Famous South African Political Leaders

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 1 
Nelson Mandela
(Anti-Apartheid Activist Who Served as the First President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999)
Nelson Mandela
79
Birthdate: July 18, 1918
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mvezo, South Africa
Died: December 5, 2013
Revered as the Father of the Nation by the South Africans, Nelson Mandela was a statesman who rose to become the country’s first black head of state. He reconciled a nation divided along racial lines and dismantled the legacy of apartheid.
 2 
Cyril Ramaphosa
(President of South Africa)
Cyril Ramaphosa
10
Birthdate: November 17, 1952
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Soweto

Cyril Ramaphosa is a politician and the current president of South Africa. Also the president of South Africa's popular political party African National Congress (ANC), Ramaphosa played a key role during the nation's transition to democracy during which he served as ANC's chief negotiator. He also played a crucial role in ending apartheid and was considered Nelson Mandela's political heir.

 3 
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
(Politician, Anti-Apartheid Activist)
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
12
Birthdate: September 26, 1936
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bizana, Eastern Cape
Died: April 2, 2018
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela had first met legendary anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela at a bus stop when she was barely 22. They ended up getting married the following year. Winnie’s journey was marred by bans and harassment by the South African government, but the determined social worker revolutionized South African politics.
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 4 
F. W. de Klerk
(1st Deputy President of South Africa)
F. W. de Klerk
6
Birthdate: March 18, 1936
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
Died: November 11, 2021
F. W. de Klerk served as the State President of South Africa from 1989 to 1994 and as the Deputy President from 1994 to 1996. He was also the National Party leader from 1989 to 1997. His government helped crush the apartheid system and established universal suffrage. 
 5 
Jacob Zuma
(4th President of South Africa)
Jacob Zuma
12
Birthdate: April 12, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Nkandla, South Africaa

Jacob Zuma is a South African politician and fourth president of South Africa. During his presidency, which lasted from 2009 to 2018, Zuma was accused of racketeering and corruption which ultimately led to his resignation. Apart from being a politician, Zuma also runs the Jacob Zuma Foundation, which aims at building houses for the poor and sending children to school.

 6 
Thabo Mbeki
(Politician, Economist)
Thabo Mbeki
4
Birthdate: June 18, 1942
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Transkei

Thabo Mbeki is a South African politician who is currently serving as the chancellor of the University of South Africa. From 1999 to 2008, he served as the president of South Africa. During his tenure as the president, the South African economy grew, creating employment opportunities. Over the years, he has received several awards, including the prestigious Good Governance Award.

 7 
Jan Smuts
(2nd Prime Minister of South Africa)
Jan Smuts
5
Birthdate: May 24, 1870
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Riebeeck West, South Africa
Died: September 11, 1950

Jan Smuts was a South African military leader, statesman, and philosopher. He played a key role in the formation of the Union of South Africa and helped shape its constitution. From 1919 to 1924 and again from 1939 to 1948, he served as the Union of South Africa's prime minister. He played a major role in establishing the United Nations.

 8 
Paul Kruger
(5th President of the South African Republic (1883 - 1902))
Paul Kruger
5
Birthdate: October 10, 1825
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Steynsburg, South Africa
Died: July 14, 1904

Paul Kruger was a South African politician who served as the last State President of the South African Republic. Revered by his admirers as a tragic folk hero, Kruger was one of the most influential military and political personalities in 19th-century South Africa. His life inspired the 1941 German film Ohm Krüger, in which Kruger was played by Emil Jannings.

 9 
Oliver Tambo
(Politician)
Oliver Tambo
3
Birthdate: October 27, 1917
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mbizana Local Municipality
Died: April 24, 1993

Oliver Tambo was a South African revolutionary and politician who played an important role in the anti-apartheid movement alongside Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu. In 1943, he helped found the ANC Youth League and later served as the African National Congress' president. He is also remembered for organizing several guerilla units that facilitated attacks against the apartheid state.

 10 
Chris Hani
(Politician)
Chris Hani
3
Birthdate: June 28, 1942
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Transkei
Died: April 10, 1993

Chris Hani was a South African politician who led the South African Communist Party from 1991 to 1993. One of the most important and influential fighters against the apartheid government, Hani played an important role in the development of the armed wing of the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe. He was assassinated by a Polish immigrant named Janusz WaluÅ›.

 11 
Mangosuthu Buthelezi
(South African Politician, Founder of 'Inkatha Freedom Party' and Minister of Home Affairs (1994 - 2004))
Mangosuthu Buthelezi
4
Birthdate: August 27, 1928
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Mahlabathini, South Africa

Mangosuthu Buthelezi is a South African politician who is credited with founding the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). He was widely regarded as one of the most important black leaders during the apartheid era. From 1994 to 2004, he served as South Africa's minister of home affairs. He has also won many awards, such as Nadaraja Award and Magna Award.

 12 
Eugène Terre'Blanche
(Former Leader and Commander of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (1973 - 2010))
Eugène Terre'Blanche
5
Birthdate: January 31, 1941
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ventersdorp, South Africa
Died: April 3, 2010

Eugène Ney Terre'Blanche was an Afrikaner nationalist who played an important role in the establishment of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, which he led from 1973 to 2010. An influential personality, Terre'Blanche's philosophy and beliefs have continued to influence white supremacists around the world. His life and career inspired a couple of documentaries, including His Big White Self.

 13 
Kgalema Motlanthe
(Politician)
Kgalema Motlanthe
3
Birthdate: July 19, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Johannesburg

Kgalema Motlanthe is a South African politician who played an important role during the struggle against apartheid; he was part of the Umkhonto we Sizwe, an armed wing of the ANC. Between 2008 and 2009, Motlanthe served as the third president of South Africa. He is often seen as an important figure behind the political success of Jacob Zuma.

 14 
Walter Sisulu
(Former Deputy President of the African National Congress (1991 - 1994))
Walter Sisulu
3
Birthdate: May 18, 1912
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Ngcobo, South Africa
Died: May 5, 2003

Walter Sisulu was a South African activist who played an important role in the anti-apartheid movement. Counted among the most important members of the ANC, Sisulu served more than 25 years in prison for his anti-apartheid activities. For his contribution to the success of the ANC, Sisulu was honored with the prestigious Isitwalandwe Seaparankoe in 1992.

 15 
Julius Malema
(Politician)
Julius Malema
6
Birthdate: March 3, 1981
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Seshego

Julius Malema is a South African activist and politician. He is credited with founding a South African political party called the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), for which he currently serves as the president and commander-in-chief. One of the most controversial politicians in South Africa, Malema was charged with racketeering, money laundering, and fraud in 2012.

 16 
Tokyo Sexwale
(South African Businessman, Politician and Anti-Apartheid Activist)
Tokyo Sexwale
4
Birthdate: March 5, 1953
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Soweto, South Africa

Tokyo Sexwale is a South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, businessman, and former political prisoner. He was imprisoned alongside personalities like Nelson Mandela for his anti-apartheid activities. Over the years, he has received several awards and honours, including honorary doctorates from various universities. In 2004, he was named in the Top 100 Great South Africans list.

 17 
Zindzi Mandela
(Diplomat)
Zindzi Mandela
3
Birthdate: December 23, 1960
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa
Died: July 13, 2020

Zindzi Mandela was a South African poet and diplomat best known as the daughter of the famous anti-apartheid activist, Nelson Mandela. From 1996 to 1998, she also served as a temporary First Lady of South Africa. Over the years, she has been portrayed in films and TV films, such as Mrs Mandela (2009), Invictus (2009), and Mandela (1987).

 18 
P. W. Botha
(Former Prime Minister of South Africa)
P. W. Botha
6
Birthdate: January 12, 1916
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paul Roux, South Africa
Died: October 31, 2006
Better known as PW, Pieter Willem Botha had been the president and prime minister of South Africa. A law school drop-out, Botha grew up to unsuccessfully attempt a reconciliation between apartheid sympathizers and all-Black student and labor organizations. His refusal to testify before the TRC invited a fine.
 19 
Joe Slovo
(Politician)
Joe Slovo
3
Birthdate: May 23, 1926
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Obeliai
Died: January 6, 1995

Joe Slovo was a South African politician. One of the most important members of the ANC, Slovo played an important role in the development of Umkhonto we Sizwe, ANC's military wing. A Marxist-Leninist, he also led the South African Communist Party for many years. He was portrayed by Malcolm Purkey in Catch a Fire, a film about anti-apartheid activists.

 20 
Hendrik Verwoerd
(Politician)
Hendrik Verwoerd
4
Birthdate: September 8, 1901
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died: September 6, 1966

South African prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd was immensely infamous for promoting racial segregation and came to be known as one of the pioneers of apartheid. He was stabbed to death in his parliament office by a Mozambican immigrant who was thought to be insane but was a racially disadvantaged man.

 21 
Ela Gandhi
(politician)
Ela Gandhi
3
Birthdate: June 1, 1940
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Durban
Ela Gandhi is a South African politician and peace activist whose immense contribution to society and politics is widely recognized. Over the years, she has been honored with several prestigious awards, such as the Community of Christ International Peace Award, Padma Bhushan award, Shanti Doot International Award, and Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. 
 22 
John Diefenbaker
(Former Prime Minister of Canada)
John Diefenbaker
4
Birthdate: September 18, 1895
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Neustadt, Canada
Died: August 16, 1979

Known as Dief the Chief, former Canadian prime minister John Diefenbaker is remembered for his efforts in passing the Canadian Bill of Rights and extending voting rights to First Nations people. He had also had a successful stint as a defense lawyer before being elected to the parliament.

 23 
Ahmed Kathrada
(Politician, Activism)
Ahmed Kathrada
4
Birthdate: August 21, 1929
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Schweizer-Reneke
Died: March 28, 2017

Ahmed Kathrada was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician. He is best remembered for his involvement in the anti-apartheid movement, which landed him in jail following the infamous Rivonia Trial. In 1988, he was honored with ANC's highest possible award, the Isitwalandwe Award. In 2004, he was named in the Top 100 Great South Africans list.

 24 
Helen Zille
(Politician, Journalist)
Helen Zille
3
Birthdate: March 9, 1951
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Johannesburg

Helen Zille is a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician. A former journalist, Zille played a major role in exposing the cover-up surrounding the death of Steve Biko, a fellow anti-apartheid activist. In 2008, she was chosen as World Mayor of the Year.

 25 
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
(Politician)
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
3
Birthdate: January 27, 1949
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Natal Province

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is a South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, and doctor. One of the most popular South African politicians of her generation, Dlamini-Zuma has served as the country's minister of health, minister of foreign affairs, and minister of home affairs at different periods of time.

 26 
Marais Viljoen
(Politician)
Marais Viljoen
3
Birthdate: December 2, 1915
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Robertson
Died: January 4, 2007

Marais Viljoen was the fifth state president of South Africa. He became the last ceremonial president of South Africa when Prime Minister P. W. Botha succeeded him in 1984. He continued to express a keen interest in politics even after retiring from public life.

 27 
Baleka Mbete
(5th Deputy President of South Africa)
Baleka Mbete
3
Birthdate: September 24, 1949
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Durban, South Africa

Baleka Mbete is a South African politician who served as the deputy president of South Africa under President Kgalema Motlanthe. From 2014 to 2019, she also served as South Africa's Speaker of the National Assembly. One of the most controversial South African politicians in the recent past, Mbete is an associate of Tony Yengeni, who was accused of defrauding parliament.

 28 
Ruth First
(Author, Politician, University teacher, Writer, Journalist, Martyr, Political activist)
Ruth First
3
Birthdate: May 4, 1925
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Johannesburg
Died: August 17, 1982

South African activist/journalist Ruth First is remembered for her relentless fight against apartheid. Born to Latvian immigrants and founders of the South African Communist Party, First was later tried for treason and detained. While working at a Mozambican university in exile, she was assassinated in a parcel bomb attack

 29 
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
(Politician)
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
3
Birthdate: November 3, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Durban

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the UN Under-Secretary-General, was initially a teacher and has also worked at the World YWCA. A women’s rights activist, she works for gender equality and education and has established the Umlambo Foundation. She has also been the South African deputy president. Four of her five children are adopted.

 30 
Pik Botha
(Politician, Diplomat)
Pik Botha
3
Birthdate: April 27, 1932
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rustenburg

Pik Botha was a South African politician who was regarded as a liberal among other politicians of the National Party and the Afrikaner community. In 2013, he appeared in a TV show titled Question Time, in which he discussed the legacy of Nelson Mandela.

 31 
Mandla Mandela
(Politician)
Mandla Mandela
4
Birthdate: June 21, 1974
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Orlando, Soweto, South Africa

Mandla Mandela is a South African politician and the tribal chief of the Mvezo clan. He is best known as the grandson of the popular anti-apartheid revolutionary, Nelson Mandela. Mandla became the chief of the clan when he was just 32 years old and continues to represent the tribe on various political issues.

 32 
Helen Suzman
(Politician)
Helen Suzman
3
Birthdate: November 7, 1917
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Germiston
Died: January 1, 2009

Born to Lithuanian immigrants in South Africa, Helen Suzman studied commerce and economics, and initially worked as a statistician and a lecturer. A vocal anti-apartheid activist, she later worked for human rights causes and also oversaw the country’s first democratic election as an Independent Electoral Commission member.

 33 
Trevor Manuel
(Politician)
Trevor Manuel
3
Birthdate: January 31, 1956
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cape Town

South African politician and African National Congress member Trevor Manuel has been a cabinet minister under the first four South African presidents. A qualified civil engineer, he grew up being tagged as a "Cape Coloured" in the apartheid era. He remains one of the longest-serving finance ministers of the world.

 34 
Fana Mokoena
(South African Actor and Political Activist)
Fana Mokoena
3
Birthdate: May 13, 1971
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kroonstad, South Africa

Apart from appearing in films such as World War Z and Hotel Rwanda, South African actor Fana Mokoena has also been a member of the National Assembly of South Africa. He had a significant role in the series The LAB and is all set to appear in the drama Scandal!

 35 
Blade Nzimande
(Politician)
Blade Nzimande
3
Birthdate: April 14, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Edendale, KwaZulu-Natal

South African academic and anti-apartheid activist Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, or Blade Nzimande, is the current Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. The South African Communist Party leader boasts of a PhD in sociology. His books include Children of Wars, which speaks about the impact of violence on education.

 36 
Andries Pretorius
(Explorer)
Andries Pretorius
2
Birthdate: November 27, 1798
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Graaff-Reinet
Died: July 23, 1853

Boer leader Andries Pretorius was a chief force behind the creation of the South African Republic. He not only led the Great Trek from British-occupied Cape Colony but also defeated thousands of Zulus in the Battle of Blood. His negotiations with the British led to the Sand River Convention.

 37 
Christiaan de Wet
(Boer General, Rebel Leader and Politician)
Christiaan de Wet
2
Birthdate: October 7, 1854
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Smithfield, South Africa
Died: February 3, 1922

Christiaan de Wet was a Boer general, rebel leader, and politician. He served as a field cornet in the First Anglo-Boer War of 1880–81. Following the war, he became a member of the Volksraad. In the Second Boer War, he took part in the Siege of Ladysmith and the surprise attack on Sanna's Post near Bloemfontein. 

 38 
John Vorster
(4th State President of South Africa (1978 - 1979) and 7th Prime Minister of South Africa (1966 - 1978))
John Vorster
2
Birthdate: December 13, 1915
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Jamestown, South Africa
Died: September 10, 1983

South African politician John Vorster had served as both the prime minister and the president of his country. Born to an affluent sheep farmer, he initially practiced law. An apartheid supporter, he was the minister of justice during the Rivonia Trial and was later dragged into the Muldergate Scandal.

 39 
Albert John Luthuli
(President of African National Congress (ANC))
Albert John Luthuli
2
Birthdate: June 4, 1898
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Died: July 21, 1967

Nobel Prize-winning Zulu leader, non-violent anti-apartheid activist, and educator Albert John Luthuli, also known as Mvumbi, had led the African National Congress. Born in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, he lost his father at 10 and was raised by his washerwoman mother. He died when a freight train struck him.

 40 
John Langalibalele Dube
(South African Essayist, Novelist, Poet and Founding President of the South African Native National Congress)
John Langalibalele Dube
2
Birthdate: February 22, 1871
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Died: February 11, 1946

John Langalibalele Dube was a South African essayist, philosopher, politician, publisher, educator, editor, novelist, and poet. He served as the president of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) from 1912 to 1917. He felt strongly about human rights and founded the Inanda Seminary Institute for Girls. He was passionate about encouraging black people to launch their own businesses. 

 41 
Govan Mbeki
(Politician)
Govan Mbeki
2
Birthdate: July 9, 1910
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Transkei, South Africa
Died: August 30, 2001

African National Congress and South African Communist Party leader Govan Mbeki initially worked as a teacher but was fired from his job for his political activities. The anti-apartheid leader was a talented writer, too. He was also the father of Thabo Mbeki, who later served as the South African president.

 42 
Khama III
(Ngwato Chief)
Khama III
2
Birthdate: 1837 AD
Birthplace: Mosu, Botswana
Died: February 21, 1923

Khama III was the Kgosi (king) of the Bangwato people. He was also referred to by missionaries as Khama the Good and Khama the Great. As a young man, he had considerable wealth and was well-traveled. He also spoke fluent Dutch. He was baptized into the Lutheran church in 1860 and is remembered as the founder of a Christian state. 

 43 
Magnus Malan
(Former Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of South Africa)
Magnus Malan
2
Birthdate: January 30, 1930
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Pretoria, South Africa
Died: July 18, 2011

Magnus Malan was a South African military man and politician active during the last years of apartheid in South Africa. He joined the Permanent Force as a cadet and steadily rose through the ranks in the ensuing years. He began his political career in the 1980s. A controversial figure, he was allegedly involved in the KwaMakhutha massacre.

 44 
D. F. Malan
(4th Prime Minister of South Africa (1948 - 1954))
D. F. Malan
2
Birthdate: May 22, 1874
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Riebeeck West, South Africa
Died: February 7, 1959

D. F. Malan was a South African politician. He served as the prime minister of South Africa from 1948 to 1954. He became involved in National Party politics shortly after its formation. The party enforced racial segregation laws and implemented the system of apartheid. As the prime minister, he took steps to firmly lay down the foundations of apartheid. 

 45 
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
(Former President of the South African Republic (1866 - 1871))
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
2
Birthdate: September 17, 1819
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Graaff-Reinet, South Africa
Died: May 19, 1901

Apart from founding Pretoria, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius had also been the president of the South African Republic and of the Orange Free State. The son of the Great Trek leader Andries Pretorius, Marthinus attempted to unite the Boer factions but failed to do so and eventually retired.

 46 
Sol Plaatje
(South African Journalist, Linguist, Founding Member and First General Secretary of the 'South African Native National Congress')
Sol Plaatje
2
Birthdate: October 9, 1876
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Boshof, South Africa
Died: June 19, 1932
South African writer and journalist Sol Plaatje, known for his novel Mhudi, was well-versed in a number of languages, apart from his native Tswana. He founded what later became the African National Congress and made people across the globe aware of the plight of black Africans in his country.
 47 
Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
(Former Minister of Health of South Africa)
Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
2
Birthdate: October 9, 1940
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Durban, South Africa
Died: December 16, 2009

Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was a South African politician who served as the Deputy Minister of Justice from 1996 to 1999. She was appointed the minister of health under President Thabo Mbeki in 1999. She earned considerable criticism for suggesting the AIDS epidemic should be treated with easily accessible vegetables such as African potato, beetroot, and garlic rather than with antiretroviral medicines. 

 48 
Bruce Murray, 12th Duke of Atholl
(12th Duke of Atholl)
Bruce Murray, 12th Duke of Atholl
0
Birthdate: April 6, 1960
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Union of South Africa
 49 
Allan Boesak
(South African Church Cleric and Politician)
Allan Boesak
2
Birthdate: February 23, 1946
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kakamas, South Africa

Allan Boesak is a South African Dutch Reformed Church cleric and politician. He is also a prominent anti-apartheid activist. Along with Winnie Mandela and Beyers Naude, Boesak won the 1985 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. A liberation theologian, he has served as the president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. His career has been marred by many controversies. 

 50 
Andries Treurnicht
(Former Leader of the Opposition of the Republic of South Africa)
Andries Treurnicht
2
Birthdate: February 19, 1921
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Piketburg, South Africa
Died: April 22, 1993

Apart from being a journalist and a rugby player, Andries Treurnicht had also served as a Dutch Reformed Church minister for 14 years. While he initially led the National Party, he later established the Conservative Party. An apartheid supporter, he wanted a separate land for the whites in South Africa.