Top 22 richest people in South Africa and their net worth
South Africa has one of the strongest economies in Africa and is home to some of the most affluent people globally. In fact, this country has the highest number of multimillionaires on the continent. The richest people in South Africa have invested in multiple industries and sectors. Find out their sources of wealth below.
Source: Original
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Overview of the richest people in South Africa
- Who are the richest people in South Africa in 2024?
- 22. Wendy Appelbaum - $200 million
- 21. Wendy Ackerman - $300 million
- 20. Giovanni Ravazzotti - $330 million
- 19. Markus Jooste - $400 million
- 18. Gus Attridge - $410 million
- 17. Gerrit Thomas (GT) Ferreira - $420 million
- 16. Cyril Ramaphosa - $450 million
- 15. Adrian Gore - $480 million
- 14. Lauritz (Laurie) Dippenaar - $610 million
- 13. Jannie Mouton - $1 billion
- 12. Ivan and Lynette Saltzman - $1 billion
- 11. Desmond Sacco - $1.1 billion
- 10. Stephen Saad - $1.2 billion
- 9. Christoffel Wiese - $1.6 billion
- 8. Michiel le Roux - $1.9 billion
- 7. Patrice Motsepe - $3.2 billion
- 6. Koos Bekker - $3.2 billion
- 5. Patrick Soon-Shiong - $6.2 billion
- 4. Nicky Oppenheimer - $9.6 billion
- 3. Ivan Glasenberg - $11.2 billion
- 2. Johann Rupert - $11.8 billion
- 1. Elon Musk - $264 billion
- How many millionaires are in South Africa?
- Who is the richest man in Africa?
- Who are the top 10 richest people in Africa?
- Who are the top 10 richest in South Africa?
- How many billionaires are in SA?
- Who is the black billionaire in South Africa?
- How many billionaires are in Africa?
- Who are the richest people in the world?
- What is the top 1% in South Africa?
The richest people in South Africa own luxurious real estate properties and ride sleek vehicles. Many ordinary people fail to realise that affluent people work extremely hard in their businesses and make well-calculated financial decisions. This list is strictly based on net worth as of October 2024.
Overview of the richest people in South Africa
| Ranking | Name | Net worth in USD | Sources of wealth |
| 1 | Elon Musk | 264 billion | Tech and automobile |
| 2 | Johann Rupert | 11.8 billion | Trading luxury products |
| 3 | Ivan Glasenberg | 11.2 billion | Commodity trading and mining |
| 4 | Nicky Oppenheimer | 9.6 billion | Diamond trade |
| 5 | Patrick Soon-Shiong | 6.2 billion | Medicine |
| 6 | Koos Bekker | 3.2 billion | Media and investments |
| 7 | Patrice Motsepe | 3.2 billion | Mining |
| 8 | Michiel Le Roux | 1.9 billion | Banking |
| 9 | Christoffel Wiese | 1.6 billion | Fashion and clothing, winery, and stock trading |
| 10 | Stephen Saad | 1.2 billion | Pharmaceuticals |
| 11 | Desmond Sacco | 1.1 billion | Mining |
| 12 | Ivan and Lynette Saltzman | 1 billion | Pharmaceuticals |
| 13 | Jannie Mouton | 1 billion | Finance |
| 14 | Laurie Dippenaar | 610 million | Banking and insurance |
| 15 | Adrian Gore | 480 million | Financial services |
| 16 | Cyril Ramaphosa | 450 million | Mining, financial services, and food industry |
| 17 | Gerrit Thomas (GT) Ferreira | 420 million | Banking and insurance |
| 18 | Gus Attridge | 410 million | Pharmaceuticals |
| 19 | Markus Jooste | 400 million | Goods retailing |
| 20 | Giovanni Ravazzotti | 330 million | Ceramics and tiles business |
| 21 | Wendy Ackerman | 300 million | Retailing |
| 22 | Wendy Appelbaum | 200 million | Winery and farming |
Who are the richest people in South Africa in 2024?
Check the top 22 richest people in South Africa below. Aside from their net worth, you will learn about their age, where they got their money, and other details about their lives.
22. Wendy Appelbaum - $200 million
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Wendy Donna Appelbaum
- Year of birth: 1961
- Age: 63 years (as of 2024)
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Winery and farming
Wendy Appelbaum founded De Morgenzon Wine Estate, a wine farm and agricultural business in Stellenbosch. She is the daughter of Liberty Group founder Donald Gordon. In 2015, she was awarded Forbes Woman Businesswoman of the Year and Forbes Africa Woman of the Year. Wendy Appelbaum's net worth is $200 million.
21. Wendy Ackerman - $300 million
Source: Facebook
- Full name: Wendy Ackerman
- Residence: Cape Town
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Retailing
Wendy Ackerman is the widow of the late SA tycoon Raymond Ackerman, who died on 6 September 2023. The couple co-founded Pick N Pay Group, a supermarket chain with at least 870 stores in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Australia.
She has served as a non-executive Director of the company since 2010. Meanwhile, her family owns a 48% stake in Pick N Pay Group. Wendy Ackerman is worth about $300 million and is arguably the richest woman in South Africa.
20. Giovanni Ravazzotti - $330 million
- Full name: Giovanni Alberto Mario Ravazzotti
- Year of birth: 1934
- Age: 90 years (as of 2024)
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Ceramics and tiles business
Giovanni Ravazzotti is chairman of Italtile of South Africa, a ceramics company he founded after moving from Italy to Johannesburg in 1969. He is also the chairman of Ceramic Industries Ltd.
In the past, the entrepreneur was the chairman of the Italian-South African Chamber of Trade & Industries. Giovanni Ravazzotti's net worth is $330 million. He has South African citizenship and resides in the country.
19. Markus Jooste - $400 million
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Markus Johannes Jooste
- Date of birth: 22 January 1961
- Age: 63 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Pretoria
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Goods retailing
Markus Jooste is the former CEO of Steinhoff International, a retail company selling furniture and household goods. Besides business, he is an avid horse breeder.
The former CEO of Steinhoff International stepped down from the firm in December 2017 after a massive accounting fraud came to light. Consequently, the JSE fined him about R15 million for violations against its listing rules and for falsifying financial statements for Steinhoff. Markus Jooste's net worth is over $400 million.
18. Gus Attridge - $410 million
- Full name: Michael Guy Attridge
- Year of birth: 1961
- Age: 63 years (as of 2024)
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Michael Guy Attridge, commonly known as Gus Attridge, is a South African businessman. He is the deputy CEO of Aspen Pharmacare, which he co-founded with Stephen Saad. Gus Attridge's net worth is $410 million.
17. Gerrit Thomas (GT) Ferreira - $420 million
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Gerrit Thomas Ferreira
- Date of birth: 6 April 1948
- Age: 76 years (as of 2024)
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Banking and insurance
Gerrit Thomas (GT) Ferreira co-founded RMI Holdings, one of the largest financial services groups in South Africa, and his net worth is $420 million. Most of his riches come from his shares in RMI Holdings for insurance and RMB Holdings, which deals with banking.
16. Cyril Ramaphosa - $450 million
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa
- Date of birth: 17 November 1952
- Age: 71 years (as of October 2024)
- Place of birth: Soweto
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Mining, financial services, and food industry
Cyril Ramaphosa has been serving as the fifth and current president of South Africa since 2018. He has stakes in Coca-Cola and McDonald's South African subsidiaries.
Ramaphosa stepped down from being the chairman of Shanduka Group when he was appointed South Africa's vice president in 2014. In May 2015, Cyril sold his 30% stake in Shanduka Group to focus on politics. Cyril Ramaphosa's net worth is around $450 million.
15. Adrian Gore - $480 million
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Adrian Gore
- Date of birth: 16 May 1964
- Age: 60 years (as of 2024)
- Origin of riches/ Industry: Financial services
Adrian Gore is the founder and group chief executive of Discovery Holdings, one of South Africa's leading medical insurance companies. He established the company at 27 in the early 1990s amid economic uncertainty caused by the process of ending apartheid in SA.
Discovery Holdings is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), and Adrian Gore's net worth is $480 million.
14. Lauritz (Laurie) Dippenaar - $610 million
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Lauritz Dippenaar
- Date of birth: 25 October 1948
- Age: 76 years (as of 2024)
- Residence: Johannesburg
- Origin of riches/ industry: Baking and insurance
Laurie Dippenaar co-founded Rand Consolidated Investing, a banking and insurance company, with GT Ferreira and Paul Harris. He works as a non-executive chairman at the company. Laurie Dippenaar's net worth is $610 million.
13. Jannie Mouton - $1 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Johannes Mouton
- Year of birth: 1946
- Age: 78 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Carnarvon
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Finance
Jannie Mouton, commonly known as Buddha Buffett, has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. He is the founder and chair of PSG Group. The firm invests in banking, financial services, private equity, education, and agriculture industries.
12. Ivan and Lynette Saltzman - $1 billion
Source: Twitter
- Full names: Ivan Saltzman and Lynette Saltzman
- Year of birth: 1950 (Ivan)
- Place of birth: Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape (Ivan)
- Age: 74 years (Ivan, as of 2024)
- Origin of riches/ Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Ivan and Lynette Saltzman founded Dis-Chem, one of the fastest-growing discount pharmacies in SA. Dis-Chem sells beauty products, healthy foods, sports supplements, and medications.
The couple started the business with $1,000 and registered a $1.46 billion turnover in 2017, making themselves billionaires. The Saltzmans are worth over $1 billion.
11. Desmond Sacco - $1.1 billion
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Desmond Sacco
- Year of birth: 1940
- Age: 84 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Johannesburg
- Origin of riches/ Industry: Mining
Desmond Sacco chairs Assore Group, which mines for iron ore, manganese, and other ores. His father founded the company, and he joined the firm in 1968. Mining billionaire Desmond Sacco is married to Angela Bland. The couple has two sons, Nicholas and Patrick. Desmond Sacco's net worth is $1.1 billion.
10. Stephen Saad - $1.2 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Stephen Bradley Saad
- Date of birth: 23 June 1964
- Age: 60 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Durban
- Origin of riches/ Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Stephen Saad is the primary co-founder, CEO, and head of Aspen Pharmacare's board of directors. Aspen is South Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer. The company markets generic medicines in 150 countries.
Saad was the first African pharma entrepreneur to claim a billion-dollar fortune. In 2013, Forbes listed his net worth as $1 billion. The fortune peaked at $2.1 billion in 2015, but anti-competitive misconduct allegations swayed his company's stock price. Presently, Stephen Saad's net worth is $1.2 billion.
9. Christoffel Wiese - $1.6 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Christoffel F. Hendrik Wiese
- Date of birth: 10 September 1941
- Age: 83 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Upington
- Origin of riches/ Industry: Fashion and clothing, winery, and stock trading
Christoffel Wiese is among the richest people in South Africa, with a net worth of $1.6 billion. His multi-year legal battle, which ended in a $500 million settlement, made him richer.
Wiese serves as the chair of Pepkor, a company that retails discount clothes, textiles, and shoes. He also owns Lanzerac Manor & Winery and Lourensford Estate and has invested heavily in numerous companies listed on the stock exchange.
8. Michiel le Roux - $1.9 billion
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Michiel Le Roux
- Date of birth: 20 May 1949
- Age: 75 years (as of 2024)
- Origin of wealth/Industry: Banking
Michiel Le Roux is a banking mogul who founded Capitec Bank, which serves the emerging middle class in SA. He owns around 9% stake in the firm.
He was CEO of Capitec Bank until 2004. He is now its chair and board member. The banker is married and has children, but his spouse and kids avoid the limelight. Michiel Le Roux's net worth is $1.9 billion.
7. Patrice Motsepe - $3.2 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe
- Date of birth: 28 January 1962
- Age: 62 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Ga-Rankuwa
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Mining
Patrice Motsepe's net worth of $3.2 billion makes him one of the richest people in Africa and the wealthiest black person in the country. The businessman and football administrator has derived his wealth from the mining industry.
He founded the African Rainbow Minerals, a diversified mining company operating in South Africa and Malaysia. It deals in gold, ferrous metals, base metals, and platinum. Motsepe also owns African Rainbow Capital. The company invests in different parts of the continent.
6. Koos Bekker - $3.2 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Jacobus Petrus "Koos" Bekker
- Date of birth: 14 December 1952
- Age: 71 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Potchefstroom
- Origin of riches/ Industry: Media and investments
Koos Bekker is a media expert with a net worth of $3.2 billion and is among the top 10 richest people in South Africa. He founded MultiChoice and transformed Naspers, a South African newspaper publisher, into an e-commerce investor and cable TV powerhouse.
The mogul left the position of CEO of Naspers in March 2014 and returned to the company in 2015 as the chairman. The company operates in 130 countries and is listed on the London Stock Exchange and Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
5. Patrick Soon-Shiong - $6.2 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Patrick Soon-Shiong
- Date of birth: 29 July 1952
- Age: 72 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Gqeberha, South Africa
- Origin of riches/ Industry: Medicine
Patrick Soon-Shiong is a South African-American businessman, investor, medical researcher, philanthropist, and transplant surgeon. He is the inventor of the drug Abraxane, which became known for its efficacy against lung, breast, and pancreatic cancer. Patrick Soon-Shiong's net worth is $6.2 billion.
4. Nicky Oppenheimer - $9.6 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Nicholas F. Oppenheimer
- Date of birth: 8 June 1945
- Age: 79 years (as of 2024)
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Diamond trade
Nicky Oppenheimer ranks second on the list of the top 20 richest people in South Africa in 2024. He has amassed a net worth of $9.6 billion, most of which is from DeBeers, a diamond trading firm.
Oppenheimer inherited DeBeers from his parents and is the third generation family member to run the company. Besides this, he runs Fireblade Aviation in Johannesburg, which offers chartered flights.
3. Ivan Glasenberg - $11.2 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Ivan Glasenberg
- Date of birth: January 1957
- Age: 67 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Commodity trading and mining
Ivan Glasenberg is a South African business executive and former chief executive officer of Glencore, one of the world's largest commodity trading and mining companies. He was the company's CEO from 2002 to 2021. He holds the largest individual stake in Glencore. Ivan Glasenberg's net worth is $11.2 billion.
2. Johann Rupert - $11.8 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Johann Peter Rupert
- Date of birth: 1 June 1950
- Age: 74 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Stellenbosch
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Trading luxury products
Johann Rupert is the second-richest man in South Africa, with a net worth of $11.8 billion. He was the only South African billionaire reported by Forbes to have made financial gains in 2023. He recorded a $400 million net worth increase in 2023.
Rupert is the chairman of Richemont, a Swiss luxury goods company, and Remgro, a South Africa-based company. Richemont is known for creating luxury brands Montblanc and Cartier.
1. Elon Musk - $264 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Elon Reeve Musk
- Date of birth: 28 June 1971
- Age: 53 years (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa
- Origin of wealth/ Industry: Tech and automobile
Elon Musk is a businessman and investor. He co-founded seven companies, including electric car maker Tesla, rocket producer SpaceX and artificial intelligence startup xAI. Elon Musk's net worth is $264 billion. He is the richest man from South Africa and the richest man in the world.
How many millionaires are in South Africa?
South Africa has the highest number of millionaires compared to other African nations. The country has almost 500,000 millionaires who still call the country home.
Who is the richest man in Africa?
Aliko Dangote is the richest man in Africa who resides on the continent. He is worth around $13.4 billion in 2024.
Who are the top 10 richest people in Africa?
The top 10 wealthiest people in Africa and reside on the continent are Aliko Dangote, Johann Rupert, Nicky Oppenheimer, Nassef Sawiris, Mike Adenuga, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Naguib Sawiris, Koos Bekker, Mohamed Mansour, and Patrice Motsepe.
Who are the top 10 richest in South Africa?
Check out the list of the wealthiest people in South Africa above.
How many billionaires are in SA?
There are over ten billionaires in South Africa as of 2024. Check out who they are above.
Who is the black billionaire in South Africa?
Patrice Motsepe is the only black billionaire in South Africa.
How many billionaires are in Africa?
There are over 20 billionaires on the continent. They come from different countries, including SA and Nigeria.
Who are the richest people in the world?
The wealthiest people in the world include Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Warren Buffet, and Bernard Arnault and family.
What is the top 1% in South Africa?
South Africa's top 1% includes people who earn over $109,000 per year.
The richest people in South Africa are billionaires and multimillionaires in US Dollars. They are all hardworking people who have invested time, money, and effort in their companies and businesses.
Briefly.co.za published a list of South African millionaires. Mzansi has the highest number of millionaires compared to other African nations.
There are over 39,000 South African millionaires. Most of them have invested in various businesses. The country has a favourable business environment and a relatively stable economy.
Source: Briefly News
Priscillah Mueni (Lifestyle writer) Priscillah Mueni is a lifestyle and entertainment content creator with more than 4 years of experience. She graduated from Meru University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering in 2019. In 2023, Priscillah finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She has been writing articles on Briefly.co.za since 2019. Email: pshmueni@gmail.com
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