Cultural Production in
Present Day
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa ranks 39th in number of biographies on Pantheon, behind Iran, Ireland, and Israel. Memorable people born in present day South Africa include J. R. R. Tolkien, Nelson Mandela, and Elon Musk. Memorable people who died in South Africa include Nelson Mandela, Bartolomeu Dias, and Cecil Rhodes. South Africa has been the birth place of many athletes, and soccer players and the death place of many politicians, and writers.
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. Its nine provinces are bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini; and it encloses Lesotho. Covering an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres, the country has a population of over 63 million people. Pretoria is the administrative capital, while Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament, is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is regarded as the judicial capital. The largest, most populous city is Johannesburg, followed by Cape Town and Durban. Read more on Wikipedia
People
Between 0 and 2005, present day South Africa was the birth place of 616 globally memorable people, including J. R. R. Tolkien, Nelson Mandela, and Elon Musk. Additionaly, 203 globally memorable people have passed away in present day South Africa including Nelson Mandela, Bartolomeu Dias, and Cecil Rhodes.
People Born in Present Day South Africa
Go to all RankingsJ. R. R. Tolkien
WRITER
1892 - 1973
HPI: 90.69
Rank: 72
Nelson Mandela
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1918 - 2013
HPI: 90.45
Rank: 65
Elon Musk
INVENTOR
1971 - Present
HPI: 86.81
Rank: 306
Allan MacLeod Cormack
PHYSICIST
1924 - 1998
HPI: 76.80
Rank: 609
J. M. Coetzee
WRITER
1940 - Present
HPI: 75.60
Rank: 511
Nadine Gordimer
WRITER
1923 - 2014
HPI: 75.27
Rank: 97
Sarah Baartman
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1788 - 1815
HPI: 74.82
Rank: 610
F. W. de Klerk
POLITICIAN
1936 - 2021
HPI: 73.73
Rank: 564
Desmond Tutu
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1931 - 2021
HPI: 73.44
Rank: 32
Miriam Makeba
SINGER
1932 - 2008
HPI: 73.35
Rank: 93
Shaka
POLITICIAN
1787 - 1828
HPI: 73.31
Rank: 94
Christiaan Barnard
PHYSICIAN
1922 - 2001
HPI: 73.02
Rank: 438
Newly Added People Born in Present Day South Africa
Go to all RankingsPatrice Motsepe
BUSINESSPERSON
1962 - Present
HPI: 49.68
Rank: 565
Caren Pistorius
ACTOR
1990 - Present
HPI: 40.83
Rank: 578
Faf de Klerk
RUGBY PLAYER
1991 - Present
HPI: 40.01
Rank: 577
Tyla
SINGER
2002 - Present
HPI: 38.76
Rank: 566
Kelvin van der Linde
RACING DRIVER
1996 - Present
HPI: 38.00
Rank: 567
Master KG
SINGER
1996 - Present
HPI: 32.85
Rank: 569
Handré Pollard
RUGBY PLAYER
1994 - Present
HPI: 31.46
Rank: 570
Michelle Toro
SWIMMER
1991 - Present
HPI: 31.01
Rank: 576
Keshav Maharaj
POLITICIAN
1990 - Present
HPI: 29.09
Rank: 579
Heinrich Klaasen
POLITICIAN
1991 - Present
HPI: 29.01
Rank: 575
Nomzamo Mbatha
ACTOR
1990 - Present
HPI: 28.48
Rank: 580
Thembi Kgatlana
SOCCER PLAYER
1996 - Present
HPI: 27.70
Rank: 568
People Deceased in Present Day South Africa
Go to all RankingsNelson Mandela
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1918 - 2013
HPI: 90.45
Rank: 76
Bartolomeu Dias
EXPLORER
1450 - 1500
HPI: 84.66
Rank: 163
Cecil Rhodes
BUSINESSPERSON
1853 - 1902
HPI: 82.74
Rank: 188
Albert Lutuli
POLITICIAN
1898 - 1967
HPI: 77.77
Rank: 192
Eddie Jordan
BUSINESSPERSON
1948 - 2025
HPI: 75.29
Rank: 133
Nadine Gordimer
WRITER
1923 - 2014
HPI: 75.27
Rank: 108
Reza Shah
POLITICIAN
1878 - 1944
HPI: 74.69
Rank: 183
Napoléon, Prince Imperial
POLITICIAN
1856 - 1879
HPI: 74.58
Rank: 198
F. W. de Klerk
POLITICIAN
1936 - 2021
HPI: 73.73
Rank: 169
Desmond Tutu
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1931 - 2021
HPI: 73.44
Rank: 37
Shaka
POLITICIAN
1787 - 1828
HPI: 73.31
Rank: 105
John Vorster
POLITICIAN
1915 - 1983
HPI: 72.87
Rank: 13
Occupations
Most individuals born in present day South Africa were athletes (131), soccer players (85), politicians (67), actors (41), and tennis players (28), while most who died were politicians (60), writers (17), racing drivers (17), athletes (16), and social activists (14).
Occupational Trends
Over the past 100 years, athletes have been the top profession of globally memorable people born in present day South Africa, including Oscar Pistorius, Daphne Hasenjäger, and Lillian Board. Whereas, throughout history, athletes have been the profession with the most memorable people born in present day South Africa, including Reggie Walker, Sid Atkinson, and Esther Brand.
Places
Overlapping Lives
Below is a visual represetation of the lifespans of the top 25 globally memorable people born in present day South Africa since 1700.