List of South Africans
This is a list of notable South Africans who are the subjects of Wikipedia articles.
Academics
Medical
- Christiaan Barnard (1922–2001), pioneering heart surgeon
- Max Theiler (1899–1972), virologist, 1951 Nobel Prize winner
Scientists
- Robert Broom (1866–1951), palaeontologist
- Sydney Brenner (born 1927), biologist, 2002 Nobel Prize winner
- Allan McLeod Cormack (1924–1998), physicist
Writers
Authors
- J.M. (John Maxwell) Coetzee (b. 1940), 2003 Nobel Prize-winning author
- Nadine Gordimer (1923–2014), 1991 Nobel Prize-winning author
- Karel Schoeman (b. 1939), novelist and historian
- J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973), author of The Lord of The Rings
Journalists
- John Charles Daly (1914–1991), television journalist, executive and game show host
Artists
Performing artists
Actors
- Charlize Theron (b. 1975), actress and director
- Jessica Lane (b. 1980) actress
Playwrights and film directors
- Neill Blomkamp (born 1979), director, District 9
Singers, musicians and composers
- Johnny Clegg (born 1953), musician
- Miriam Makeba ("Mama Afrika," 1932-2008), singer and civil rights activist
- Manfred Mann (born 1940), musician
- Hugh Masekela (born 1939), jazz trumpeter and singer
- Joseph Shabalala (born 1941), founder and director of Ladysmith Black Mambazo
- Kobie van Rensburg (b. 1969), operatic tenor and director
- ZP Theart (b. 1975), singer, ex-Dragonforce
Media figures
- Troye Sivan (born 1995), YouTube personality, actor and singer
- Lindokuhle Modi (born 2004), Podcast host, actor and executive producer
- Candice Swanepoel (born 1988), Victoria's Secret model
Visual Artists
Business
- Elon Musk (b. 1971), Internet and space launch entrepreneur
- Harry Oppenheimer (1908–2000), businessman
- Mamphela Ramphele (b. 1947), political activist, academic, businesswoman and mother to the son of Steve Biko
- Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902), businessman
- Anderson Mann (1975) businessman, Founder of Voov
- Mark Shuttleworth (b. 1973), web entrepreneur, founder of Thawte and Ubuntu Linux, space tourist
Political
Activists and trade unionists
- Steve Biko, nonviolent political activist (1946–1977)
- Ahmed Kathrada, political activist (born 1929)
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born 1936)
- Walter Sisulu, political activist (1912–2003)
- Oliver Tambo, political activist (1917–1993)
Apartheid operatives
- Eugène Terre'Blanche (1941–2010), white supremacist activist
Colonial and Union Governors
See also: British Cape governors
- Jan van Riebeeck (1619–1677), founder of Cape settlement
Leaders and politicians
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born 1936), politician and second wife of Nelson Mandela
- Jacob Zuma (born 1942), current President
Prime Ministers and Presidents
- Pieter Willem Botha, 9th and last Prime Minister and 8th State President of South Africa
- Frederik Willem de Klerk (1916–2006), 9th and last State President of South Africa (1990–1994) and joint Nobel Peace Prize winner
- Paul Kruger (1825–1904), member of the Troika, 5th President of South African Republic
- Nelson Mandela (1918–2013), 1st democratically elected President of South Africa and joint Nobel Peace Prize winner
- Thabo Mbeki, 2nd post-apartheid President of South Africa
- Kgalema Motlanthe (born 1942), 3rd post-apartheid President of South Africa (born 1949)
- Jan Smuts (1870–1950), Boer general, British field marshal, 2nd and 4th Prime Minister of South Africa
- Johannes Strijdom (1893–1958), 6th Prime Minister of South Africa
- Jacob Zuma (born 1942), 4th post-apartheid President of South Africa
Royalty
- Mangosuthu Buthelezi, politician and a Zulu prince (born 1928)
- Shaka, founder of the Zulu nation (1787–1828)
Prelates, clerics and evangelists
- Albert Luthuli, cleric, politician and 1960 Nobel Peace Prize winner (c. 1898–1967)
- Desmond Tutu, cleric and Nobel Peace Prize winner (born 1931)
Sport
Athletics
- Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, middle distance runner, Olympic silver medallist (born 1980)
- Oscar Pistorius, double-amputee runner (born 1986)
Basketball
- Steve Nash, point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers (born 1974)
Cricket
- Norman Gordon, fast bowler (born 1911)
- Graeme Pollock, left-handed batsman (born 1944)
Golf
- Ernie Els (born 1969)
- Gary Player (born 1936)
Ice Hockey
- Olaf Kölzig, goaltender (born 1970)
Motorsport
- Jody Scheckter, 1979 Formula One world champion (born 1950)
Rugby
- Joost van der Westhuizen, Springbok, scrum-half (born 1971)
Soccer
- Quinton Fortune, midfielder and defender for Manchester United (born 1977)
- Benni McCarthy, striker (born 1977)
- Steven Pienaar, Everton F.C. midfielder (born 1982)
Tennis
- Roger Federer, holds both Swiss and South African citizenship (born 1981)
Travelers, adventurers and pioneers
- Bartolomeu Dias, explorer who reached eastern Cape (c. 1450–1500)
Other
- Paul Lloyd Jr, first South African wrestler to wrestle in WWE, son of successful SA wrestling promoter Paul Lloyd (born 1981)
- Taung Child, homonid fossil (born c. 2.5 million years ago)
List Of South Africans Media
Dr. Mongane Wally Serote
Photograph of Sol Plaatje from his 1915 book Native Life in South Africa.
Dave Matthews Concert for Virginia Tech 9/6/07
Portrait of Thomas Baines
- HerbertBaker
Dr Beric Croome addressing the "100 years of Taxation in South Africa" conference at University of Cape Town in 2014. Professor Roeleveld of UCT looks on.
