Hey friends, let’s discuss the richest black Persons in South Africa. Black people are amazing. They are not just rich, but they also made big impacts on industries and communities in South Africa. They are bold and creative. They never give up.
Let’s find out how they became successful and what made them successful. Whether you want inspiration, wealth tips, or just to learn about extraordinary lives, this journey will catch your eye and ignite your imagination.Â
Here are some of the things to learn in this article – never giving up, always doing right, and believing in our dreams. May their success stories inspire us and push us to reach for the stars, making South Africa a better place for everyone.
Get set for a ride through the lives of the richest black persons in South Africa. It shows what you can do with hard work, brains, and a passion for being great. Are you ready? Let’s go!
The 10 Richest Black Persons in South Africa
Here we have the list of the 10, richest Black Persons in South Africa:Â
1. Johann Rupert ($15 billion)Â
Johann Rupert is a rich man from South Africa; his family has been in business for a long time. He is the oldest son of Anton Rupert and Hubert. Now, he is the chairman of two big companies: Richemont, a fancy things company in Switzerland, and Remgro, a company in South Africa. Rupert was born on June 1, 1950. Since April 2010, he is also the boss of Compagnie Financiere Richemont.
Johann Rupert and his family are the richest in South Africa, with about $15 billion. Apart from his work, Rupert likes to help others. He thinks a lot about a basic income for everyone, and he cares about the land. He said no to fracking in a place in South Africa where he has land. Johann Rupert’s story is about doing well in business, having a family that did the same, and caring about people and the land. He’s not only a big name in business, but he also wants to make things better and take care of nature.
2. Nicky Oppenheimer ($13.5 billion)Â
Nicky Oppenheimer, one of the richest Persons in South Africa is a businessman and helper, made a big mark in business. He was born on June 8, 1945, in Johannesburg, South Africa. His parents were Bridget and Harry Oppenheimer. His grandpa, Ernest Oppenheimer, started Anglo American.
Nicky Oppenheimer studied at important schools like Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. At Oxford, he studied Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and got an Oxford MA. In 1968, he started at Anglo American. In 1983, he became deputy chairman. In 1985, he became the chairman of De Beers until 2012.
Apart from his business, Nicky Oppenheimer has been a strong supporter of helping others. His family has worked on saving the history and culture of Southern Africa, and also given to schools(kit you, health, protecting nature, and the arts. Nicky Oppenheimer’s story shows not just smart business skills, but also a dedication to making life better for people.Â
3. Patrick Soon-Shiong ($11.5 billion)Â
Patrick Soon-Shiong, a famous guy, has done big things. He’s a doctor, a boss, and does stuff with science and media. He was born on July 29, 1952. One big thing he did was make a drug called Abraxane. It helps treat different kinds of cancer like lung, breast, and pancreatic cancer. He also made some companies that focus on healthcare and tech. Other than his work, he teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles and other schools.Â
He’s written lots of science papers and has patents for many things he invented. Patrick Soon-Shiong also does a lot of good with charities. He leads three groups that work on health, school, and science. He’s very rich, he’s worth $11.5 billion in 2024. He also said he’ll give lots of his money to help others. Patrick Soon-Shiong’s story shows how one person can make a big change.
4. Ivan Glasenberg ($7.3 billion)Â
Ivan Glasenberg, a great leader, led Glencore, a big company trading minerals. He led from 2002 to 2021. He was born on January 7, 1957 in South Africa. He is also an Australian and Swiss citizen. In 2011, he became Swiss. He worked with Minara Resources Ltd too. In April 2012, Glasenberg owned over 15% of Glencore’s stock. Forbes valued his wealth at US$7.3 billion. But in December 2020, he left his CEO role. He gave it to Gary Nagle, who led Glencore’s coal business.
5. Patrice Motsepe ($3.1 billion)Â
Here is also another one of the richest persons in South Africa, Patrice Motsepe. He is a big name in South Africa. He’s famous for his business smarts and giving. Patrice Motsepe was born on January 28, 1962. He made and runs African Rainbow Minerals. The company works with metals like gold, iron, and platinum. In 2012, Patrice was at the top, with about $1 billion (R20.07). This made him the first black African billionaire in 2008.Â
Motsepe was the 1,307th-richest person globally, with a fortune of US$3.1 billion. Besides his businesses, Motsepe also owns Mamelodi Sundowns football club since 2003. In 2013, he pledged to give half of his wealth to charity by joining The Giving Pledge, showing his commitment to helping others. Patrice Motsepe’s story shows his success in business and his dedication to giving back to his community and beyond.
6. Koos Bekker ($2.4 billion)Â
This is Koos Bekker, a big name in the business world from South Africa. He was born on December 14, 1952. He’s not just any businessperson – he’s the leader of Naspers, a big media group in 130 countries. Naspers is on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges. It’s a big player, with the most worth of any media company outside the US, China, and India.
By July 2023, Koos Bekker’s worth was about US$2.4 billion – a huge fortune, but even more cool is his history. He’s the guy behind M-Net and Multichoice, which were first in paid TV services outside the USA, becoming huge in Africa in 48 countries. And that’s not all – Bekker also helped start MTN, a big phone network. With his lead, Naspers chose smart investments in paid TV, cellphones, and other web services.
7. Michiel Le Roux ($1.6 billion)Â
Michiel Le Roux is also part of the richest black Persons in South Africa. He is a well-known figure in South Africa for his work in business and charity. He’s more than just a business person – he also gives back. Le Roux started and leads Shanduka Group, a company involved in various areas like mining, farming, media, schooling, and healthcare.
But his kindness doesn’t end there. He also heads Shanduka Foundation, a charity working to improve South Africa and other African nations. They focus on aiding education, healthcare, and community growth. Born in 1954 in Soweto, South Africa, Michiel Le Roux began at University of Limpopo, studying law. He started as a lawyer but later worked in many industries. He has been part of many projects to help create a fairer society and boost the economy in South Africa.
8. Cyril Ramaphosa ($450 million)Â
Let’s discuss Cyril Ramaphosa, a big person in South Africa. He’s a business guy and a politician. He became the fifth head of South Africa in 2018. Ramaphosa was born on November 17, 1952. His story is quite interesting. He began as an anti-apartheid fighter. He worked to fight against the unfair system in South Africa. He also became a leader in worker groups, fighting for their rights. He got a big chance when he became the top person of the National Union of Mineworkers, South Africa’s biggest group.
But Ramaphosa didn’t stop there. He moved into politics. He moved up in the African National Congress (ANC), and eventually became its top person. He played a key role in ending apartheid, the unfair system in South Africa. He then became the head of the Constitutional Assembly after the first fair elections in 1994.
In 1996, Ramaphosa took a break from politics and went into business. He did well for himself, owning McDonald’s stores in South Africa, leading the board of MTN, being on the board of Lonmin, and starting his own group called the Shanduka Group. But in 2012, he went back to politics and became the deputy head of South Africa under President Jacob Zuma. When Zuma left due to corruption claims, Ramaphosa took over and became the head of South Africa.
9. Wendy Appelbaum ($250 million)Â
Wendy Appelbaum is a great business person and giver from South Africa – she is also one of the richest persons in South Africa. Wendy loves wine and farming. She owns and leads De Morgenzon Wine Place in Stellenbosch. It’s not just pretty; it’s known for its tasty wine! Wendy and her husband, Hylton Appelbaum, got the place in 2003, and their first wine, a 2005 Chenin Blanc, got five stars in South Africa’s top wine book, John Platter.
Wendy, born on October 17, 1962, grew up in Johannesburg. Her father, Sir Donald Gordon, was a big business person who started the Liberty Group. Her mother, Peggy, was always there with him. Wendy has two brothers, Richard and Graeme. She studied mind science at the University of Witwatersrand. She worked with her dad at the Liberty Group and became a big person at the Liberty Investors.
In 1994, Wendy started the Women’s Investment Portfolio Holdings (WIPHOLD), a neat company about helping women with money. She and 10 other great women taught less lucky women about money and investing. Later, Wendy sold her part in WIPHOLD in 1999 to help more less lucky women. Wendy gives a lot of money to different people. She gave over US$23 million. She founded the Wendy Appelbaum Institute for Women’s Health to help women in South Africa.Â
She also joined with the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre and is a trustee for the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa. She’s part of some neat worldwide and local groups, like the Global Philanthropists’ Circle, the International Women’s Forum, and Women Moving Millions. In 2024, Wendy was said to be worth US$250 million, but her good work and business deals can’t only be said in money.
10. Wendy Ackerman ($187 million)Â
Meet Wendy Ackerman, a great lady from South Africa. Wendy works in a big store company. The store is called Pick n Pay. This store was bought by Wendy and her man, Ray, back in 1967. As time went by, Pick n Pay became one of the big stores in Africa. They have 124 stores, 14 big stores, and 179 shops that they run. Wendy was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, she went to a few schools. She learned psychology at the University of Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand, and University of South Africa.Â
Wendy first worked as a teacher in Soweto. Then, in 1981, she went to work at Pick n Pay with her man. This made her the first woman at the top of a store in South Africa. Even when she left the top job in 2010, Wendy still helps out at the store. Wendy cares about more than just work; she also really wants to help others. She helps run the Ackerman Family Educational Trust, which gives money to students from all over South Africa, so they can get a better education. She’s also part of the Pick n Pay Bursary Fund, which helps pay for the education of kids whose parents work at Pick n Pay.
Wendy has gotten a lot of prizes and praise for her work in business and helping others, like the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary International, the Woman of the Year Award from the Union of Jewish Women, and the Humanitarian Award from B’nai B’rith. In 2024, it was said that Wendy’s net worth was around US$187 million. But the good she does through her work and helping others is something you can’t measure.
Richest person in kznÂ
The richest person in kzn is Nicky Oppenheimer, the richest person in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Nicky is not just any boss; he’s a very rich and kind person. Born on June 8, 1945, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nicky also has a home in Durban, KZN. It’s safe to say he’s done pretty well for himself over the years.
He used to be the big boss at De Beers Diamond Mining Company and the Diamond Trading Company, and he was also the second boss of Anglo American. Talk about impressive jobs! Nicky is so successful that he’s the third richest person in all of Africa, with an estimated net worth of a huge $8.0 billion.
Richest man in South AfricaÂ
Johann Rupert and his family are the richest in South Africa right now. Johann is a big deal. He runs a big company in Switzerland. They sell fancy stuff like Cartier and Montblanc. He’s also part of two investment companies. Their total money is a super high $9.6 billion. So, Johann and his family are really successful.
Conclusion
It is a wonderful feeling to have read about the lives and wealth of the richest black persons in South Africa. Their stories are full of hope, ambition, and motivation. From Nicky Oppenheimer’s big wealth to Cyril Ramaphosa’s good leadership, each person on this list has a story that’s all about facing problems, being tough, and never quitting.
Their richest aren’t just about cash; they show hard labor, creativity, and not giving up to be the best. These people haven’t just earned money; they’ve also used their power to make chances, aid areas, and better the world. As we honor their success, it’s important to recall how much they’ve done for South Africa’s economy and societies at large.
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