Top 7 Richest Men In South Africa According To Forbes 2025

South Africa isn’t just a country of stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage—it’s also home to some of the continent’s most influential and wealthiest individuals. In 2025, Forbes has once again shone the spotlight on South Africa’s billionaires, whose fortunes span across luxury goods, diamonds, mining, finance, media, and retail.

These seven men have not only accumulated enormous wealth but have also shaped industries, created thousands of jobs, and influenced both local and global markets. Let’s take a deep dive into who they are, how they made their fortunes, and what their wealth means for South Africa’s economy.

1. Johann Rupert & Family — $14 Billion (Rank #165 Globally)

Industry: Luxury Goods (Fashion & Retail)
Age: 74
Source of Wealth: Richemont

Johann Rupert is South Africa’s richest man in 2025, with a staggering net worth of $14 billion. He is the chairman of Compagnie Financière Richemont, a Swiss-based luxury goods company best known for prestigious brands like Cartier, Montblanc, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Rupert’s wealth stems from a combination of inheritance and sharp business acumen. The Rupert family originally made their fortune in the tobacco industry before pivoting to luxury goods in the 1980s. Under Johann’s leadership, Richemont has grown into one of the world’s largest luxury conglomerates, competing with the likes of LVMH and Kering.

Beyond his luxury empire, Rupert has investments in South African wine estates and golf courses, maintaining a deep connection to the country’s heritage and tourism industry. Despite criticism over wealth inequality, he remains a key player in South Africa’s economic and philanthropic landscape.

2. Nicky Oppenheimer & Family — $10.4 Billion (Rank #258 Globally)

Industry: Diamonds (Metals & Mining)
Age: 79
Source of Wealth: De Beers

For decades, the Oppenheimer name has been synonymous with diamonds. Nicky Oppenheimer is the heir to the De Beers fortune, the company that dominated the global diamond trade for much of the 20th century.

In 2012, the Oppenheimer family sold their 40% stake in De Beers to Anglo American for $5.1 billion in cash. Since then, Nicky has focused on investing through Stockdale Street Capital, his family’s private equity firm, which has stakes in a wide range of businesses.

Known for his privacy and understated lifestyle, Oppenheimer remains a powerful force in philanthropy. His conservation efforts include significant investments in wildlife preservation through the Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation initiative, which oversees large tracts of protected land across Southern Africa.

3. Koos Bekker — $3.4 Billion (Rank #1072 Globally)

Industry: Media & Investments (Media & Entertainment)
Age: 72
Source of Wealth: Naspers

Koos Bekker is one of South Africa’s most brilliant business strategists, having transformed Naspers from a struggling local newspaper publisher into a global tech investment powerhouse. His net worth stands at $3.4 billion in 2025.

Bekker’s most famous move came in 2001 when he led Naspers to invest $32 million in a then-little-known Chinese startup called Tencent. That stake eventually grew to be worth over $100 billion, making it one of the most profitable tech investments in history.

Though Naspers has since sold off part of its Tencent stake, Bekker has reinvested heavily in other internet and e-commerce ventures worldwide. Even in retirement from day-to-day operations, his influence on the global tech investment scene remains undeniable.

4. Patrice Motsepe — $3 Billion (Rank #1219 Globally)

Industry: Mining (Metals & Mining)
Age: 63
Source of Wealth: African Rainbow Minerals

Patrice Motsepe is South Africa’s first Black billionaire and a trailblazer in the country’s post-apartheid business world. His $3 billion fortune comes primarily from African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), a diversified mining company with interests in gold, platinum, iron ore, and coal.

Motsepe’s success story is especially inspiring—he started as a lawyer specializing in mining law before acquiring low-performing gold mines in the 1990s. Through strategic management, he turned them into profitable ventures.

Beyond business, Motsepe is well-known for his philanthropy. In 2013, he became the first African to sign The Giving Pledge, committing to donate at least half his fortune to charity. His foundation supports education, health, and rural development initiatives across South Africa and beyond.

5. Michiel Le Roux — $2.2 Billion (Rank #1626 Globally)

Industry: Banking (Finance & Investments)
Age: 75
Source of Wealth: Capitec Bank

Michiel Le Roux is the founder of Capitec Bank, South Africa’s fastest-growing retail bank, which disrupted the traditional banking sector by offering simplified, low-cost financial services. With a net worth of $2.2 billion, Le Roux’s fortune reflects the bank’s phenomenal growth over the past two decades.

Capitec’s success is built on targeting the country’s underserved population, offering transparent fees, and embracing digital banking early on. Today, Capitec serves millions of customers and continues to expand, even in the face of tough economic conditions.

Although Le Roux stepped down from day-to-day operations years ago, he remains actively involved as a non-executive director and major shareholder. His approach to banking has influenced how financial services are delivered across the continent.

6. Jannie Mouton & Family — $1.5 Billion (Rank #2233 Globally)

Industry: Financial Services (Finance & Investments)
Age: 78
Source of Wealth: PSG Group

Jannie Mouton, affectionately nicknamed “The Boere Buffett” (Farmer Buffett), earned his fortune through PSG Group, an investment holding company he founded in 1995. Today, his net worth sits at $1.5 billion.

Mouton’s rise to wealth came after being fired from his job at a stockbroking firm in his 40s—a setback that fueled his determination to succeed on his own terms. PSG Group has interests in banking (Capitec), education (Curro), agriculture, and private equity.

Known for his value-investing style, Mouton has built a reputation for spotting opportunities early and backing talented entrepreneurs. Though now semi-retired, his family continues to play an active role in PSG’s operations.

7. Christoffel Wiese — $1.5 Billion (Rank #2233 Globally)

Industry: Retail (Fashion & Retail)
Age: 83
Source of Wealth: Pepkor, Shoprite

Christoffel Wiese is a retail magnate who made his $1.5 billion fortune through companies like Pepkor and Shoprite, two of the largest retail chains in Africa. Known for catering to low- and middle-income consumers, Wiese built a business empire that reaches millions of shoppers across the continent.

Wiese’s career hasn’t been without setbacks—he suffered significant financial losses in the 2017 Steinhoff International accounting scandal, where he was the largest shareholder. Despite that blow, he has managed to rebuild much of his fortune through savvy investments and strategic restructuring of his holdings.

Today, Wiese remains an influential figure in African retail, with a focus on budget-conscious consumers in both rural and urban markets.

South Africa’s Billionaire Class — A Snapshot

These seven billionaires paint a fascinating picture of South Africa’s economic diversity:

• Luxury goods and retail dominate at the top, with Johann Rupert and Christoffel Wiese showing the enduring appeal of consumer spending.

• Mining and natural resources remain crucial, as seen in the fortunes of Nicky Oppenheimer and Patrice Motsepe.

• Finance and banking are a strong wealth generator, with Michiel Le Roux and Jannie Mouton leading in this space.

• Media and technology investments have globalized South African capital, thanks to Koos Bekker’s visionary strategies.

Final Thoughts

South Africa’s billionaires are not just wealthy individuals—they are influential economic players whose decisions impact industries, employment, and even policy. From Rupert’s luxury empire to Bekker’s tech foresight and Motsepe’s mining ventures, each has left a distinct mark on the country’s economic history.

While South Africa still grapples with high inequality and unemployment, the stories of these seven men highlight the potential for success in diverse industries. Their legacies will likely inspire future generations of African entrepreneurs to think big, act boldly, and expand beyond borders.