2021) * Frene Ginwala, journalist and politician (1932–2023) *

Arthur Goldstuck Arthur Goldstuck (born 1959) is a South African author, journalist, speaker, media analyst and commentator on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Internet and mobile communications and technologies. Life Arthur Goldstuck was born ...

, journalist (born 1959) *

, journalist (born 1937) * Noni Jabavu, journalist, editor and first black South African woman to publish an autobiography (1919–2008) * Archibald Campbell Jordan (1906–1968) *

Lara Logan Lara Logan (born 29 March 1971) is a South African television and radio journalist and war correspondent. Her career began with various South African news organizations in the 1990s. Her public profile rose due to her reports on the American i ...

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

television reporter/correspondent (born 1971) *

Peter Magubane Peter Sexford Magubane OMSS (18 January 1932 – 1 January 2024) was a South African photographer and anti-apartheid activist. He began taking photos as a school boy and started professional photography at the ''Drum.'' Magubane became one o ...

, South African photographer (1932–2024) *

John Matisonn John Matisonn is a South African political journalist and author. He was one of the founding councillors of South Africa's Independent Broadcasting Authority and from 1986 to 1991 was the South Africa correspondent for National Public Radio in t ...

, print and radio journalist for both South African and United States broadcasters (born 1949) *

Zakes Mda Zanemvula Kizito Gatyeni "Zakes" Mda () (born 1948) is a South African novelist, poet and playwright. He has won major South African and British literary awards for his novels and plays. He is the son of politician A. P. Mda. Early life and ...

, journalist (born 1948) * Nathaniel Ndazana Nakasa, South African journalist and short story writer (1937–1965) * Sam Nzima, South African photographer, who took the image of

Hector Pieterson Zolile Hector Pieterson (19 August 1963 – 16 June 1976) was a South African schoolboy who was shot and killed at the age of 12 during the Soweto uprising and massacre in 1976, when the police opened fire on black students protesting the enforc ...

for the

(1934–2018) * Henry Nxumalo, investigative journalist under apartheid (1917–1957) *

Sol Plaatje Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje (9 October 1876 – 19 June 1932) was a South African intellectual, journalist, linguist, politician, translator and writer. Plaatje was a founding member and first General Secretary of the South African Native Natio ...

, journalist and political activist (1877–1932) * Percy Qoboza, journalist, editorial writer, and political activist (1938–1988) * Barry Streek, journalist, political activist, author, parliamentary media manager (1948–2006) *

Redi Tlhabi Redi Tlhabi (; born 1978) is a South African journalist, producer, author and a former radio presenter. She presented ''The Redi Tlhabi Show'' on Radio 702 for over a decade. Her broadcasting career spans years spent at Kaya FM, being a newscas ...

, journalist and broadcaster (born 1978) *

Eric Lloyd Williams Eric Lloyd Williams (1915–1988) was a South African-born journalist and war correspondent who covered World War II for the South African Press Association and Reuters. Lloyd Williams reported on the North African campaign of the British Eight ...

, journalist and war correspondent (1915–1988) * Donald Woods, journalist and anti-apartheid activist (1933–2001)

Artists

Performing artists

Actors and actresses

* Anel Alexander, actress, producer (born 1979) *

Ayanda Borotho Ayanda Borotho (Née Ngubane; born 13 January 1981) is a South African actress and former model best known for playing the title role in the SABC 1 sitcom ''Nomzamo'', from 2007 to 2010, in which she replaced Zinzile Zungu, as well as Phumele ...

, actress (born 1981) * Ivan Botha, actor (born 1984) *

Lesley-Ann Brandt Lesley-Ann Brandt (born 2 December 1981) is a South African-born American actress best known for the role of Mazikeen on the television series ''Lucifer'' (2016–2021). Early life Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Brandt is Cape Coloured of Afr ...

, South African born actress (born 1981), notable for her role as Mazikeen in the show ''

Lucifer The most common meaning for Lucifer in English is as a name for the Devil in Christian theology. He appeared in the King James Version of the Bible in Isaiah and before that in the Vulgate (the late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bib ...

'' *

Kai Luke Brümmer Kai Luke Brümmer (also stylised as Brummer; born 17 February 1993) is a South African actor. He is known for his role as Nicholas van der Swart in the film ''Moffie'' (2019). ''The Guardian'' named him one of the best new-and-up-comers at the 7 ...

, actor (born 1993) * Peter Cartwright, actor (1935–2013) * Baby Cele, actress (born 1972) *

Presley Chweneyagae Presley Oageng Chweneyagae (19 October 1984 – 27 May 2025) was a South African actor. He rose to prominence for his starring role in ''Tsotsi'', which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards. Life and caree ...

, actor (1984–2025) *

Sharlto Copley Sharlto Copley (born November 27, 1973) is a South African actor. His acting credits include roles in the Academy Award-nominated science fiction film ''District 9'', the 2010 adaptation of ''The A-Team'', the science fiction film ''Elysium'', ...

, actor, (''

District 9 ''District 9'' is a 2009 science fiction action film directed by Neill Blomkamp in his feature film debut, written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. It is a co-production of New Zealand ...

'') (born 1973) * Katlego Danke, actress (born 1978) *

Embeth Davidtz Embeth Jean Davidtz (born August 11, 1965) is an American-South African actress and director. She has appeared in movies such as ''Schindler's List, ''Matilda (1996 film), ''Matilda'', ''Bridget Jones's Diary,'' and ''The Amazing Spider-Man (fil ...

, actress (born 1965) * Gopala Davies, actor and director (born 1988) * Ryan de Villiers, actor (born 1992) * Sindi Dlathu, actress (born 1974) *

Pallance Dladla Pallance Dladla (born August 22, 1992) is a South African actor. He has received multiple awards and nominations, including the SAFTA Award. Dladla first gained recognition as a runner-up on the second season of ''Class Act''. He lost to eventua ...

, actor (born 1992) * Lillian Dube, South African actress (born 1945) * Vinette Ebrahim, actress (born 1957) * Kim Engelbrecht, actress (born 1980) * Willie Esterhuizen, actor *

Connie Ferguson Constance Connie Ferguson (née Masilo; born 10 June 1970) is a South African-Motswana actress, filmmaker, producer and businesswoman. She is best known for her lead role as Karabo Moroka on one of South Africa's most popular soap operas, '' Gen ...

, actress (born 1970) * Shona Ferguson, actor (1972–2021) * Brett Goldin, actor (1977–2006) * Zoe Gail, actress (1920–2020) *

Gugu Gumede Gugu Gumede is a South African actress born in the Province of Natal. She is well known for portraying the character of a prophetess, Mamlambo, in the soapie ''Uzalo''. Early life Gumede was born in the province of Natal. Her father was Simon ...

, actress (born 1991) *

Roxane Hayward Roxane Hayward (born Roxane Josephine Hayward, 7 May 1991) is a South African actress. She has appeared in numerous South African, British and American television shows which include '' Leonardo'' for CBBC, '' Beaver Falls'' for E4 and '' Blood ...

, actress (born 1991) *

Hennie Jacobs Hennie Jacobs (born 20 June 1981) is a South African actor, musician, singer, comedian, and songwriter. Early life Hennie Jacobs was born to Francois and Esther Jacobs on 20 June 1981 in Pretoria, the then Transvaal Province, now Gauteng P ...

, actor (born 1981) * David James, actor, stage, television, and film actor (born 1972) *

Sid James Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a South African–British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. Noted for his distinctive laugh, he was best known for numerou ...

, film and television actor (1913–1976) *

Glynis Johns Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (5 October 1923 – 4 January 2024) was a British actress. In a career exceeding seven decades on stage and screen, Johns appeared in more than 60 films and 30 plays. She received various accolades throughout her ca ...

, actress (1923–2024) * Adhir Kalyan, actor (born 1983) * Atandwa Kani, actor (born 1984) *

John Kani Bonisile John Kani (born 30 August 1942) is a South African actor. He is known for portraying T'Chaka in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films '' Captain America: Civil War'' (2016) and ''Black Panther'' (2018), Rafiki in ''The Lion King'' (201 ...

, actor, entertainer and writer (born 1943) * Dawn Thandeka King, actress (born 1977) *

Shannon Kook Shannon Xiao Lóng Kook-Chun (born 9 February 1987) is a South African actor based in Canada. He is known for his roles as Zane Park on the television series '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' (2010–11), Jordan Green on '' The 100'' (2018� ...

(born 1987) * Paballo Koza, actor (born 2002) *

Alice Krige Alice Maud Krige (; born June 28, 1954) is a South African actress and producer. Her big break came in 1981, when she starred as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the British historical film ''Chariots of Fire'', and as Eva Gall ...

, actress (born 1954) *

Deon Lotz Deon Lotz (born 20 July 1964)"Deon Lotz"
''TVSA: The South African TV Authority.'' Retrieved 2 ...

, actor (born 1964) * Sello Maake Ka-Ncube, actor (born 1960) * Gail Mabalane, actress (born 1984) * Joe Mafela, actor, writer and singer (1942–2017) *

Maps Maponyane Masego "Maps" Maponyane (born 16 March 1990) is a South African television presenter, actor, fashion designer, speaker, model, creative consultant, voice over artist, philanthropist and business entrepreneur. Career While taking a year off h ...

, actor (born 1990) *

Warren Masemola Montloana Warren Masemola (born 18 May 1983) is a South African actor popularly known for portraying Lentswe Mokethi on the soap opera ''Scandal! (South African TV series), Scandal! and Alex Khadzi on House of Zwide''. Life and career Early lif ...

, actor (born 1983) * Khanyi Mbau, radio and television personality and actress (born 1985), notable for ''Happiness Is a Four-letter Word'' *

Nomzamo Mbatha Nomzamo Nxumalo Mbatha (born 13 July 1990), is a South African actress, accountant, television personality, businesswoman, human rights activist. She portrayed the character of Thandeka Zungu on Mzansi Magic Sopie era ''Isibaya'' which she st ...

, actress (born 1990) * Michelle Mosalakae, actress (born 1994) *

Thuso Mbedu Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu (born 8 July 1991) is a South African actress. She rose to prominence for her performance in the South African teen drama series ''Is'Thunzi'' for which she was nominated consecutively for an International Emmy Award, Intern ...

, actress (born 1991) * Sean Michael, (born 1969) * Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, actress (born 1988) * Masoja Msiza, actor (born 1964) *

Patrick Mynhardt Patrick Beattie Mynhardt (12 June 1932 – 25 October 2007) was a well-known South African film and theatre actor. He appeared in over 150 stage plays in South Africa and England, 100 local and international films, TV plays and serials as w ...

, actor (1932–2007) *

Themba Ndaba Themba Ndaba (born 14 February 1965) is a South African actor and director. He is best known for casting in the movie ''Machine Gun Preacher'' and in the series ''Zone 14''. He recently starred as Brutus Khoza in the South African Ferguson Film ...

, actor (born 1965) *

Menzi Ngubane Menzi Ngubane (28 August 1964 – 13 March 2021) was a South African actor, best known for playing the role of Sibusiso Dlomo in the soap opera '' Generations'' from 2003 to 2014. Ngubane played numerous roles on other South African TV shows, in ...

, actor (born 1967) *

Jessica Nkosi Jessica Ayanda Nkosi (born 20 January 1990) is a South African actress and TV presenter, best known for her leading roles in M-Net commissioned telenovelas ''Isibaya'', ''Ayeye'', ''The Queen'', and ''Lavish''. Early life Nkosi was born in E ...

, actress (born 1990) *

Kenneth Nkosi Kenneth Nkosi (born 19 June 1973) is a South African actor and comedian. He portrayed Aap in the 2005 film ''Tsotsi'' (2005). He also appeared in the films ''White Wedding'' (2009) and '' Otelo Burning'' (2011), as well as '' Mad Buddies'' (20 ...

, actor (born 1973) * Winnie Ntshaba, actress (born 1975) *

Winston Ntshona Winston Ntshona (6 October 1941 – 2 August 2018) was a South African playwright and actor. He won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1975. Biography Born in Port Elizabeth, Zola Winston Ntshona worked alongside fellow South African A ...

, actor (1941–2018) *

Nandi Nyembe Nandi Nyembe (born 19 August 1950) is a South African actress known for her roles in the sports drama Zone 14, and Soul City. Early life Nyembe was born in Kliptown, Johannesburg, in August 1950. She also stayed in various places, like Botswana ...

, South African actress (born 1950) * Tarina Patel, actor (born 1986] *

Madelaine Petsch Madelaine Grobbelaar Petsch (born August 18, 1994) is an American and South African actress and social media personality. She is best known for portraying Cheryl Blossom on The CW television series '' Riverdale'' (2017–2023). Early life Pets ...

, actress (born 1994) * Terry Pheto, actress (born 1981) *

Tanit Phoenix Tanit Phoenix (born 24 September 1980) is a South African fashion model, actress and makeup artist. She is known for her swimwear and lingerie photo shoots after appearing in a '' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' in 2003 and in '' GQ'' maga ...

, actress ( Death Race: Inferno,

Lord of War ''Lord of War'' is a 2005 Crime drama film, crime-drama film written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto, Bridget Moynahan, Ethan Hawke, and Eamonn Walker in primary roles. The plot follows an unscrupulous Ukrain ...

Safe House A safe house (also spelled safehouse) is a dwelling place or building whose unassuming appearance makes it an inconspicuous location where one can hide out, take shelter, or conduct clandestine activities. Historical usage It may also refer to ...

, Femme Fatales, Mad Buddies) (born 1984) *

Sasha Pieterse Sasha Pieterse Sheaffer (; born February 17, 1996) is a South African and American actress and singer. She is known for portraying Alison DiLaurentis in the Freeform (TV channel), Freeform series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017), and its sp ...

, actress (born 1996) * Sandra Prinsloo, South African actress (born 1947),

The Gods Must Be Crazy ''The Gods Must Be Crazy'' is a 1980 comedy film written, produced, edited and directed by Jamie Uys. An international co-production of South Africa and Botswana, it is the first film in ''The Gods Must Be Crazy'' series. Set in Southern Afri ...

, ''Quest for Love'' * Ama Qamata, actress (born 1998) *

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was an Anglo-South African actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume drama ...

, actor (1892–1967) * Jo-anne Reyneke, actress (born 1988) * Ian Roberts, actor, playwright, singer (born 1952) * Angelique Rockas pioneer of multi-racial theatre in the UK (born 1951) * Buhle Samuels *

Stelio Savante Stelio Savante is a South African actor that has appeared in 140 films, TV series and video games in the last three decades. He is known for his roles as a South African/Israeli journalist and undercover Mossad agent opposite Jim Caviezel and ...

, actor (born 1970) * Clive Scott, actor (1937–2021) *

Rapulana Seiphemo Rapulana Seiphemo (born 4 November 1967) is a South African actor and filmmaker. He is primarily known for his role as Tau Mogale in the long-running soap opera '' Generations'' and its continuation, '' Generations: The Legacy''. Early life He ...

, actor (born 1967) *

Cliff Severn Clifford Severn (September 21, 1925 – June 4, 2014) was an American cricketer and child screen actor. Clifford Severn was the son of Dr. Clifford Brill Severn (1890–1981). His parents emigrated from South Africa to Los Angeles after he was bor ...

, actor (1925–2014) *

Raymond Severn Raymond Chesterton Shaw Severn (June 19, 1930 – November 3, 1994) was an American cricketer and child screen actor. He had seven siblings who were all child actors: Venetia Severn, Clifford Severn, Yvonne Severn, Ernest Severn, Christopher Seve ...

, actor (1930–1994) *

Antony Sher Sir Antony Sher (14 June 1949 – 2 December 2021) was a British actor, writer and theatre director of South African origin. A two-time Laurence Olivier Award winner and a five-time nominee, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1982 and ...

, actor, author and painter (1949–2021) * Cliff Simon, actor (1962–2021) *

William Smith William, Willie, Will, Bill, or Billy Smith may refer to: Academics * William Smith (Master of Clare College, Cambridge) (1556–1615), English academic * William Smith (antiquary) (c. 1653–1735), English antiquary and historian of University C ...

, TV teacher and presenter (born 1939) * Linda Sokhulu, actress (born 1976) *

Shaleen Surtie-Richards Shaleen Surtie-Richards (7 May 1955 – 7 June 2021) was a South African television, stage, and film actress, perhaps best known for her starring roles in the 1988 film '' Fiela se Kind'' and the long-running series '' Egoli: Place of Gold.'' Sh ...

, actress (1955–2021) *

Janet Suzman Dame Janet Suzman (born 9 February 1939) is a South African-born British actress who had a successful early career in the Royal Shakespeare Company, later replaying many Shakespearean roles on television. In her first film, '' Nicholas and Alexa ...

, actress (born 1939) *

Reine Swart Reine Swart (née Malan; born 17 May 1990) is a South African director, writer and actress. She starred in the Afrikaans surf film ''Die Pro'' (2015). She appeared alongside Tye Sheridan, Bel Powley and Emory Cohen in the film ''Detour (2016 film ...

, actress, producer *

Charlize Theron Charlize Theron ( ; ; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 201 ...

, actress (born 1975) * Pearl Thusi, actress, model, MC (born 1988) *

Siyabonga Thwala Siyabonga Thwala (born 8 September 1969) is a South African actor, businessman, television presenter, producer. He is best known for his role of Mpiyakhe Zungu on Mzansi Magic's ''Isibaya''. Siyabonga Thwala has starred and appeared in a number o ...

, actor (born 1969) *

Pieter-Dirk Uys Pieter-Dirk Uys (; born 28 September 1945) is a South African performer, author, satirist, and social activist. One of his best known roles is as Evita Bezuidenhout, an Afrikaner socialite. Background and early life Uys was born in Cape Town o ...

, political satirist and entertainer (born 1945) * Brümilda van Rensburg, actress (born 1956) *

Musetta Vander Musetta Vander (born Musetta van der Merwe; 26 May 1963) is a South African actress. Biography In 1991, Vander landed her first notable role, portraying Zander Tyler in seven episodes of the action-adventure TV series '' Super Force''. In 19 ...

, actress (born 1969) *

Arnold Vosloo Arnold Vosloo (born 16 June 1962) is a South African and American actor. He began his career as a stage actor and starring in South African films like '' Boetie Gaan Border Toe'' (1984). After emigrating to the United States in the late 1980s, h ...

, actor (born 1962), ''

The Mummy A mummy is an unusually well preserved corpse. Mummy or The Mummy may also refer to: Places * Mummy Range, a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado in the United States * Mummy Cave, a rock shelter and archeological site in P ...

'', ''

The Mummy Returns ''The Mummy Returns'' is a 2001 American fantasy action-adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers. It is the sequel to the 1999 film ''The Mummy'', and the second in ''The Mummy'' film series. Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, Jo ...

'', 24

Dancers

Juliet Prowse Juliet Anne Prowse (25 September 1936 – 14 September 1996) was a British-American dancer and actress whose four-decade career included stage, television and film. She was born in Bombay (today's Mumbai) then of British India, raised in South ...

, dancer (1936–1996) * Bontle Modiselle, dancer (born 1990)

Playwrights and film directors

Neill Blomkamp Neill Blomkamp (; born 17 September 1979) is a South African and Canadian film director and screenwriter. He is known as the co-writer and director of the science fiction action film ''District 9'' (2009), for which he was nominated for the Aca ...

, director, ''

'' (born 1979) * Charles J. Fourie, playwright (born 1965) *

Athol Fugard Harold Athol Lanigan Fugard (; 11 June 19328 March 2025) was a South African playwright, novelist, actor and director. Widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright and acclaimed as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaki ...

, playwright (1932–2025) *

Ronald Harwood Sir Ronald Harwood ( né Horwitz; 9 November 1934 – 8 September 2020) was a South African-born British author, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for his plays for the British stage as well as the screenplays for '' The Dresser'' (for ...

, playwright and writer (1934–2020) *

Oliver Hermanus Oliver Hermanus (; born 26 May 1983) is a South African film director and writer.
"Oliver Hermanus." IMDb: The Internet Movie D ...

, film director and writer (born 1983) * Gray Hofmeyr South African film director (born 1949) *

Gavin Hood Gavin Hood (born 12 May 1963) is a South African filmmaker, and actor, best known for writing and directing '' Tsotsi'' (2005), which won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. He also directed the films '' X-Men Origins: Wolver ...

, film director, wrote and directed the Academy Award-winning ''Tsotsi'' (2005) (born 1963) * Rob De Mezieres, film director and writer *

Mbongeni Ngema Mbongeni Ngema (10 May 1955 – 27 December 2023) was a South African playwright, lyricist, composer, director, choreographer, and theatre producer, best known for co-writing the 1981 play '' Woza Albert!'' and co-writing (with Hugh Masekela) t ...

, playwright, actor, choreographer and director (born 1955) *

Michael Oblowitz Michael Oblowitz is a South African filmmaker. Early life and education Oblowitz was born in Cape Town where he grew up surfing in the 1970s. He is a Fine Arts and Philosophy graduate of the University of Cape Town. He received an M.F.A. in Fi ...

film director (born 1952) * Mthuli ka Shezi, playwright and political activist (1947–1972) *

Leon Schuster Leon Ernest "Schucks" Schuster (born 21 May 1951) is a South African filmmaker, comedian, actor, prankster and singer. Early life Schuster was drawn to the filmmaking process at an early age. As a child he and his brother would play practical ...

, filmmaker, comedian, actor and prankster (born 1951) *

Jamie Uys Jacobus Johannes Uys ( ; 30 May 1921 – 29 January 1996), better known as Jamie Uys, was a South African film director, best known for directing the 1980 comedy film '' The Gods Must Be Crazy'' and its 1989 sequel '' The Gods Must Be Crazy II ...

, film director (1921–1996)

Singers, musicians and composers

AKA (rapper) Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (28 January 1988 – 10 February 2023), known professionally as AKA, was a South African rapper, record producer, and businessman. Born in Cape Town and raised in Johannesburg, Forbes gained recognition after releasing his ...

, South African Kiernan Forbes (1988–2023) *

Zain Bhikha Zain Bhikha is a South African singer-songwriter, vocalist, and drummer who performs Islamic nasheeds. Associated with other Muslim singers, including Yusuf Islam and Dawud Wharnsby, Bhikha has collaborated on albums and also released several ...

, world-renowned singer-songwriter of the

Nasheed A ''nasheed'' (, ) is a work of vocal music, partially coincident with hymns, that is either sung ''a cappella'' or with instruments, according to a particular style or tradition within Sunni Islam. Nasheeds are popular throughout the Islamic ...

genre * Michael Blake, classical composer (born 1951) * Johan Botha, opera singer (1965–2016) *

Al Bowlly Albert Allick Bowlly (7 January 1899 – 17 April 1941) was a South African-British vocalist, crooner, and dance band guitarist who was Britain's most popular singer for most of the 1930s. He recorded upwards of 1,000 songs that were listened ...

, popular singer (1898–1941) *

Don Clarke Donald Barry Clarke (10 November 1933 – 29 December 2002) was a New Zealand rugby union player who played 89 times (31 of these were test matches) as a New Zealand international from 1956 until 1964. He was best known for his phenomen ...

, Singer-songwriter (born 1955) *

Johnny Clegg Jonathan Paul Clegg, (7 June 195316 July 2019) was a South African musician, singer-songwriter, dancer, anthropologist and Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist. He first performed as part of a duo - ''Johnny & Sipho'' - ...

, musician (1953–2019) *

Mimi Coertse Maria Sophia (Mimi) Coertse, DMS (born 12 June 1932) is a South African soprano. On 26 January 2020, Mimi was also inaugurated as a living legend in the South African Legends Museum. She was one of only 20 South African legends of whom a bus ...

, opera singer (born 1932) * Fanie de Jager, operatic tenor (born 1949) *

Lucky Dube Lucky Philip Dube (pronounced ''duu-beh'';
luckydubemusic.com, Retrieved 19 October 2007 3 August 1964 – 18 October 2 ...

, reggae singer (1964–2007) *

Brenda Fassie Brenda Nokuzola Fassie (3 November 1964 – 9 May 2004) was a South African singer, songwriter, dancer and activist. Affectionately called MaBrrr by her fans, she is also known as the "Queen of African Pop" or the "Madonna of The Townships." Fas ...

, anti-apartheid Afropop singer, songwriter, dancer and activist (1964–2004) * Daniel Friedman ("Deep Fried Man"), musical comedian (born 1981) *

Steve Kekana Tebogo Steve Kekana (4 August 1958 – 1 July 2021) was a South African singer and songwriter. He began his musical career in the 1980s. He attended and completed his studies at University of South Africa, UNISA. Life and career Kekana was born ...

, singer and songwriter (1958–2021) *

Jabu Khanyile Jabu Khanyile (28 February 1957 – 12 November 2006)Lusk, John (2006), ''The Independent'', 16 November 2006 was a South African musician and lead vocalist from the band Bayete. Life and career Khanyile was born in Soweto, and was forced to ...

, musician and lead vocalist (1957–2006) * Claire Johnston, singer (born 1967) * David Kramer, singer and playwright (born 1951) * Clare Loveday, classical composer (born 1967) * Lira (singer), singer (born 1979) *

Sipho Mabuse Sipho Cecil Peter Mabuse (born 2 November 1951), known professionally as Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, is a South African singer-songwriter. Mabuse grew up in Soweto. His mother was Zulu people, Zulu and his father was Tswana people, Tswana. Sipho a ...

, singer (born 1951) * Ringo Madlingozi, South African singer, songwriter, producer, and member of parliament (born 1964) *

Arthur Mafokate Arthur Mafokate (born 10 July 1969) is a South African kwaito musician and producer. In 1994, he released his debut album, ''Windy Windy'', which included the hit "Amagents Ayaphanda". He became known as the "King of Kwaito" with many hit singl ...

, kwaito musician and producer (born 1962) * Winston Mankunku Ngozi, tenor sax player (1943–2009) * Mahlathini, ''

mbaqanga Mbaqanga () is a style of South African music that emerged in the early 1960s in the urban townships, particularly around Johannesburg. It draws from a variety of ethnic traditions, including Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Pedi, and Tsonga musical element ...

'' singer (1938–1999) *

Miriam Makeba Zenzile Miriam Makeba ( , ; 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including African popular music, Afropop, ja ...

, singer and civil rights activist (1932–2008) * Rebecca Malope, multi-award-winning South African gospel singer (born 1968) *

Manfred Mann Manfred Mann were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. They were named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann (musician), Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The group had two l ...

, musician (born 1940) *

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and f ...

, jazz trumpeter and singer (1939–2018) * Gwendolyn Masin, violinist, author, pedagogue (born 1977) *

Lebo Mathosa Lebohang Precious Mathosa (17 July 1977– 23 October 2006) was a South African kwaito singer. Mathosa started her career as a founding member of the popular South African band Boom Shaka in 1994 at the age of 17, after she caught the eye of ...

, popular South African kwaito singer (1977–2006) *

Dave Matthews David John Matthews (born January 9, 1967) is an American musician and the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band (DMB). Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved frequently between South Africa, ...

, leader of the

Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known as DMB) is an American rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The band's lineup consists of Dave Matthews (lead vocals, guitar), Stefan Lessard (bass), Carter Beauford (drums), Tim Reynolds (lead guitar), R ...

(born 1967) *

Shaun Morgan Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (, born 21 December 1978) is a South African musician. He is the lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Seether. Early life Morgan spent most of his early life in South Africa.Bottomley, CSeeth ...

, lead singer of the award-winning band

Seether Seether are a South African Rock music, rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion with ...

(born 1978) *

Ray Phiri Raymond Chikapa Enock Phiri (23 March 1947 – 12 July 2017) was a South African jazz, fusion and mbaqanga musician born in Mpumalanga to Thabethe Phiri, a Malawian immigrant worker, and South African guitarist nicknamed "Just Now" Phiri. He ...

, jazz, fusion and Mbhaqanga musician (1947–2017) *

Aquiles Priester Aquiles Priester (born 25 June 1971) is a Brazilian drummer. He is currently the drummer of Brazilian power metal band Hangar, and progressive metal bands Midas Fate and Noturnall. As a tour drummer, Priester has played with Paul Di'Anno, Vi ...

, drummer (born 1971) * Rex Rabanye, jazz, fusion and soulful pop musician (1944–2010) *

Trevor Rabin Trevor Charles Rabin (; born ) is a South African musician, songwriter, and film composer. Born into a musical family and raised in Johannesburg, Rabin took up the piano and guitar at an early age and became a session musician, playing and produc ...

, musician, composer, former member of progressive rock band

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...

(born 1954) * Koos Ras, comedian, singer, writer, composer (1928–1997) * Charles Segal (pianist), composer, arranger, Guinness World Record holder (1929–2021) *

Enoch Sontonga Enoch Mankayi Sontonga ( – 18 April 1905) was a South African composer, who is best known for writing the Xhosa hymn "" (), which, in abbreviated version, has been sung as the first half of the national anthem of South Africa since 1994. Prev ...

, composer of national anthem (1873–1905) *

Joseph Shabalala Bhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala (28 August 1940 – 11 February 2020) was a South African singer and musician who was the founder and musical director of the choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Early life and career Bhekizizwe Joseph Shaba ...

, founder and director of

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of ''isicathamiya'' and ''mbube (genre), mbube''. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his 1986 album ''Grace ...

(1941–2020) *

ZP Theart ZP De Villiers Theart ( ) (born 27 May 1974) is a South African born singer-songwriter and the former lead vocalist and co-founder of the British power metal band DragonForce. He was also the lead vocalist for the British heavy metal band Tank ...

, singer, ex Dragonforce (born 1975) * Costa Titch, Amapiano rapper and dancer (1995–2023) *

Hilda Tloubatla Hilda Semola Tloubatla (born 1942) is a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer, and the lead singer of the acclaimed group the Mahotella Queens. Tloubatla was born in Payneville, South Africa before moving to kwaThema township in 1951 as a result of ...

, lead singer of Mahotella Queens (born 1942) *

Watkin Tudor Jones Watkin Tudor Jones (born 26 September 1974), better known by his stage names Ninja and Max Normal, is a South African rapper, songwriter, singer, record producer, performance artist, and director. Tudor Jones found international success as a me ...

, rapper, performance artist, band member of

Die Antwoord Die Antwoord (; ) is a South African hip hop duo formed in Cape Town in 2008. The duo consists of rappers Ninja and Yolandi Visser (also spelled Yo-Landi Visser and stylized as ¥o-Landi Vi$$er). Their music, a fusion of hip hop with rave mu ...

(born 1974) * Tyla, R&B singer and songwriter (born 2002) * Arnold van Wyk, classical composer (1916–1983) *

Yolandi Visser Anri du Toit (born 3 March 1984), known professionally as Yolandi Visser (stylised as ¥o-Landi Vi$$er), is a South African singer, rapper, and songwriter. She is one of two vocalists in the alternative hip hop group Die Antwoord, along with Wa ...

, rapper, performance artist, band member of

(born 1984) * Amor Vittone, singer, performing artist and gold-disc recording artist (born 1972) *

Kevin Volans Kevin Volans (born 26 July 1949) is a South African-born Irish composer and pianist. He studied with Karlheinz Stockhausen and Mauricio Kagel in Cologne in the 1970s and later became associated with the ''Neue Einfachheit'' (New Simplicity) mo ...

, classical composer (born 1949)

Models, socialites and media personalities

, radio personality, journalist (born 1953) * Gina Athans, model, international socialite (born 1984) * Riaan Cruywagen, TV news reader (born 1945) * Lasizwe Dambuza, television personality (born 1998) * Belle Delphine, Social Media Personality (born 1999) *

Trevor Denman Trevor Denman (born 24 September 1952) is a South African American sportscaster and public-address announcer specializing in Thoroughbred horse racing. Background Denman was born in Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa. A part-time jockey and ex ...

, horse racing announcer (born 1952) * Minnie Dlamini, TV presenter, TV personality, model and actress (born 1990) * Jade Fairbrother, model, fitness bikini competitor,

Playboy Playmate A Playmate is a female Model (person), model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biograph ...

(born 1986) *

(Ninja) singer, rapper, actor, director (born 1974) * Roxy Ingram, model (born 1982) *

Alan Khan Alan Khan (born 17 December 1971) is a South African media and radio personality. He hosts the talk show ''Walk the Talk with Alan Khan'' on Lotus FM. In April 2015 Khan was inducted into the South African Radio Hall of Fame. He is currently t ...

, radio and television personality (born 1971) *

Caspar Lee Caspar Richard George Lee (born 24 April 1994) is a British-South African YouTuber and investor. He was featured in ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30 in 2020 for his work in media and advertising. Career Lee started his YouTube channel 'dicasp' in 2011, ...

, YouTube personality and actor (born 1994) *

Jeremy Maggs Jeremy Maggs (born 1 February 1961) is a South African journalist, radio host and television presenter, best known for hosting the South African version of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and for his anchoring roles on top South Af ...

, journalist, radio host and television presenter (born 1961) * Myra Manganye, South African Reality Competition titleholder * Jeremy Mansfield, radio and TV personality *

, media socialite, model and actor (born 1990) * Robert Marawa, sports journalist, television and radio personality (born 1973) * Megan McKenzie, model (born 1980) *

Trevor Noah Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He was the host of ''The Daily Show'', an American late-night talk show and satirical news program on Comedy ...

, comedian, actor, radio- and television host (born 1984) *

Debora Patta Debora Patta (born 1 September 1964) is a South African investigative broadcast journalist and television producer, who serves as the Africa correspondent for the American news program '' The CBS Evening News'' since 2013. She was previously t ...

, broadcast journalist and television producer (born 1964) *

, ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...

'' model and actress (born 1984) *

Lunga Shabalala Lunga Shabalala (born 22 May 1989), is a South African actor, TV presenter and model. He rose to fame as a presenter on the SABC 1 entertainment and variety TV show, ''Selimathunzi''. He got his first acting role on the soap opera '' The River, ...

, TV presenter, model and actor (born 1989) * Linda Sibiya, radio personality, radio producer, television host, television producer and broadcaster. *

Troye Sivan Troye Sivan Mellet ( ; born 5 June 1995) is an Australian singer-songwriter and actor. After gaining popularity as a singer on YouTube and in Australian talent competitions, Sivan signed with Universal Music Australia, EMI Australia in 2013 and ...

, YouTube personality, actor and singer (born 1995) *

Reeva Steenkamp Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp ( ; ; 19 August 1983 – 14 February 2013) was a South African model and paralegal. She modelled for '' FHM'' magazine and was the first face of Avon cosmetics in South Africa. Steenkamp once worked as the live roaming p ...

, model (1983–2013) *

Candice Swanepoel Candice Susan Swanepoel (; ; born 20 October 1988) is a South African model. She is known for her work with Victoria's Secret. She became a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2010. In 2016, she was listed 8th on the ''Forbes'' top-earning models list. ...

Victoria's Secret Victoria's Secret is an American lingerie, clothing and beauty products, beauty retailer. Founded in 1977 by a Stanford graduate student and his wife, Roy Raymond, Roy and Gaye Raymond, the company's five lingerie stores were sold to Les Wexner i ...

model (born 1988) *

, actress, film producer (born 1975) *

Lesego Tlhabi Lesego Tlhabi (born 13 December 1988) is a South African writer and comedian best known for creating the character Coconut Kelz. Early life Tlhabi's parents, Brian Tlhabi and Penny Osiris, were both doctors. She was born in 1988, in the last yea ...

, comedian and satirist (as Coconut Kelz) (born 1988) *

singer, rapper, actor (born 1984) *

Minki van der Westhuizen Willemien "Minki" van der Westhuizen (born 26 February 1984) is a South African Model (person), model and television presenter. Early life Van der Westhuizen was born in Durbanville near Cape Town to an Afrikaans family and attended Stellenberg ...

, model and TV presenter (born 1984) * Eddie Zondi, radio personality and music composer (1967–2014)

Visual artists

Cartoonists

* T.O. Honiball, cartoonist (1905–1990) *

Jeremy Nell Jeremy Talfer Nell (born 1979) is a South African cartoonist who writes under the pen name Jerm. In 2020, his public page was removed by Facebook after repeatedly violating the social network's policies against hate speech. He was previousl ...

, cartoonist (born 1979) * Zapiro, cartoonist (born 1958)

Painters

* Thomas Baines, colonial painter and explorer (1820–1875) *

Tamlin Blake Tamlin Blake (born 1974) is a South African mixed media artist living and working in Riebeeck West. The major themes of Blake's work revolve around cross-cultural South African symbols of wealth and status and, more recently, what constitute ...

, mixed media artist (born 1974) * Leon Botha, painter and disc jockey (1985–2011) * Garth Erasmus, visual artist (born 1956) *

Clinton Fein Clinton Fein (born 1964 in South Africa) is an artist, writer and activist, noted for his company Apollomedia and its controversial website Annoy.com, as well as its Supreme Court victory against Janet Reno, United States Attorney General, regardi ...

, artist, activist, photographer (born 1964) * C. G. Finch-Davies, painter and ornithologist (1875–1920) * Ronald Harrison, painter (1940–2011) *

William Kentridge William Kentridge (born 28 April 1955) is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films. He is especially noted for a sequence of hand-drawn animated films he produced during the 1990s, constructed by filming ...

, painter (born 1955) *

Maggie Laubser Maria Magdalena Laubser (; 14 April 1886 – 17 May 1973) was a South African painter and printmaker. She is generally considered, along with Irma Stern, to be responsible for the introduction of Expressionism to South Africa. Her work was in ...

, painter (1886–1973) *

Neville Lewis Alfred Neville Lewis (1895–1972) was a South African artist. He was born in Cape Town, Cape Colony, and educated there and, later, at the Slade School of Art in London. His father was the Reverend A. J. S. Lewis, who was Mayor of Cape Town ...

, artist (1895–1972) *

Esther Mahlangu Esther Mahlangu (born 11 November 1935) is a South African artist. She is known for her bold, large-scale contemporary paintings inspired by her Southern Ndebele people, Ndebele heritage. She is one of South Africa's best known artists. Early l ...

, painter (born 1935) *

Ernest Mancoba Ernest (Methuen) Mancoba (29 August 1904 – 25 October 2002) was an avant-garde artist, born in Transvaal Colony, who spent the majority of his life in Europe. He was probably South Africa's first professional Black modern artist, and exhibited fr ...

, avant-garde artist (1904–2002) * Judith Mason, artist (1938–2016) * Conor Mccreedy, artist (born 1987) *

Brett Murray Brett Murray (born 1961) is a South African artist mostly known for his steel and mixed media wall sculptures. He was born in Pretoria, South Africa. Murray has a master's degree in fine art from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, 1989. Referred ...

, artist (born 1961) * Charles Ernest Peers, painter (born 1875) * George Pemba, visual artist (1912–2001) *

Pierneef Jacobus Hendrik (Henk) Pierneef (usually referred to as Pierneef) (13 August 1886 Pretoria – 4 October 1957 Pretoria), was a South African landscape artist, generally considered to be one of the best of the old South African masters. His distin ...

, artist (1886–1957) * Gerard Sekoto, artist and musician (1913–1993) * Cecil Skotnes, painter (1926–2009) *

Irma Stern Irma Analize Stern (2 October 1894 – 23 August 1966) was a South African artist who achieved national and international recognition in her lifetime. Life Stern was born in Schweizer-Reneke, a small town in the Transvaal, of German-Jewish pa ...

, painter (1894–1966) *

Vladimir Tretchikoff Vladimir Grigoryevich Tretchikoff (Владимир Григорьевич Третчиков, 26August 2006) was an artist whose painting ''Chinese Girl'', popularly known as ''The Green Lady'', is one of the best-selling art prints of the twen ...

, painter (1913–2006)

Photographers

Kevin Carter Kevin Carter (13 September 1960 – 27 July 1994) was a South African photojournalism, photojournalist and member of the Bang-Bang Club. He was the recipient in 1994 of a Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography, Pulitzer Prize for the vulture a ...

(1961–1994) * Ernest Cole (1940–1990) * Caroline Gibello (born 1974) *

David Goldblatt David Goldblatt HonFRPS (29 November 1930 – 25 June 2018) was a South African documentary Photographer noted for his dedicated portrayal of the South African peoples within the political landscape of the apartheid era.Weinberg, Paul.David ...

, photographer (1930–2018) *

Bob Gosani Bob Gosani (1934–1972) was a South African photographer. Career Gosani started off at ''Drum (South African magazine), Drum'' magazine as a messenger but soon moved to the photographic department where he became Jürgen Schadeberg's darkroom as ...

(1934–1972) * Alf Kumalo (1930–2012) *

(1932–2024) * Jürgen Schadeberg (1931–2020) * Austin Stevens (born 1951)

Sculptors

* Anton van Wouw (1862–1945)

Performance artists

* Tracey Rose (born 1974)

Architects

Herbert Baker Sir Herbert Baker (9 June 1862 – 4 February 1946) was an English architect remembered as the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, and a major designer of some of New Delhi's most notable government structures. He was ...

(1862–1946) * Gerard Moerdijk (1890–1958)

Business

* Raymond Ackerman, businessman (1931–2023) *

Barney Barnato Barney Barnato (born Barnet Isaacs; 21 February 1851 – 14 June 1897) was a British Randlord and diamond magnate who was one of the entrepreneurs who gained control of diamond mining, and later, gold mining in South Africa from the 1870s up ...

, mining magnate (1852–1897) *Sir

Bradley Fried Sir Bradley Fried (born 12 August 1965) is a South African-British businessman. He is the chairman of Goldman Sachs International. He co-founded Grovepoint Capital, prior to which he was chief executive of Investec Bank Plc, and previously ser ...

, co-founded Grovepoint Capital, ex-CEO of Investec Bank, ex-chairman of the Court of the

Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...

(born 1965) * Roelof Botha, venture capitalist and company director (born 1973) * David Brink, businessman (born 1939) * John Fairbairn, founder of Mutual Life (1794–1864) * Vanessa Gounden, South Africa's richest businesswoman (born 1961) *

Morris Kahn Morris Kahn (; born 5 March 1930) is an Israeli billionaire entrepreneur. He is the founder of Golden Pages Israel, Amdocs, the Aurec Group, Coral World and other companies. Through Coral World, he founded several marine parks around the world ...

, Israeli billionaire, founder and chairman of

Aurec Group Aurec Group (from Latin: Aurum - gold, or from Hebrew: עורק - artery), is an Israeli holding company that includes cable and telecom investments. It was established in 1968 by Morris Kahn. History Aurec Group was founded by Morris Kahn, who ...

(born 1930) *

Sol Kerzner Solomon 'Sol' Kerzner, (23 August 1935 – 21 March 2020) was a South African accountant and business magnate. He founded both of South Africa's largest hotel groups, the Southern Sun Hotel Group and Sun International. He was also the founder, ...

, hotel magnate (1935–2020) * Basetsana Kumalo, former Miss South Africa, presenter and businesswoman (born 1974) *

Gary Lubner Gary Lubner (born 1959) is a South African businessman and philanthropist. He served as CEO of Belron, the parent company of Autoglass, from 2000 to 2023. He is the founder of the charitable foundation This Day and has been a major donor to the ...

(born 1958 or 1959), businessman and philanthropist *

Richard Maponya Richard John Pelwana Maponya, GCOB, (24 December 1920 – 6 January 2020) was a South African entrepreneur and property developer best known for building a business empire despite the restrictions of apartheid and his determination to see the ...

, richest business man, former owner of

Maponya Mall Maponya Mall is a shopping centre in Soweto, Pimville, South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bo ...

; founder and first president of the

National African Federated Chamber of Commerce The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce is a South African member body formed in 1964, which focused on the upliftment of black business people during Apartheid. It claims a membership of several hundred thousand and controls substantial ...

(NAFCOC) (1920–2020) *

Sammy Marks Samuel Marks (July 11, 1844 – February 18, 1920) was a Russian-born South African industrialist and financier. Life history Born the son of a Jewish tailor in 1844 in Neustadt-Sugind, Russian Empire (now Lithuania), Marks was endowed w ...

, businessman (1844–1920) *

Nthato Motlana Dr. Nthato Harrison Motlana Order for Meritorious Service, OMSG (16 February 1925 – 1 December 2008) was a prominent South African businessman, physician and anti-apartheid activist. Early life He was born in Marapyane close to Pretoria. He ...

, prominent South African businessman, physician and anti-apartheid activist (1925–2008) * Bridgette Motsepe, businesswoman (born 1960) *

Patrice Motsepe Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe (born 28 January 1962) is a South African billionaire businessman and football administrator. Patrice Motsepe was born to Kgosi Augustine Motsepe, a chief of the Mmakau branch of the Tswana people. Since March 2021, ...

, businessman (born 1962) *

Elon Musk Elon Reeve Musk ( ; born June 28, 1971) is a businessman. He is known for his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has been considered the wealthiest person in th ...

, Internet and space launch entrepreneur (born 1971) * Nicky Newton-King, first female CEO of JSE from 2012 to 2019 (born 1966) * Ratanang Nke, company CEO, director; Public Prosecutor (born 1975) *

Harry Oppenheimer Harry Frederick Oppenheimer OMSG (28 October 1908 – 19 August 2000) was a prominent South African businessman, industrialist and philanthropist. Oppenheimer was often ranked as one of the wealthiest people in the world, and was considered S ...

, businessman (1908–2000) * William G. Pietersen, international businessman, CEO, author, professor (born 1937) * Charles Purdon, agricultural pioneer (1838–1926) *

Mamphela Ramphele Mamphela Aletta Ramphele (; born 28 December 1947) is a South African politician, anti-apartheid activist, medical doctor and businesswoman. She was a partner of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, with whom she had two children. She is a form ...

, political activist, academic, businesswoman and mother to the son of Steve Biko (born 1947) *

Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician serving as the 5th and current President of South Africa since 2018. A former Anti-Apartheid Movement, anti-apartheid activist and trade union leade ...

, politician and businessman (born 1952) *

George Rex George Rex (29 August 1765 – 3 April 1839) was a United Kingdom, British-born entrepreneur who spent most of his adult life in the Cape Colony. He founded the town of Knysna, Cape Colony and played a key role in its development. Rex filled a nu ...

, pioneer entrepreneur of the Southern Cape (1765–1839) *

Cecil Rhodes Cecil John Rhodes ( ; 5 July 185326 March 1902) was an English-South African mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896. He and his British South Africa Company founded th ...

, businessman (1853–1902) *

Anton Rupert Anthony Edward Rupert OMSG (4 October 1916 – 18 January 2006) was a South African businessman and conservationist. He was born on 4 October, 1916 and raised in the small town of Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape Province of the Union of Sou ...

, businessman and conservationist (1916–2006) *

Johann Rupert Johann Peter Rupert (born 1 June 1950) is a South African billionaire Businessperson, businessman, who is the eldest son of business tycoon Anton Rupert and his wife Huberte. He is the Chair (officer), chairman of the Swiss-based luxury goods c ...

, businessman, son of Anton Rupert (born 1950) *

David O. Sacks David Oliver Sacks (born May 25, 1972) is a South African-American entrepreneur, author, and investor in internet technology firms. He is a general partner of Craft Ventures, a venture capital fund he co-founded in late 2017. Additionally, he is ...

, web entrepreneur (born 1972) *

Elliot Salkow Elliot "Ellie" Salkow (1953–2021) was a South African entrepreneur and founder of Ellies Holdings. He was named among the top 10 wealthiest South Africans in 2013 by the ''Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper ...

, founder of Ellies Holdings, (1953–2021) *

Tokyo Sexwale Mosima Gabriel "Tokyo" Sexwale (; born 5 March 1953) is a South African businessman, politician, anti-apartheid activist, and former political prisoner. For many years, Sexwale was imprisoned on Robben Island for his anti-apartheid activities, ...

, politician and businessman (born 1953) *

Mark Shuttleworth Mark Richard Shuttleworth (born 18 September 1973) is a South African and British entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu Linux operating system. In 2002, Shuttleworth became the first African to travel to spa ...

, web entrepreneur, founder of Thawte and Ubuntu Linux,

space tourist Space tourism is human space travel for recreational purposes. There are several different types of space tourism, including orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism. Tourists are motivated by the possibility of viewing Earth from space, ...

(born 1973) * Mlungisi Sisulu, South African business man (1948–2015) * Shaka Sisulu, South African social and political activist, entrepreneur and media personality.

Legal, police and military

* Lourens Ackermann, constitutional court judge (born 1934) * Ismail Ayob, lawyer (born 1942) *

Vernon Berrangé Vernon Celliers Berrangé Order of the Companions of OR Tambo, SCOT ''"Defender of the People"'' (25 November 1900 – 14 September 1983) was an eminent South African human rights advocate, criminal defence and human rights lawyer (QC) Foreb ...

, human rights advocate (1900–1983) *

George Bizos George Bizos (; 14 November 19279 September 2020) was a Greek-South African human rights lawyer who campaigned against apartheid in South Africa. He was noted for representing Nelson Mandela during the Rivonia Trial. He instructed Mandela to ad ...

, lawyer (1927–2020) *

Louis Botha Louis Botha ( , ; 27 September 1862 – 27 August 1919) was a South African politician who was the first Prime Minister of South Africa, prime minister of the Union of South Africa, the forerunner of the modern South African state. A Boer war v ...

, Boer War General, captured Winston Churchill during the Second Boer War, also one of the signatories of the Treaty of Vereeniging (1862–1919) *

Annie Botha Annie Botha ( Emmett; 3 July 1864 – 20 May 1937) was a South African civic leader and political hostess. She was the wife of Louis Botha, who served as the first Prime Minister of South Africa.. Death date is given here as 21 May 1937. She ...

, philanthropist and civic leader, wife of Louis Botha *

Arthur Chaskalson Arthur Chaskalson SCOB, (24 November 1931 – 1 December 2012) was President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa from 1994 to 2001 and Chief Justice of South Africa from 2001 to 2005. Chaskalson was a member of the defence team in the ...

, judge (1931–2012) *

Piet Cronjé Pieter Arnoldus "Piet" Cronjé (4 October 1836 – 4 February 1911) was a South African Boer general during the Anglo-Boer Wars of 1880–1881 and 1899–1902. Biography Born in the Cape Colony but raised in the South African Republic, Cronj ...

, Boer general and commander-in-chief of ZAR's military forces (1840–1911) * Beric John Croome, chartered accountant (South Africa), Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, PhD, tax law author and pioneer in taxpayers' rights in South Africa (1960–2019) * Garnet de la Hunt, the Chief Scout of the Boy Scouts of South Africa, Vice-Chairman of the Africa Scout Committee, and South African

World Scout Committee The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest and, after the Order of World Scouts (formed in 1911), is the second-oldest international organization in the Scout Movement, having been established in 1922. It has 176 members. ...

(1933–2014) *

Koos de la Rey Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey (pronounced phonetically as "Ya-qui-bis Hehr-key-lahs de la Ray") (22 October 1847 – 15 September 1914), better known as Koos de la Rey, was a South African military officer who served as a Boer general during the ...

, Boer general (1847–1914) *

Pierre de Vos Pierre Francois de Vos (born 29 June 1963) is a South African constitutional law academic. He holds the Claude Leon Foundation Chair in Constitutional Governance at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Before taking up that position in July 2009, ...

, constitutional law scholar (born 1963) * Christiaan Rudolph de Wet, Boer general and acting President of the Orange Free State (1854–1922) *

Johannes Christiaan de Wet Johannes Christiaan de Wet (1912–1990) was South Africa's most influential jurist and teacher of law. Biography Born as a farmer's son in the Orange Free State, he studied law at Stellenbosch, attaining doctorates there and in Leiden. After ...

, legal academic (1912–1990) *

Bram Fischer Abraham Louis Fischer (23 April 19088 May 1975) was a South African Communist lawyer of Afrikaner descent with partial Anglo-African ancestry from his paternal grandmother, notable for anti-apartheid activism and for the legal defence of anti- ...

, advocate QC and political activist (1908–1975) *

Johannes Geldenhuys General Johannes Jacobus (Jannie) Geldenhuys (5 February 193510 September 2018) was a South African military commander who served as Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1985 to 1990. Early life Geldenhuys was born in Kroonstad on ...

, South African military commander (1935–2018) * Ian Gleeson, South African Army officer (1934–2021) *

Richard Goldstone Richard Joseph Goldstone (born 26 October 1938) is a South African retired judge who served in the Constitutional Court of South Africa from July 1994 to October 2003. He joined the bench as a judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa, first i ...

, ex-constitutional court judge (born 1938) * Harold Hanson, advocate QC (1904–1973) * John Hlophe,legal expect (1959) *

Sydney Kentridge Sir Sydney Woolf Kentridge SCOB (born 5 November 1922) is a South African-born lawyer, judge and member of the Bar of England and Wales. He practised law in South Africa and the United Kingdom from the 1940s until his retirement in 2013. In S ...

, former advocate of the Supreme Court and Acting Justice of the Constitutional Court (born 1922) * Mervyn E. King, former judge of the

Supreme Court of South Africa The Supreme Court of South Africa was a superior court of law in South Africa from 1910 to 1997. It was made up of various provincial and local divisions with jurisdiction over specific geographical areas, and an Appellate Division which was th ...

and chairman of the King Committee on Corporate Governance (born 1937) * Joel Joffe, Baron Joffe, CBE lawyer and Labour peer in the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

(1932–2017) *

Pius Langa Pius Nkonzo Langa SCOB (25 March 1939 – 24 July 2013) was Chief Justice of South Africa from June 2005 to October 2009. Formerly a human rights lawyer, he was appointed as a puisne judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa upon its in ...

, former chief justice of constitutional court (1939–2013) *

Magnus Malan General Magnus André de Merindol Malan (30 January 1930 – 18 July 2011) was a South African military figure and politician during the last years of apartheid in South Africa. He served respectively as Minister of Defence in the cabinet of ...

, minister of defence and chief of the South African Defence Force (1930–2011) * Cecil Margo, judge (1915–2000) * Richard Mdluli, head of Police Crime Intelligence (born 1958) * Dunstan Mlambo, Judge President of the

Gauteng Division The Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa is a superior court, superior court of law which has general jurisdiction over the South African province of Gauteng and the eastern part of North West (South African province), North West pro ...

of the

High Court of South Africa The High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law in South Africa. It is divided into nine provinces of South Africa, provincial divisions, some of which sit in more than one location. Each High Court division has general jurisdiction ov ...

(born 1960) *

Mogoeng Mogoeng Mogoeng Thomas Reetsang Mogoeng (born 14 January 1961) is a South African jurist who served as the Chief Justice of South Africa from 8 September 2011 until his retirement on 11 October 2021. Early life Mogoeng was born on 14 January 1961 in G ...

Chief Justice of South Africa The chief justice of South Africa is the most senior judge of the Constitutional Court and head of the judiciary of South Africa, who exercises final authority over the functioning and management of all the courts. The position of chief justic ...

(born 1961) *

Yvonne Mokgoro Jennifer Yvonne Mokgoro GOB (19 October 1950 – 9 May 2024) was a South African jurist who served on the Constitutional Court of South Africa from October 1994 to October 2009. She also chaired the South African Law Reform Commission between 1 ...

, former justice of the

Constitutional Court A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. Its main authority is to rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e. whether they conflict with constitutionally established ru ...

of South Africa (1950–2024) * Phetogo Molawa, first black female helicopter pilot in the

South African Air Force The South African Air Force (SAAF) is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force, with its headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force saw service in World War II a ...

and the

South African National Defence Force The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The Chief of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of ...

* Sandile Ngcobo, former Chief Justice of South Africa (born 1953) * Bulelani Ngcuka, director of public prosecutions (born 1954) *

Marmaduke Pattle Marmaduke Thomas St John Pattle, (3 July 1914 – 20 April 1941), usually known as Pat Pattle, was a South African-born English Second World War fighter pilot and flying ace (an aviator credited with the destruction of five or more enemy ...

, highest scoring Allied Air Ace of World War Two (1914–1941) * Riah Phiyega, national police commissioner * Vejaynand Ramlakan, South African military commander (1957–2020) * Barry Roux, defence advocate who has represented

Oscar Pistorius Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius ( , ; born 22 November 1986) is a South African double amputee, former professional sprinter, and convicted murderer. He was the 10th athlete to compete at both the Paralympic Games and Olympic Games. Pistorius r ...

, Dave King and Lothar Neethling (born 1955) *

Albie Sachs Albert "Albie" Louis Sachs (born 30 January 1935) is a South African lawyer, activist, writer, and former judge appointed to the first Constitutional Court of South Africa by Nelson Mandela. Early life and education Albie Sachs was born in ...

, justice in constitutional court (born 1935) * Harry Heinz Schwarz, lawyer (1924–2010) *

Jackie Selebi Jacob "Jackie" Sello Selebi (7 March 195023 January 2015) was the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service from January 2000 to January 2008, when he was put on extended leave and charged with corruption. He was also a former pre ...

, national commissioner of police (1950–2015) *

Thembile Skweyiya Thembile Lewis Skweyiya (17 June 1939 – 1 September 2015) was a South African lawyer and judge who served on the Constitutional Court of South Africa between February 2004 and May 2014. He rose to prominence as a civil rights lawyer during ap ...

, South African Constitutional Court judge (1939–2015) *

Percy Sonn Percival 'Percy' Henry Frederick Sonn (25 September 1949 - 27 May 2007) was a South African lawyer and cricket administrator. Sonn became the sixth president of the International Cricket Council, the most senior role at cricket's world governi ...

, former head of the Directorate of Special Operations (1947–2007) * Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold, Chief Justice of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1899–1977) *

Percy Yutar Percy Yutar (29 July 1911 – 13 July 2002) was a South African lawyer who became the country's first Jewish attorney-general. He was the state prosecutor in the Rivonia trial in which anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela and seven others were ...

, South Africa's first Jewish attorney-general and prosecutor of Nelson Mandela in the 1963 Rivonia Treason Trial (1911–2002)

Political

Activists and trade unionists

* Elizabeth 'Nanna' Abrahams, political activist and trade unionist (1925–2008) *

Zackie Achmat Abdurrazack "Zackie" Achmat (born 21 March 1962) is a South African activist and film director. He is a co-founder the Treatment Action Campaign and known worldwide for his activism on behalf of people living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa. ...

, AIDS activist (born 1962) *

Neil Aggett Neil Aggett (6 October 1953 – 5 February 1982) was a Kenyan and South African doctor and trade union organiser who was killed, while in detention, by the Security Branch of the Apartheid South African Police Service after being held for 70 day ...

, political activist and trade unionist (1953–1982) *

Neville Alexander Neville Edward Alexander OLS (22 October 1936 – 27 August 2012) was a proponent of a multilingual South Africa and a former revolutionary who spent ten years on Robben Island as a fellow prisoner of Nelson Mandela. Early life Alexander was ...

, revolutionary and proponent of a multilingual South Africa (1936–2012) * Abdul Kader Asmal, South African politician (1934–2011) *

Abu Baker Asvat Abu Baker Asvat () (23 February 1943 – 27 January 1989), also known as Abu Asvat or Abu nicknamed ''Hurley'' was a South African medical doctor who practised in Soweto in the 1970s and 1980s. A founding member of Azapo, Asvat was the head o ...

, founding member of

Azapo The Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO) is a South African liberation movement and political party. The organisation's two student wings are the Azanian Students' Movement (AZASM) for high school learners and the Azanian Students' Convention (A ...

(1943–1989) * Zainab Asvat, South African anti-apartheid activist (1920–2013) *

Frances Baard Frances Goitsemang Baard OMSS OLG (1 October 1909 – 1997) was a South African (ethnic Tswana) trade unionist, organiser for the African National Congress Women's League and a Patron of the United Democratic Front, who was commemorated in th ...

, trade unionist, organiser for the African National Congress Women's League and a Patron of the United Democratic Front (1909–1997) *

Esther Barsel Esther Barsel (born 17 October 1924, in Raguva, Lithuania; died 6 October 2008, in Johannesburg) was a South African political activist and long-standing member of the South African Communist Party (SACP). She was a member of both her local Afri ...

, South African political activist, long-standing member of the

South African Communist Party The South African Communist Party (SACP) is a communist party in South Africa. It was founded on 12 February 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), and tactically dissolved itself in 1950 in the face of being declared illegal by t ...

and wife to Hymie Barsel (1924–2008) * Hymie Barsel, South African activist (1920–1987) *

Jeremy Baskin Jeremy Baskin is a specialist in sustainable business practice. He is a director of the University of Cambridge's Programme for Industry, running a global programme on Business & Poverty and a range of other programmes in Australia. Baskin is al ...

, trade unionist (born 1956) * Jean Bernadt, anti-apartheid activist (1914–2011) *

Lionel Bernstein Lionel "Rusty" Bernstein (20 March 1920 – 23 June 2002) was a Jewish South African anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner. He played a key role in political organizations such as the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Afric ...

, anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner (1920–2002) * Edward Bhengu, founder member of the

PAC Pac or PAC may refer to: Aviation * IATA code PAC Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport in Panama City, Panama * Pacific Aerospace Corporation, New Zealand, manufacturer of aircraft: ** PAC 750XL ** PAC Cresco ** PAC CT/4 ** PA ...

(1934–2010) *

Sibusiso Bengu Sibusiso Mandlenkosi Emmanuel Bengu (8 May 1934 – 30 December 2024) was a South African academic and politician. He was the first post-apartheid Minister of Education between May 1994 and June 1999. Before that, he was the vice-chancellor of t ...

, politician (born 1934) *

Steve Biko Bantu Stephen Biko Order for Meritorious Service, OMSG (18 December 1946 – 12 September 1977) was a South African internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist. Ideologically an African nationalism, African nationalist and ...

nonviolent Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...

political activist (1946–1977) *

Sonia Bunting Sonia Bunting, OLS (9 December 1922 – 24 March 2001) was a South African journalist, and a political and anti-apartheid activist. After being charged with treason and imprisoned, being detained a second time, and barred from publishing, she ...

, journalist, political and anti-apartheid activist (1922–2001) *

Amina Cachalia Amina Cachalia OLB (née Asvat; 28 June 1930 – 31 January 2013) was a South African anti-Apartheid activist, women's rights activist, and politician. She was a longtime friend and ally of former President Nelson Mandela. Early life Cachal ...

, South African anti-Apartheid activist, women's rights activist, politician, and second wife of Yusuf Cachalia (1930–2013) * Ismail Ahmed Cachalia, South African political activist and a leader of

Transvaal Indian Congress The Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) was a political organisation established in 1903 to fight discrimination against Indians in the Transvaal Colony, and later the Transvaal Province, of South Africa. Founded in 1903 as the Transvaal British I ...

and the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

(1908–2003) *

Yusuf Cachalia Yusuf Mohamed Cachalia (15 January 1915 – 9 April 1995) was a South African anti-apartheid activist. He was the secretary of the South African Indian Congress, in which capacity he played a central role in organising the 1952 Defiance Campa ...

, South African anti-apartheid activist (1915–1995) *

Fort Calata Fort Calata (5 November 1956 – 27 June 1985) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and one of The Cradock Four murdered by the South African police in 1985. Early life Fort Calata was born on 5 November 1956. He is the grandson of Ja ...

, political activist and one of

The Cradock Four upright=1.35, Funeral of the Cradock Four. Photo taken by Gille de Vlieg The Cradock Four were a group of four anti-Apartheid activists who were abducted and murdered by South African security police in June 1985, named as such as all four were ...

(1956–1985) *

James Calata James Arthur Calata OLG (1895 – 1983) was a South African priest and politician. He was the Secretary-General of the African National Congress from 1936 to 1949. He was appointed a canon of the Grahamstown Cathedral making him the first Bl ...

, political activist and ANC secretary (1895–1983) * Collins Chabane, South African Minister of Public Service and Administration (1960–2015) * Laloo Chiba, South African politician and revolutionary (1930–2017) *

Yusuf Dadoo Yusuf Mohamed Dadoo OMSG (5 September 1909 – 19 September 1983) was a South African Communist and an anti-apartheid activist. During his life, he was chair of both the South African Indian Congress and the South African Communist ...

, South African Communist and an anti-apartheid activist (1909–1983) *

Eddie Daniels Eddie Daniels (born October 19, 1941) is an American musician and composer. Although he is best known as a jazz clarinetist, he has also played saxophone and flute as well as classical music on clarinet. Early life, family and education Daniel ...

, anti-apartheid activist (1928–2017) *

Nosipho Dastile Nosipho Dastile (1938–2009) was a community and anti-Apartheid activist in the small town of Uitenhage, just outside Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. She was elected councillor under the banner of what was then the new democr ...

, community and anti-Apartheid activist (1938–2009) *

Sophia De Bruyn Sophia Theresa Williams-de Bruyn (; born 1938) OMSS is a former South African anti-apartheid activist. She was the first recipient of the Women's Award for exceptional national service. She is the last living leader of the Women's March. Earl ...

, political activist (born 1938) *

Amina Desai Amina Desai (c. 1920 – 10 June 2009) was South Africa's longest serving female Indian political prisoner. In 1996, aged 76, she was a witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In 2013 she was posthumously awarded South Africa's na ...

, political prisoner (1920–2009) *

Lilian Diedericks Lilian Diedericks OLS (17 December 1925 in Port Elizabeth, Red Location – 21 December 2021 in Port Elizabeth) was a South African activist known as a founding member of the Federation of South African Women. She was an active shop steward an ...

, South African activist (1925–2021) *

Bettie du Toit Bettie du Toit OLS (also Elizabeth Sophia Honman, born July 15, 1910, in Transvaal Province, Union of South Africa, died January 31, 2002, in Johannesburg, South Africa) was a trade unionist and anti-apartheid activist in South Africa. Biogr ...

, trade unionist, anti-apartheid activist and first wife of Yusuf Cachalia (1910–2002) * Ebrahim Ebrahim, South African anti-apartheid activist (1937–2021) *

Colin Eglin Colin Wells Eglin (14 April 1925 – 29 November 2013) was a South African politician best known for having served as national leader of the opposition from 1977–79 and 1986–87. He represented Sea Point in the South African Parliament from 1 ...

, South African politician (1925–2013) *

Farid Esack Farid Esack (born 1955 in Wynberg, Cape Town) is a South African Muslim scholar, writer, and political activist known for his opposition to apartheid, his appointment by Nelson Mandela as a gender equity commissioner, and his work for inter-rel ...

, political activist and opposition to apartheid (born 1959) * Lucinda Evans, women's right activist (born 1972) * Tshenuwani Farisani, South African politician, theologian, and Lutheran minister (1947–2025) *

Ruth First Heloise Ruth First OLG (4 May 1925 – 17 August 1982) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and scholar. She was assassinated in Mozambique, where she was working in exile, by a parcel bomb built by South African police. Family and ...

, South African anti-apartheid activist, scholar and wife to Joe Slovo (1925–1982) * Pregs Govender, human rights activist, former ANC MP, anti-apartheid campaigner (born 1960) * Irene Grootboom, housing rights activist (c. 1969–2008) * Denis Goldberg, political activist (1933–2020) *

Arthur Goldreich Arthur Goldreich (25 December 1929 – 24 May 2011) was a South African-Israeli abstract painter and a key figure in the anti-apartheid movement in the country of his birth and a critic of Israel. Early life Goldreich was born in Pietersburg, So ...

, abstract painter and anti-apartheid (1929–2011) *

John Gomomo Phumzile John Gomomo (25 October 1945 – 22 January 2008) was a South African unionist and activist. Background and career Phumzile John Gomomo was born on a farm in Adelaide on 25 October 1945, one of seven children born to the late Ndabeni (M ...

, South African Unionist and activist (1945–2008) *

Matthew Goniwe Matthew Goniwe OLS (27 December 1947 – 27 June 1985) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and one of The Cradock Four murdered by the South African Police in 1985. Early years Goniwe was the youngest of eight children. His parents, ...

, political activist and one of the Cradock four (1946–1985) *

Zainunnisa Gool Zainunnisa "Cissie" Gool (6 November 1897 – 1 July 1963) was an anti-apartheid political and civil rights leader in South Africa. She was the daughter of prominent physician and politician Abdullah Abdurahman and mother Helen Potter James. G ...

, anti-apartheid political and civil rights leader (1897–1963) * Joe Nzingo Gqabi, political activist (1929–1981) * Archibald Gumede, anti-apartheid activist, lawyer and politician (1914–1998) *

Josiah Tshangana Gumede Josiah Tshangana Gumede (also J.T. Gumede) (9 October 1867 – 6 November 1946) was a South African politician and father of Archie Gumede. He was born in Healdtown village, Fort Beaufort in the present-day Eastern Cape. In all probability, h ...

, political activist (1867–1946) *

Harry Gwala Themba Harry Gwala (30 July 1920 – 20 June 1995) was an anti-apartheid activist and a leader of the African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP) in South Africa. Biography Early career and activism Harry Gwala ...

, revolutionary leader in the

and

(1920–1995) * Nkululeko Gwala, prominent member of the shackdwellers' social movement

Abahlali baseMjondolo Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM, , in English: "the residents of the shacks") is a socialist shack dwellers' movement in South Africa which primarily campaigns for land, housing and dignity, to democratise society from below and against xenophobia. ...

(died 2013) *Alcott Skei Gwentshe, shopkeeper and political activist (died 1966) *Bertha Gxowa, anti-apartheid, women's rights activist and trade unionist (1934–2010) *Chris Hani, political activist (1942–1993) * Harold Hanson, politician and advocate (1904–1973) *Frederick John Harris, South African schoolteacher and Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid (1937–1965) *Abdullah Haron, South African Muslim cleric and anti-apartheid activist (1924–1969) *Ruth Hayman, anti-apartheid campaigner (1913–1981) *Alexander Hepple, trade unionist, politician, anti-apartheid activist and author and the last leader of the original South African Labour Party (1904–1983) *Bob Hepple, political activist, leader in the fields of labour law, equality and human rights (1934–2015) *Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa, South African chemical engineer and politician (1981–2019) *Bantu Holomisa, political activist (born 1955) *Timothy Peter Jenkin, anti-apartheid activist, political prisoner and writer (born 1948) *Helen Joseph, anti-apartheid activist (1905–1992) * Mthuli ka Shezi, South African playwright, political activist (1947–1972) *James Kantor, politician, lawyer and writer (1927–1974) *Ahmed Kathrada, political activist (1929–2017) *Philip Kgosana, political activist (1936–2017) *Winnie Kgware, anti-Apartheid activist (1917–1998) *Alice Kinloch (born 1863), human rights activist and writer *Wolfie Kodesh, South African Communist party activist (1918–2002) *Moses Kotane, anti-apartheid activist (1907–1978) *Ashley Kriel, South African activist (1966–1987) * Duma Kumalo, South African human rights activist and one of the Sharpeville Six (died 2006) * Dumisani Kumalo, South African politician (1947–2019) *Ellen Kuzwayo, political activist (1914–2006) *Lennox Lagu, political activist (1938–2011) *Stephen Lee (South African activist), Stephen Bernard Lee, anti-apartheid and political prisoner (born 1951) *Anton Lembede, political activist (1914–1947) *Moses Mabhida, anti-apartheid activist (1923–1986) *Phakamile Mabija, anti-apartheid activist (died 1977) *Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, political activist and former 2nd wife to Nelson Mandela (1936–2018) *Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi, South African politician (1962–2021) *Zacharias Richard Mahabane, political activist (1881–1971) *Mac Maharaj, political activist (born 1935) *Solomon Mahlangu, Umkhonto we Sizwe operative (1956–1979) *Vusumzi Make, political activist (1931–2006) *Sefako Makgatho, political activist (1861–1951) *Mbuyisa Makhubo, anti-Apartheid activist (born 1957/1958) *Clarence Makwetu, political activist (1928–2016) *Adolph Malan, fighter pilot and civil rights activist (1910–1963) *Zollie Malindi, political activist (1924–2008) *Nelson Mandela, political activist and first President of South Africa (1918–2013) *Mosibudi Mangena, South Africa politician (born 1947) *Isaac Lesiba Maphotho, political activist (1931–2019) *J. B. Marks, politician activist (1903–1972) *Jafta Masemola, political activist (1929–1990) *Emma Mashinini, trade unionist and political leader (1929–2017) *Tsietsi Mashinini, South African anti-Apartheid activist and student leader of the

on 16 June 1976 (1957–1990) *Andrew Masondo, South African mathematician, political prisoner, a former general in the

(SANDF) (1936–2008) *Joseph Mathunjwa, Trade union leader and the head of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) (born 1965) *Florence Matomela, South African anti-pass laws, pass law activist (1910–1969) *Joe Matthews (politician), Joe Matthews, political activist and son of ZK Matthews (1929–2010) *Z. K. Matthews, political activist (1901–1968) *Seth Mazibuko, youngest member of the South African Students' Organisation that planned and led the Soweto uprising *Epainette Mbeki, political activist, mother of Thabo Mbeki and wife to Govan Mbeki (1916–2014) *Govan Mbeki, political activist and father of Thabo Mbeki (1910–2001) *Robert McBride (police officer), Robert McBride, anti-apartheid assassin and later police chief (born 1963) *A. P. Mda, co-founder of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) and Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (1916–1993) *Fatima Meer, scientist and political activist (1928–2010) *Raymond Mhlaba, political activist and the former Premier of the Eastern Cape (1920–2005) *Sicelo Mhlauli, political activist and one of the Cradock four (1952–1985) *Jean Middleton, anti-apartheid activist and wife to Harold Strachan (1928–2010) *Clarence Mini, anti-apartheid activist (1951–2020) *Vuyisile Mini, unionist and Umkhonto we Sizwe activist (1920–1964) *Nomhlangano Beauty Mkhize, political activist, shop steward and wife to Saul Mkhize (1946–1977) *Sparrow Mkhonto, political activist and one of the Cradock four (1951–1985) *Wilton Mkwayi, political activist (1923–2004) *Johnson Mlambo, political activist (1940–2021) *Andrew Mlangeni, political activist (1925–2020) *Thamsanga Mnyele, anti-apartheid (1948–1985) *Billy Modise, political activist (1930–2018) *Joe Modise, political activist (1929–2001) *Thabo Edwin Mofutsanyana, political activist (1899–1995) *Mapetla Mohapi, political activist (1947–1976) *Yunus Mohamed, (sometimes Mahomed) South African lawyer and activist (1950–2008) *Peter Mokaba, political activist (1959–2002) *Priscilla Mokaba, political activist and mother of Peter Mokaba (died 2013) *Ruth Mompati, political activist (1925–2015) *Moosa Moolla, political activist (1934–2023) *Strini Moodley, founding member of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa (1946–2006) *Rahima Moosa, anti-apartheid activist (1922–1993) *James Moroka, political activist (1891–1985) *Zephania Mothopeng, political activist (1913–1990) *

, physician and anti-apartheid activist (1925–2008) *Caroline Motsoaledi, political activist and wife to Elias Motsoaledi (died c.2015) *Elias Motsoaledi, political activist (1924–1994) *James Mpanza, political activist (1889–1970) *Oscar Mpetha, political activist and unionist (1909–1994) *Eric Mtshali, South African politician, trade unionist, and anti-apartheid activist (1933–2018) *Griffiths Mxenge, anti-apartheid activist (1935–1981) *Victoria Mxenge, anti-apartheid activist (1942–1985) *George Naicker, anti-apartheid activist (1919–1998) *Monty Naicker, South African anti-apartheid activist and medical doctor (1910–1978) *Ama Naidoo, anti-apartheid activist (1908–1993) *Naransamy Roy Naidoo, political (1901–1953) *Billy Nair, political activist (1929–2008) *Rita Ndzanga, anti-apartheid activist and trade unionist (1933–2022) *Mary Ngalo, South African anti-apartheid activist and was also active in fighting for women's rights (died 1973) *Lilian Ngoyi, anti-apartheid activist (1911–1980) *Looksmart Ngudle, political activist (1922–1963) *Joe Nhlanhla,

national executive and the former South African Minister of State Security (South Africa), Minister of Justice (Intelligence Affairs) (1936–2008) *John Nkadimeng, politician and anti-apartheid activist (1927–2020) *Vernon Nkadimeng, political activist (1958–1985) *Nkwenkwe Nkomo, South African Students' Organisation, SASO nine member *William Frederick Nkomo, medical doctor, community leader, political activist and teacher (1915–1972) *Duma Nokwe, political activist (1927–1978) *Jabulile Nyawose, trade unionist and anti-apartheid activist (1948–1982) *Alfred Nzo, political activist (1925–2000) *Albert Nzula, political activist (1905–1934) *Abdullah Mohamed Omar, anti-Apartheid activist and lawyer (1934–2004) *Roy Padayachie, politician and Minister of Public Service and Administration of the Republic of South Africa (1950–2012) *Aziz Pahad, political activist (born 1940) *Essop Pahad, political activist (1939–2023) *Sabelo Phama, revolutionary (1949–1994) *Motsoko Pheko, politician, lawyer, author, historian, theologian and academic (1930–2024) *Joyce Piliso-Seroke, South-African educator, activist, feminist and community organizer (born 1933) *

, political activist (1876–1932) *John Nyathi Pokela, political activist (1922/1923–1985) *Maggie Resha, political activist and wife of Robert Resha (1923–2003) *Robert Resha, political activist (1920–1978) *Fabian Ribeiro, South African doctor and anti-apartheid activist (1933–1986) *Florence Ribeiro, anti-apartheid activist and wife of Fabian Ribeiro (1933–1986) *Walter Rubusana, first deputy president of the ANC (1856–1936) *

, political activist (born 1935) *Harry Schwarz, South African lawyer, statesman and long-time political opposition leader against apartheid in South Africa (1924–2010) *Jackie Sedibe, South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Major General and politician activist and wife to Joe Modise (born 1945) *Molefi Sefularo, Deputy Minister of Health (1957–2010) *James Seipei, teenage United Democratic Front (South Africa), United Democratic Front (UDF) activist (1974–1989) *Nimrod Sejake, labour leader in South Africa, leading member of the Congress of South African Trade Unions and secretary of the Iron Steel Workers (1920–2004) *Dulcie September, South African anti-apartheid political activist (1935–1988) *Reggie September, activist (1923–2013) *Nomvuzo Shabalala, politician (1960–2020) *Gertrude Shope, South African trade unionist, politician and wife of Mark Shpoe (1925–2025) *Mark Shope, South African trade unionist and anti-apartheid activist (1919–1998) *Gert Sibande, political activist (1907–1987) *Archie Sibeko, political activist and trade unionist (1928–2018) *David Sibeko, South Africa politician and journalist (1938–1979) *Letitia Sibeko, political activist and wife to Archie Sibeko (1930–??) *Joyce Nomafa Sikakane, South African journalist and activist (born 1943) *Annie Silinga, South African anti-pass laws and anti-apartheid political activist (1910–1984) *Jack Simons (academic), Jack Simons, political activist (1907–1995) *Rachel Simons, communist and trade unionist and wife to Jack Simons (1914–2004) *Albertina Sisulu, political activist and wife of Walter Sisulu (1918–2011) *Walter Sisulu, political activist (1912–2003) *David Sipunzi, South African trade unionis (1960–2020) *Zola Skweyiya, political activist (1942–2018) *Joe Slovo, South African politician, and an opponent of the apartheid system (1926–1995) *Robert Sobukwe, political activist and founder of

(1924–1978) *Veronica Sobukwe, political activist and wife to Robert Sobukwe (1927–2018) *Makhenkesi Stofile, political activist (1944–2016) *Harold Strachan, anti-apartheid activist (1925–2020) *Helen Suzman, South African anti-apartheid activist and politician (1917–2009) *Isaac Bangani Tabata, political activist (1909–1990) *Dora Tamana, South African anti-apartheid activist (1901–1983) *Adelaide Tambo, political activist and wife to Oliver Tambo (1929–2007) *Oliver Tambo, political activist (1917–1993) *Selope Thema, South African political activist and leader (1886–1955) *Mary Thipe, anti-apartheid and human rights activist (1917–2002) *Mohammed Tikly, South African educator and struggle veteran (1939–2020) *Ahmed Timol, anti-apartheid activist, political leader and activist in the underground

(SACP) (1941–1971) *Abram Onkgopotse Tiro, South African student political activist (1945–1974) *Steve Tshwete, political activist (1938–2002) *Ben Turok, anti-apartheid activist and Economics Professor (1927–2019) *Moses Twebe, South African politician (1916–2013) *Zwelinzima Vavi, former general secretary of COSATU, and Trade union leader SAFTU (born 1962) *Randolph Vigne, anti-apartheid activist (1928–2016) *Sheila Weinberg, anti-apartheid activist (1945–2004) *Myrtle Witbooi (1947–2023), South African labour activist *AnnMarie Wolpe, sociologist, feminist, anti-apartheid activist and wife to Harold Wolpe (1930–2018) *Harold Wolpe, lawyer, sociologist, political economist and anti-apartheid activist (1926–1996) *Khoisan X, political activist (1955–2010) *Alfred Xuma, political activist and ANC president (1893–1962) *Tony Yengeni, anti-Apartheid activist (born 1954)

Apartheid operatives

, apartheid scientist (born 1950) *Dirk Coetzee, apartheid covert operative (1945–2013) *Eugene de Kock, apartheid assassin (born 1949) *Clive Derby-Lewis, assassin and former parliamentarian (1936–2016) *Jimmy Kruger, apartheid Minister of Justice and the Police (1917–1987) * Lothar Neethling, apartheid forensic scientist (1935–2005) *Barend Strydom, convicted murderer and white supremacist activist (born 1965) *Eugène Terre'Blanche, white supremacist activist (1941–2010) *Adriaan Vlok, apartheid Minister of Law and Order (born 1937) *Craig Williamson, apartheid spy (born 1949)

Colonial and Union Governors

*George Grey, Cape governor (1812–1898) *Jan Willem Janssens, Cape Governor (1762–1838) * Benjamin d'Urban, Cape Governor (1834–1837) *Benjamin Pine, Natal governor (1809–1891) *Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet, Harry Smith, Cape governor 1847–52 (1787–1860) *Andries Stockenström, governor of British Kaffraria (1792–1864) *Simon van der Stel, first Cape governor (1639–1712) *Willem Adriaan van der Stel, second Cape governor (1664–1723) *Jan van Riebeeck, founder of Cape settlement (1619–1677) *Nicolaas Jacobus de Wet, Chief Justice of South Africa and acting Governor-General (1873–1960)

Leaders and politicians

*Ken Andrew, politician (born 1943) *Kader Asmal, an activist, politician and professor of human rights (1934–2011) *

, politician (born 1934) *

, nonviolent political activist (1946–1977) *Thozamile Botha, politician (born 1948) *Cheryl Carolus, politician (born 1958) *

, doctor and politician (1909–1983) *Patricia de Lille, politician (born 1951) *Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, politician (born 1949) *John Langalibalele Dube, founder and first president of ANC (1871–1946) *Abba Eban, Israeli diplomat and politician, and President of the Weizmann Institute of Science (1915–2002) *De Villiers Graaff, United Party opposition leader (1913–1999) *Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (Onze Jan), Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr, journalist and politician (1845–1909) *Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (1894-1948), Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr, academic and politician (1894–1948) *Danny Jordaan, politician and soccer administrator (born 1951) *Tony Leon, DA opposition leader (born 1956) *Albert Luthuli, President of the African National Congress, 1952–67 (1898–1967) *Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, politician and second wife of Nelson Mandela (1936–2018) *Trevor Manuel, minister of finance (born 1956) *Lindiwe Mazibuko, former Parliamentary Leader for the opposition Democratic Alliance (South Africa), Democratic Alliance (born 1980) *Govan Mbeki, political activist and father of Thabo Mbeki (1910–2001) *Roelf Meyer, politician and businessman (born 1947) *Raymond Mhlaba, political activist and the former Premier of the Eastern Cape (1920–2005) *Vuyisile Mini, unionist and Umkhonto we Sizwe activist (1920–1964) *Johnson Mlambo, political activist (1940–2021) *Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, deputy president (born 1955) *Pieter Mulder, leader of the Freedom Front Plus and former deputy minister of agriculture (born 1951) *Monty Naicker, Gagathura (Monty) Mohambry Naicker, medical doctor and politician (1910–1978) * Bulelani Ngcuka, politician (born 1954) *Dullah Omar, politician (1934–2004) *Andries Pretorius, Boer leader and commandant-general (1799–1853) *Deneys Reitz, boer commando, deputy Prime Minister and High Commissioner to London (1882–1944) *Pixley ka Isaka Seme, ANC founder member (1881–1951) *Mbhazima Shilowa, trade unionist and premier (born 1958) *Walter Sisulu, political activist (1912–2003) *

-Slovo, political activist and wife to Joe Slovo (1924–1982) *Joe Slovo, politician (1926–1995) *Harry Schwarz, lawyer, politician, ambassador to United States and anti-apartheid leader (1924–2010) *Robert Sobukwe, political activist and founder of

(1924–1978) *Helen Suzman, politician (1917–2009) *Oliver Tambo, political activist (1917–1993) *Catherine Taylor (South African politician), Catherine Taylor, politician (1914–1992) *Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, PFP opposition leader (1940–2010) *Helen Zille, former DA opposition leader, former premier of the Western Cape (born 1951) *Jacob Zuma, former president (born 1942)

Prime Ministers and presidents

Frederik de Klerk with Nelson Mandela - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 1992

*Jacobus Boshoff, 2nd President of the Orange Free State (1808–1881) *

, Boer commander-in-chief and 1st Prime Minister of South Africa (1862–1919) *Pieter Willem Botha, 9th and last Prime Minister and 8th State President of South Africa (1916–2006) *Jan Brand, Johannes Henricus Brand, 4th President of the Orange Free State (1823–1888) *Thomas François Burgers, 4th President of South African Republic (1871–1877) *Schalk Willem Burger, 6th and last President of South African Republic (1852–1918) *Frederik Willem de Klerk, 9th and last State President of South Africa (1990–1994) and joint Nobel Peace Prize winner (1936–2021) *Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs, 4th State President of South Africa (1903–1978) *Jacobus Johannes Fouché, 3rd State President of South Africa (1898–1980) *James Barry Munnik Hertzog, Boer general and 3rd Prime Minister of South Africa (1866–1942) *Josias Hoffman, 1st President of the Orange Free State (1807–1879) *Petrus Jacobus Joubert, Boer general and member of the Troika in the South African Republic (1834–1900) *Paul Kruger, member of the Troika, 5th President of South African Republic (1825–1904) *Daniel François Malan, 5th Prime Minister of South Africa and is responsible for laying the groundwork for Apartheid (1874–1959) *Nelson Mandela, 1st democratically elected President of South Africa and joint Nobel Peace Prize winner (1918–2013) *

, 2nd post-apartheid South Africa, post-apartheid President of South Africa (born 1942) *John X. Merriman, last prime minister of the Cape Colony (1841–1926) *Kgalema Motlanthe, 3rd post-apartheid President of South Africa (born 1949) *Tom Naudé, 2nd State President of South Africa (1889–1969) *Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, 3rd President of the Orange Free State, 1st and 3rd President of the ZAR (1819–1901) *Marthinus Prinsloo (President), Marthinus Prinsloo, 1st President of the Republic of Graaff-Reinet (1751–1825) *

, 5th post-apartheid President of South Africa (born 1952) *Francis William Reitz, 5th President of the Orange Free State (1844–1934) *Jan Smuts, Boer general, British field marshal, 2nd and 4th Prime Minister of South Africa (1870–1950) *Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, Johannes Strijdom, 6th Prime Minister of South Africa (1893–1958) *Hermanus Steyn, 1st and last President of the Republic of Swellendam (1743–1804) *Martinus Theunis Steyn, 6th and last President of the Orange Free State (1857–1916) *Charles Robberts Swart, last Governor-General of the Union of South Africa and 1st State President of the RSA (1894–1982) *Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd, 7th Prime Minister of South Africa and primary architect of Apartheid (1901–1966) *Marais Viljoen, 5th and 7th State President of South Africa (1915–2007) *B.J. Vorster, Balthazar Johannes Vorster, 8th Prime Minister and 6th State President of South Africa (1915–1983) *Jacob Zuma, 4th post-apartheid President of South Africa (born 1942)

Provincial Premiers

*Nosimo Balindlela, 3rd Premier of the Eastern Cape (born 1949) *Lynne Brown, (interim) 6th Premier of the Western Cape (born 1961) *Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, 2nd Premier of the Free State (1937–2009) *Grizelda Cjiekella, (acting) Premier of the Northern Cape (1970–2012) *Manne Dipico, 1st Premier of the Northern Cape (born 1959) *Winkie Direko, 3rd Premier of the Free State (1929–2012) *Hazel Jenkins, 3rd Premier of the Northern Cape (born 1960) *Noxolo Kiviet, 5th Premier of the Eastern Cape (born 1963) *Hernus Kriel, 1st Premier of the Western Cape (1941–2015) *Mosiuoa Lekota, 1st Premier of the Free State (born 1948) *Sylvia Lucas, 4th Premier of the Northern Cape (born 1964) *David Mabuza, 4th Premier of Mpumalanga (born 1960) *Ace Magashule, 5th Premier of the Free State (born 1959) *Supra Mahumapelo, 5th Premier of North West (born 1968) *David Makhura, 6th Premier of Gauteng (born 1968) *Thabang Makwetla, 3rd Premier of Mpumalanga (born 1957) *Peter Marais, 3rd Premier of the Western Cape (born 1948) *Beatrice Marshoff, 4th Premier of the Free State (born 1957) *Paul Mashatile, 4th Premier of Gauteng (born 1961) *Stanley Mathabatha, 4th Premier of Limpopo (born 1957) *Cassel Mathale, 3rd Premier of Limpopo (born 1961) *Senzo Mchunu, 6th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (born 1958) *Willies Mchunu, 7th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (born 1948) *Frank Mdlalose, 1st Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (1931–2021) *Raymond Mhlaba, 1st Premier of the Eastern Cape (1920–2005) *Zweli Mkhize, 5th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (born 1956) *Thandi Modise, 4th Premier of North West (born 1959) *Maureen Modiselle, 3rd Premier of North West (born 1941) *Job Mokgoro, 6th Premier of North West (born 1948) *Nomvula Mokonyane, 5th Premier of Gauteng (born 1963) *Popo Molefe, 1st Premier of North West (born 1952) *Edna Molewa, 2nd Premier of North West (1957–2018) *Sello Moloto, 2nd Premier of Limpopo (born 1964) *Gerald Morkel, 2nd Premier of the Western Cape (1941–2018) *Mathole Motshekga, 2nd Premier of Gauteng (born 1949) *Lionel Mtshali, 3rd Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (1935–2015) *Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, 5th Premier of Mpumalanga (born 1972/73) *S'bu Ndebele, 4th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (born 1948) *Ben Ngubane, 2nd Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (1941–2021) *Sisi Ntombela, 6th Premier of the Free State (born 1956/1957) *Dipuo Peters, 2nd Premier of the Northern Cape (born 1960) *Mathews Phosa, 1st Premier of Mpumalanga (born 1952) *Ngoako Ramathlodi, 1st Premier of Limpopo (born 1955) *Leonard Ramatlakane, (acting) Premier of the Western Cape (born 1953) *Ebrahim Rasool, 5th Premier of the Western Cape (born 1962) *Zamani Saul, 5th Premier of the Northern Cape (born 1972) *

, 1st Premier of Gauteng (born 1953) *Mbhazima Shilowa, 3rd Premier of Gauteng (born 1958) *Mbulelo Sogoni, 4th Premier of the Eastern Cape (born 1966) *Makhenkesi Stofile, 2nd Premier of the Eastern Cape (1944–2016) *Marthinus van Schalkwyk, 4th Premier of the Western Cape (born 1959) *Alan Winde, 8th Premier of the Western Cape (born 1965) *Sihle Zikalala, 8th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (born 1973) *Helen Zille, 7th Premier of the Western Cape (born 1951)

Homelands Leaders

*Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Chief Executive Councillor and Chief Minister of KwaZulu (1928–2023) *Prince Johannes Mkolishi Dlamini, chief executive officer of KaNgwane (1928–1988) *Oupa Gqozo, President of Ciskei (born 1952) *Gen. Bantu Holomisa, Prime Minister of Transkei (born 1955) *Chief Thandathu Jongilizwe Mabandla, chief executive officer; Chief Executive Councillor and Chief Minister of Ciskei (1926–2021) *Dr. Enos John Mabuza, Chief Minister of KaNgwane (1939–1997) *Prince James Mahlangu, Chief Minister of KwaNdebele (1953–2005) *Rocky Malebane-Metsing, President of Bophuthatswana (1949–2016) *Kgosi Lucas Mangope, chief executive officer; Chief Executive Councillor; Chief Minister and President of Bophuthatswana (1923–2018) *Chief George Matanzima, Prime Minister of Transkei (1918–2000) *King Kaiser Matanzima, Chief Minister; Prime Minister and President of Transkei (1915–2003) *Edward Mhinga, acting Chief Minister of Gazankulu (1927–2017) *Job Mokgoro, Administrator (Transitional Executive Council) of Bophuthatswana (born 1948) *Kenneth Mopeli, Chief Executive Councillor and Chief Minister of Qwaqwa (1930–2014) *Chief Patrick Mphephu, chief executive officer; Chief Executive Councillor; Chief Minister and the President of Venda (1924–1988) *King Tutor Vulindlela Ndamase, President of Transkei (1921–1997) *Hudson William Edison Ntsanwisi, Chief of Minister of Gazankulu (1920–1993) *Samuel Dickenson Nxumalo, Chief Minister of Gazankulu (1926–2017) *Dr. Cedric Phatudi, Chief Minister of Lebowa (1912–1987) *Nelson Ramodike, Chief Minister of Lebowa (died 2012) *Gabriel Ramushwana, Head of State of Venda (1941–2015) *Frank Ravele, Head of State of Venda (1926–1999) *Lt. Gen. Charles Sebe, acting Chief Minister of Ciskei (died c.1991) *Chief Lennox Sebe, Chief Minister and President of Ciskei (1926–1994) *King Botha Sigcau, President of Transkei and father of Stella Sigcau (1913–1978) *Stella Sigcau, Prime of Transkei (1937–2006) *Tjaart van der Walt (academic), Tjaart van der Walt, Administrator Transitional Executive Council of Bophuthatswana (1934–2019) *Mangisi Zitha, the last Chief Minister of KaNgwane

Administrators of former provinces

*Cornelius Botha, 12th and last Administrator of the Natal Province (1932–2014) *Stoffel Botha, 10th Administrator of the Natal Province (1929–1998) *Radclyffe Cadman, 11th Administrator of the Natal Province (1924–2011) *Dr Willem Adriaan Cruywagen, 10th Administrator of the Transvaal Province (1921–2013) *Nicolaas Frederic de Waal, 1st Administrator of the Cape Province (1853–1932) *Jim Fouché, 8th Administrator of the Orange Free State Province (1898–1980) *Theo Gerdener, 8th Administrator of the Natal Province (1916–2013) * Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr, 3rd Administrator of the Transvaal Province (1894–1948) *Gene Louw, 13th Administrator of the Cape Province (1931–2015) *Nico Malan, 10th Administrator of the Cape Province *William Nicol (Transvaal), William Nico, 7th Administrator of the Transvaal Province (1887–1967) *Fox Odendaal, Frans Hendrik Odendaal, 8th Administrator of the Transvaal Province (1898–1966) *Denis Gem Shepstone, 6th Administrator of the Natal Province (1888–1966) *Alfred Ernest Trollip, 7th Administrator of the Natal Province (1895–1972) *Johannes Van Rensburg, 6th Administrator of the Orange Free State Province (1898–1966) *Gideon Brand van Zyl, 5th Administrator of the Cape Province (1873–1956) *Sir Cornelius Hermanus Wessels, 2nd Administrator of the Orange Free State Province (1851–1924)

Royalty

Kings, queens, princes and princesses

King Nyabela of the Ndebele Tribe South Africa 1893

*Cetshwayo kaMpande, 4th Zulu king (1826–1884) *Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon, 7th Zulu king (1924–1945) *Goodwill Zwelethini kaBhekuzulu, Goodwill Zwelethini, 8th king of the Zulu people, Zulu nation (1948–2021) *Mantfombi Dlamini, Mantifombi Dlamini, wife of Goodwill Zweilithini and former Queen of Zulu nation (1956–2021) *Mangosuthu Buthelezi, politician and a Zulu prince (1928–2023) *Dingane kaSenzangakhona, 2nd Zulu king and half-brother of Shaka (1795–1840) *Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo, 5th Zulu king, not officially recognized (1868–1913) *Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, Aa! Zwelibanzi! King of the Thembu (born 1964) *Sabata Dalindyebo, Aa! Jonguhlanga! King of the Thembu (1928–1986) *Faku kaNgqungqushe, King of the Mpondo (1780–1867) *Hintsa ka Khawuta, Aa! Zanzolo! King of Xhosa people, Xhosa Nation (1780–1835) *Khawuta kaGcaleka, Aa! Khala! King of the Xhosa Nation (1761–1804) *Langalibalele, Hlubi king (1814–1889) *Ingwenyama Mayitjha II, 7th Southern Ndebele people, Ndebele, king of Ndzundza-Mabhoko (1947–2005) *Magogo kaDinuzulu, Zulu princess and mother of Mangosuthu Buthelezi (1900–1984) *Mampuru II, king of the Marota (or Bapedi) (died c.1883) *Lwandile Zwelenkosi Matanzima, Lwandile Matanzima, Aa! Zwelenkosi! King of the Western Thembu (1970/71–2010) *Luzuko Matiwane, Aa! Zwelozuko! King of AmaMpondomise (born 1978) *Maselekwane Modjadji, Balobedu's 1st Rain Queen (died 1854) *Masalanabo Modjadji, Balobedu's 2nd Rain Queen (died 1894) *Khetoane Modjadji, Balobedu's 3rd Rain Queen (1869–1959) *Makoma Modjadji, Balobedu's 4th Rain Queen (1905–1980) *Mokope Modjadji, Balobedu's 5th Rain Queen (1936–2001) *Makobo Modjadji, Balobedu's 6th Rain Queen (1978–2005) *Mkabayi kaJama, Zulu princess and sister of Senzangakhona (1750–1843) *Mpande, 3rd Zulu king and half-brother of Shaka (1798–1872) *Mthimkhulu II, King of the AmaHlubi (1778–1818) *Mzilikazi, king of the Matabele (1790–1868) *Nandi (mother of Shaka), Nandi, Mhlongo princess and mother of Shaka (1760–1827) *Tutor Vulindlela Ndamase, Nyangelizwe! King of the Western Pondo (1921–1997) *Ngqungqushe kaNyawuza, Mpondo King (1715/1760–1810/1815) *Ngubengcuka, Aa! Vusani! prominent king of the abaThembu (died 1830) *Nyabêla, King of the Ndzundza-Ndebele people (South Africa), Ndebele (1825/30 - 1902) *Emma Sandile, Aa! Emma! Xhosa Princess and the daughter of King Sandile kaNgqika (1842–1892) *Sandile kaNgqika, Aa! Mgolombane! Xhosa people, Xhosa king of the Right Hand House of the Xhosa Nation (1820–1878) *Maxhob'ayakhawuleza Sandile, Zanesizwe Sandile, Aa! Zanesizwe! King of the Right Hand House of the Xhosa Nation (1956–2011) *Noloyiso Sandile, Aa! Noloyiso! Zulu Princess and Rharhabe Regent Queen (1963–2020) *Sarili kaHintsa, Aa! Krili! King Of The Xhosa Nation (c. 1810–1892) *Botha Sigcau, Jongilizwe! King of the Eastern Pondo (1913–1978) *Xolilizwe Sigcawu, Aa! Xolilizwe! Xhosa King (1926–2005) *Zwelonke Sigcawu, Aa! Zwelonke! Xhosa king (1968–2019) *Sekhukhune, king of the Marota (or Bapedi) (1814–1882) *Sekhukhune II, King of the Pedi people, Bapedi *Sekwati, King of the Maroteng, more commonly known as the Bapedi people (1824–1861) *Senzangakhona kaJama, Zulu king and father of Shaka (1762–1816) *Shaka, founder of the Zulu people, Zulu nation (1787–1828) *Solomon kaDinuzulu, 6th Zulu king, not officially recognized (1891–1933) *Victor Thulare III, king of the Pedi (1980–2021) *Usibepu, uZibhebhu kaMaphitha, Zulu prince and chief (1841–1904)

Tribal leaders and prophets

See also: List of rulers of the Gcaleka, Gcaleka rulers,
List of rulers of the Rharhabe, Rharhabe rulers
:Ndwandwe people, Ndwandwe people,
List of Xhosa Chiefs, Xhosa Chiefs Bambatha and helper

*Bhambatha, Bambatha kaMancinza, Zulu chief of the amaZondi clan and Bambatha Rebellion (1865–1906) *Chief Albert Luthuli, Zulu chief and political activist (1898–1967) *Adam Kok III, Adam Kok, Griqua leader (1811–1875) *David Stuurman, Khoi chief and political activist (1773–1830) *Thandatha Jongilizwe Mabandla, Aa! Jongilizwe! amaBhele chief, Tyume Valley, Alice, Ciskei (1926–2021) *Makhanda (prophet), Makhanda, amaXhosa prophet (died 1819) *Maqoma, Aa! Jongumsobomvu! amaRharhabe chief (1798–1873) *Chief Mqalo, Amakhuze chief, Ciskei region (1916–2008) *Moshoeshoe I, Basotho chief (c. 1786–1870) *Nongqawuse, millennialist amaXhosa prophetess (c. 1840–1898) *Ntsikana, amaXhosa prophet (1780–1821) *Lennox Sebe, Chief of AmaNtinde (1926–1994) *Nkosi Ntsikayezwe Sigcau, traditional leader of Lwandlolubomvu Traditional Council (1947–1996) *Sigananda kaSokufa, Zulu aristocrat (c. 1815–1906) *Hendrik Spoorbek, prophet and magician (died 1845) *Mbongeleni Zondi, Zulu chief and great-grandson of Inkosi Bambatha kaMancinza (1969–2009)

Atheists

, AIDS activist, (born 1962) *David Benatar, professor of philosophy (born 1966) *Barry Duke, activist, journalist, editor of The Freethinker (born 1947) *

, activist, writer, Nobel laureate (1923–2014) *Chris Hani, politician (1942–1993) *Ronnie Kasrils, politician (born 1938) *Govan Mbeki, political activist and father of Thabo Mbeki (1910–2001) *Jacques Rousseau (secular activist), Jacques Rousseau, secular activist, social commentator (born 1971) *Harold Rubin, visual artist, musician (1932–2020) *Joe Slovo, politician (1926–1995) *Lewis Wolpert, author, biologist, broadcaster (1929–2021)

Prelates, clerics and evangelists

*William Anderson (missionary), William Anderson, missionary (1769–1852) *Nicholas Bhengu, evangelist and founder of Assemblies of God (1909–1986) *Allan Boesak, cleric and anti-apartheid activist (born 1945) *David Jacobus Bosch, missiologist and theologian (1929–1992) *Angus Buchan, evangelist (born 1947) *Frank Chikane, cleric and anti-apartheid activist (born 1951) *John William Colenso, Anglican bishop of Natal (1814–1883) *Mvume Dandala, former presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and a former head of the All Africa Conference of Churches (born 1951) *Ahmed Deedat (1918–2005) *S.J. du Toit, cleric, Afrikaans language pioneer and founder member of the Genootskap vir Regte Afrikaners (1847–1911) * Tshenuwani Farisani, South African politician, theologian, and Lutheran minister (1947–2025) *Allan Hendrickse, cleric and MP (1927–2005) *Denis Hurley (bishop), Denis Hurley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Durban (1915–2004) *Edward Lekganyane, the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) leader (1922–1967) *Engenas Lekganyane, the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) founder (1885–1948) *Albert Luthuli, cleric, politician and 1960 Nobel Peace Prize winner (c. 1898–1967) *Thabo Makgoba, current Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (born 1960) *Charlotte Maxeke, religious leader and political activist (1874–1939) *Ray McCauley, head of Rhema church (born 1949) *Enoch Mgijima, Xhosa prophet and evangelist (1868–1928) *Robert Moffat (missionary), Robert Moffat, missionary, Bible translator and founder of Kuruman (1795–1883) *Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, Catholic priest (born 1939) *Frederick Samuel Modise, founder of International Pentecostal Holiness Church (Africa), the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (1914–1998) *Glayton Modise, the International Pentecostal Holiness Church leader (1940–2016) *Andrew Murray (minister), Andrew Murray (1828–1917) *Zithulele Patrick Mvemve, South African Roman Catholic bishop (1941–2020) *Zithulele Patrick Mvemve, South African Roman Catholic bishop (1941–2020) *Selby Mvusi, theologian and artist (1929–1967) *Wilfrid Napier, cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal of the Catholic Church (born 1941) *Beyers Naudé, cleric and anti-apartheid activist (1915–2004) *Jozua Naudé (pastor), Jozua Naudé, pastor, school founder and co-founder of the Afrikaner Broederbond (1873–1948) *Njongonkulu Ndungane, South African Anglican bishop and a former prisoner on Robben Island (born 1941) *Carl Niehaus, theologian and former spokesman of South African president Nelson Mandela (born 1959) *Albert Nolan, Catholic priest (1934–2022) *Ntsikana, Christian Xhosa prophet, evangelist and hymn writer (1780–1821) *John Philip (missionary), John Philip, missionary (1775–1851) *Barney Pityana, human rights lawyer and theologian (born 1945) *Ambrose Reeves, Anglican bishop and opponent of Apartheid (1899–1980) *Walter Rubusana, first deputy president of the ANC and cleric (1856–1936) *David Russell (bishop), David Russell, South African Anglican bishop (1938–2014) *Isaiah Shembe, the Nazareth Baptist Church, Church of Nazareth founder (1865–1935) *Benjamin Silinda, a founder of the Nazarene Revival (1925–2015) *Tiyo Soga, Xhosa journalist, minister, translator, missionary evangelist, and composer of hymns (1829–1871) *Desmond Tutu, cleric and Nobel Peace Prize winner (1931–2021) *William Cullen Wilcox, missionary (1850–1928)

Sport

Conservationists

*Ian Player (1927–2014) *James Stevenson-Hamilton (1867–1957) *John Varty (born 1950)

Food

* Bertus Basson (born 1979) * Karen Dudley (born 1968) * Prue Leith (born 1940) * Abigail Mbalo-Mokoena * Jenny Morris (chef), Jenny Morris * Nompumelelo Mqwebu (born 1977) * Siba Mtongana (born 1984) * Kamini Pather (born 1983) * Reuben Riffel (born 1974) * Lesego Semenya (1982–2021) * Faldela Williams (1952–2014)

Travelers, adventurers and pioneers

*Biggar family, Alexander Biggar, colonial pioneer (1781–1838) *Jeanne M. Borle, missionary and naturalist (1880 – ca. 1979) *William John Burchell, naturalist traveler (1781–1863) *Francisco de Almeida, adventurer buried in Cape Town (c. 1450–1510) *Bartolomeu Dias, explorer who reached eastern Cape (c. 1450–1500) *John Robert Dunn, John Dunn, colonial pioneer (1833–1895) *Robert Jacob Gordon, explorer, soldier, naturalist (1743–1795) *Emil Holub, explorer (1847–1902) *Nathaniel Isaacs, Natal traveler (1808–1872) *Dick King, colonial pioneer (1813–1871) *François Levaillant, Cape naturalist traveler (1753–1824) *Karl Mauch, traveling geologist (1873–1875) *Harriet A. Roche, Transvaal traveler (1835–1921) *Carl Peter Thunberg, Cape naturalist traveler (1743–1828) *Sibusiso Vilane, first black African to summit Mount Everest (born 1970) *Kingsley Holgate, traveler and pioneer (born 1946) *Mike Horn, explorer, traveler, environmentalist, adventurer (born 1966) *James Edward Alexander, James Alexander, explorer of the west coast and Namibia (1803–1885) *Saray Khumalo, explorer and mountaineer (born 1972)

Criminals

*Thabo Bester, convicted criminal, rapist and serial killer (born 1986) *Daisy de Melker, second woman to be hanged for murder under the Union of South Africa (1886–1932) *Foster Gang, William Foster, leader of the Foster Gang *Allan Heyl, Stander Gang member and bank robber (died 2020) *Cedric Maake, serial killer (born 1965) *Bulelani Mabhayi, serial killer (born 1974) *Nandipha Magudumana, Fraudster, corruptionst, con-artist, prison escaper, violater of bodies (born 1989) *Simon Majola, robber and serial killer who, with (born 1968) *Fanuel Makamu, robber, rapist and serial killer (born 1977) *Andries Makgae, serial killer and rapist (born 1962) *Lee McCall, Stander Gang member and bank robber (1950–1984) *Nicholas Lungisa Ncama, a rapist and serial killer *Velaphi Ndlangamandla, robber and serial killer (born 1966) *Solomon Ngobeni, the last person to be executed by the government of South Africa (died 1989) *Butana Almond Nofomela, murder (born 1957) *Gert van Rooyen, paedophile (1938–1990) *Khangayi Sedumedi, Killer South African serial killer and rapist (born 1977) *Schabir Shaik, convicted fraudster *Norman Afzal Simons, rapist and serial killer (born 1967) *Moses Sithole, convicted serial rapist and murderer (born 1964) *Rashied Staggie, crime boss (1961–2019) *Andre Stander, gang member (1946–1984) *Thozamile Taki, serial killer (born 1971) *Sipho Thwala, rapist and serial killer (born 1968) *Dorethea van der Merwe, first woman to be hanged for murder under the Union of South Africa *Bulelani Vukwana, spree killer (c. 1973–2002) *Elias Xitavhudzi, serial killer *Christopher Mhlengwa Zikode, rapist and serial killer (born 1975)

Other

*Herbert Baker, Sir Herbert Baker, influential in South African architecture (1862–1946) *Nozipho Bhengu, woman whose death was from an AIDS-related illness (1974–2006) *Fredie Blom, South African supercentenarian Fredie Blom (1904–2020) *Denise Darvall, considered to be donor for the first human heart transplant (1943–1967) *Ncoza Dlova, heralded as first black female head of University of KwaZulu-Natal's School of Clinical Medicine *Napoléon Eugène, Prince Imperial, Napoléon Eugène, last of Napoleons who died in Zulu war (1856–1879) *Emily Hobhouse, African British welfare campaigner for South Africans (1860–1926) *John Hutchinson (botanist), John Hutchinson, thorough contributor to South African botany (1884–1972) *Nkosi Johnson, child who died of AIDS (1989–2001) *Isabel Jean Jones, early consumer advocate journalist (died 2008) *Masego Kgomo, South African girl murdered (1999–2009) *Marie Koopmans-de Wet, South African philanthropist and hostess (1834–1906) *Sandra Laing, racial classification victim (born 1955) *Justin Gabriel, Paul Lloyd Jr, first South African wrestler to wrestle in WWE, son of successful SA wrestling promoter Paul Lloyd (born 1981) *Asnath Mahapa, first female South African pilot (born 1979) *Joe Mamasela, former Apartheid government spy (born 1953) *Nomkhitha Virginia Mashinini, South African apartheid detainee, the mother of political figure Tsietsi Mashinini, and a community worker (1935–2008) *Murder of Leigh Matthews, Leigh Matthews, South African university student, kidnapped and murdered (1983–2004) *Breaker Morant, Australian Boer War soldier executed by the British Army (1864–1902) *Uyinene Mrwetyana, South African student, raped and murdered (2000–2019) *Hastings Ndlovu, poster victim of the Soweto riots (1961–1976) *

, poster victim of the Soweto riots (1964–1976) *Mrs. Ples, hominid fossil (born c. 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago) *Raymond Rahme, first African to reach a final table at a World Series of Poker Main Event, finishing third (born 1945) *Willem Ratte, soldier and criminal (born 1948) *Rosenkowitz sextuplets, first known set of sextuplets to survive their infancy (born 1974) *Thandi Sibisi, art dealer, gallery owner (born 1986) *Maki Skosana, Necklacing, necklaced due to be suspected as a police informer (1961–1985) *

, South African model and paralegal (1983–2013) *Adam Tas, colonial activist (1668–1722) *Andries Tatane, Ficksburg activist killed by police (1978–2011) *Taung Child, hominid fossil (born c. 2.5 million years ago) *Louis Washkansky, recipient of first human heart transplant (1913–1967) *Wolraad Woltemade, colonial hero figure (c. 1708–1773)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:South Africans Lists of South African people,