Top 10 Richest People in South Africa: Wealth Insights for 2025
South Africa is home to some of the continent’s wealthiest individuals, with a vibrant economy fostering billionaires and millionaires in industries like luxury goods, mining, media, and finance.
In this article, we explore the top 10 richest people in South Africa in 2025, alongside key insights into the country’s millionaire population, the richest man in Africa, the richest woman in South Africa, and global wealth rankings. From Johann Rupert to Patrice Motsepe, discover the moguls shaping South Africa’s economic landscape.
Top 10 Richest People in South Africa (2025)
Based on the latest data from Forbes and Bloomberg, here are the top 10 wealthiest South Africans, their net worth, and their primary sources of wealth:
- Johann Rupert & Family – Net Worth: $14 billion
Industry: Luxury Goods
Johann Rupert, chairman of Richemont (Cartier, Montblanc), is South Africa’s richest person and Africa’s second-richest, with a fortune boosted by a 39% increase in 2025. He also chairs Remgro and Reinet Investments. Forbes - Nicky Oppenheimer & Family – Net Worth: $10.4 billion
Industry: Mining (Diamonds)
Former head of De Beers, Oppenheimer, sold his stake to Anglo American in 2012. His wealth grew 9.5% in 2025, driven by diversified investments like Tana Africa Capital. - Koos Bekker – Net Worth: $3.4 billion
Industry: Media & Entertainment
Chairman of Naspers, Bekker transformed it into a global e-commerce giant with a historic $34 million investment in Tencent. - Patrice Motsepe – Net Worth: $3 billion
Industry: Mining
Africa’s first black billionaire, Motsep,e founded African Rainbow Minerals and owns stakes in Sanlam. He is also president of the Confederation of African Football. - Michiel Le Roux – Net Worth: $2.2 billion
Industry: Banking
Founder of Capitec Bank, Le Roux revolutionized retail banking with a low-cost model, holding about 11% of the bank’s shares. - Christoffel Wiese – Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Industry: Retail
Known for Shoprite, Wiese regained billionaire status after an accounting scandal, with investments in fashion and mining. - Jannie Mouton – Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Industry: Investments
Founder of PSG Group, Mouton’s wealth surged 59% due to Capitec Bank Holdings’ share price increase. - Ivan Glasenberg – Net Worth: $11.2 billion
Industry: Mining
Former CEO of Glencore, Glasenberg, holds the largest individual stake in the commodity trading giant. - Adrian Gore – Net Worth: $480 million
Industry: Insurance
Founder of Discovery Holdings, Gore built one of South Africa’s leading medical insurance firms. - Cyril Ramaphosa – Net Worth: $450 million
Industry: Investments, Politics
South Africa’s President, Ramaphosa, amassed wealth through the Shanduka Group before stepping back into politics.
How Many Millionaires Are in South Africa?
South Africa boasts the highest number of millionaires in Africa, with approximately 43,000 dollar millionaires in 2024, down from 47,000 the previous year due to a weaker rand. Johannesburg hosts 18,200, and Cape Town has 8,200. Additionally, 320 individuals have wealth exceeding $30 million, and 94 are centi-millionaires (over $100 million). Briefly.co.za
Who Is the Richest Man in Africa?
Aliko Dangote of Nigeria is the richest man in Africa, with a net worth of $23.9 billion in 2025, topping the list for the 14th consecutive year. His wealth surged due to the valuation of his Lagos refinery. Johann Rupert ranks second with $14 billion. Forbes
Who Is the Richest Woman in South Africa?
Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe, sister of Patrice Motsepe, is often cited as one of South Africa’s richest women, with a net worth exceeding R1 billion (approximately $55 million). A mining mogul and former president of the South African Mining Development Association, she has made significant strides in a male-dominated industry. Issuu
Who Is the Richest Man in the World?
Elon Musk, a South African-born entrepreneur, is the world’s richest man in 2025, with a net worth of $411.7 billion, driven by Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. He is followed by Larry Ellison ($211.7 billion) and Mark Zuckerberg ($211.3 billion). Forbes
Focus on Johann Rupert
Johann Rupert, South Africa’s wealthiest individual, has a net worth of $14 billion. He inherited his father Anton Rupert’s business, expanding it into a luxury goods empire through Richemont. Rupert owns 10.18% of Richemont (market cap R17.58 trillion) and chairs Remgro, with investments in healthcare, food, and media. A vocal environmentalist, he opposes fracking in the Karoo and owns L’Ormarins Wine Estate and Drakenstein Stud Farm. BBC
Cyril Ramaphosa’s Net Worth
Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s President, has a net worth of approximately $450 million. His wealth stems from founding Shanduka Group, with investments in resources, energy, and telecoms. He stepped away from most business interests after becoming Deputy President in 2014. Top Empowerment
Top 10 Richest People in the World
Here are the global top 10 richest individuals in 2025, per Forbes:
- Elon Musk – $411.7 billion (Tesla, SpaceX)
- Larry Ellison – $211.7 billion (Oracle)
- Mark Zuckerberg – $211.3 billion (Meta)
- Jeff Bezos – $187.6 billion (Amazon)
- Bernard Arnault – $180.2 billion (LVMH)
- Warren Buffett – $137.6 billion (Berkshire Hathaway)
- Bill Gates – $132.8 billion (Microsoft)
- Steve Ballmer – $128.4 billion (Microsoft)
- Mukesh Ambani – $119.9 billion (Reliance Industries)
- Larry Page – $118.7 billion (Google)
Top 10 Richest People in Africa
The top 10 richest in Africa, according to Forbes 2025, are:
- Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) – $23.9 billion
- Johann Rupert (South Africa) – $14 billion
- Nicky Oppenheimer (South Africa) – $10.4 billion
- Nassef Sawiris (Egypt) – $9.5 billion
- Mike Adenuga (Nigeria) – $6.8 billion
- Abdulsamad Rabiu (Nigeria) – $5.7 billion
- Naguib Sawiris (Egypt) – $3.8 billion
- Koos Bekker (South Africa) – $3.4 billion
- Mohamed Mansour (Egypt) – $3.3 billion
- Patrice Motsepe (South Africa) – $3 billion
Top 20 Richest People in South Africa
Expanding the list, notable additions to the top 20 include:
- Laurie Dippenaar – Net Worth: ~$400 million (FirstRand)
- Tokyo Sexwale – Net Worth: ~$200 million (Mvelaphanda Holdings)
- Nkululeko Sowazi – Net Worth: ~$100 million (Investments)
- Mike Teke – Net Worth: ~$100 million (Mining)
For a full list, sources like Entrepreneur Magazine and BusinessTech provide detailed rankings. BusinessTech
Key Takeaways
South Africa’s wealth is concentrated in mining, luxury goods, and finance, with Johann Rupert leading at $14 billion. The country has 43,000 millionaires, and Aliko Dangote remains Africa’s richest at $23.9 billion. Globally, Elon Musk dominates with $411.7 billion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many billionaires are in South Africa?
South Africa had seven billionaires in 2025, the highest in Africa, including Johann Rupert, Nicky Oppenheimer, and Patrice Motsepe. Forbes
Who is the richest black person in South Africa?
Patrice Motsepe, with a net worth of $3 billion, is the richest black South African and Africa’s first black billionaire.
Why did Johann Rupert overtake Aliko Dangote?
Rupert’s net worth surged due to strong performance in Richemont’s luxury goods sector, while Dangote’s wealth faced challenges from Nigeria’s economic reforms. BBC
Q&A: Top 10 Richest People in South Africa and Related Wealth Insights
Q1: Who are the top 10 richest people in South Africa in 2025?
A: The top 10 richest people in South Africa in 2025, based on Forbes and Bloomberg data, are:
- Johann Rupert & Family – $14 billion (Luxury Goods)
- Nicky Oppenheimer & Family – $10.4 billion (Mining)
- Koos Bekker – $3.4 billion (Media & Entertainment)
- Patrice Motsepe – $3 billion (Mining)
- Michiel Le Roux – $2.2 billion (Banking)
- Christoffel Wiese – $1.5 billion (Retail)
- Jannie Mouton – $1.5 billion (Investments)
- Ivan Glasenberg – $11.2 billion (Mining)
- Adrian Gore – $480 million (Insurance)
- Cyril Ramaphosa – $450 million (Investments, Politics)
Q2: How many millionaires are in South Africa?
A: South Africa has approximately 43,000 dollar millionaires in 2024, with Johannesburg hosting 18,200 and Cape Town 8,200. Additionally, there are 320 individuals with wealth over $30 million and 94 centi-millionaires (over $100 million).
Q3: Who is the richest man in Africa?
A: Aliko Dangote from Nigeria is the richest man in Africa with a net worth of $23.9 billion in 2025, followed by Johann Rupert at $14 billion.
Q4: Who is the richest woman in South Africa?
A: Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe, with a net worth exceeding R1 billion (~$55 million), is considered one of South Africa’s richest women, known for her mining ventures.
Q5: Who is the richest man in the world?
A: Elon Musk, born in South Africa, is the world’s richest man in 2025 with a net worth of $411.7 billion, driven by Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI.
Q6: What is Johann Rupert’s net worth, and how did he build his wealth?
A: Johann Rupert’s net worth is $14 billion. He chairs Richemont, a luxury goods company (Cartier, Montblanc), and Remgro, with investments in healthcare, food, and media. His wealth grew 39% in 2025 due to Richemont’s strong performance.
Q7: What is Cyril Ramaphosa’s net worth?
A: Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s President, has a net worth of approximately $450 million, primarily from founding Shanduka Group with investments in resources, energy, and telecoms.
Q8: Who are the top 10 richest people in the world in 2025?
A: The global top 10 richest individuals are:
- Elon Musk – $411.7 billion
- Larry Ellison – $211.7 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg – $211.3 billion
- Jeff Bezos – $187.6 billion
- Bernard Arnault – $180.2 billion
- Warren Buffett – $137.6 billion
- Bill Gates – $132.8 billion
- Steve Ballmer – $128.4 billion
- Mukesh Ambani – $119.9 billion
- Larry Page – $118.7 billion
Q9: Who are the top 10 richest people in Africa?
A: The top 10 richest in Africa in 2025 are:
- Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) – $23.9 billion
- Johann Rupert (South Africa) – $14 billion
- Nicky Oppenheimer (South Africa) – $10.4 billion
- Nassef Sawiris (Egypt) – $9.5 billion
- Mike Adenuga (Nigeria) – $6.8 billion
- Abdulsamad Rabiu (Nigeria) – $5.7 billion
- Naguib Sawiris (Egypt) – $3.8 billion
- Koos Bekker (South Africa) – $3.4 billion
- Mohamed Mansour (Egypt) – $3.3 billion
- Patrice Motsepe (South Africa) – $3 billion
Q10: What is Patrice Motsepe’s net worth?
A: Patrice Motsepe’s net worth is $3 billion. He founded African Rainbow Minerals and is Africa’s first black billionaire, with additional stakes in Sanlam.
Q11: Who are some notable names in the top 20 richest people in South Africa?
A: Beyond the top 10, the top 20 includes:
- Laurie Dippenaar (~$400 million, FirstRand)
- Tokyo Sexwale (~$200 million, Mvelaphanda Holdings)
- Nkululeko Sowazi (~$100 million, Investments)
- Mike Teke (~$100 million, Mining)
Q12: Why is South Africa a hub for wealth in Africa?
A: South Africa’s robust economy, with strong sectors like mining, finance, and luxury goods, fosters wealth creation. It has the highest number of millionaires and billionaires on the continent, supported by cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town.
