# List of alumni of Stellenbosch University

This is a list of notable alumni and staff of Stellenbosch University.

## Science

* James L Barnard, civil engineer and pioneer of biological nutrient removal in wastewater treatment
* Johannes Christiaan de Wet, legal scholar, professor, recognized as South Africa's most influential jurist.
* Friedel Sellschop, physicist and pioneer in the field of Nuclear physics.
* James Leonard Brierley Smith, ichthyologist, organic chemist and university professor. First to identify a taxidermied fish as a coelacanth, at the time thought long extinct.
* Leopoldt van Huyssteen, soil scientist.
* Lulu Latsky, first woman to earn a PhD at Stellenbosch (1930); zoologist and writer.
* Novel Njweipi Chegou, molecular biologist and winner of the Royal Society Africa Prize in 2022.
* Henda Swart, mathematician
* Taryn Young, physician and epidemiologist.

## Law

* Fritz Brand, judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa.
* Baron Steyn, British Law Lord, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary.
* John Dugard, professor of international law at Leiden University former member of the International Law Commission ad hoc judge of the International Court of Justice.
* Lourens Ackermann, former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
* Edwin Cameron, Rhodes scholar and justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
* Johan Froneman, lawyer and justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
* Jacob de Villiers, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1929 to 1932.
* Nicolaas Jacobus de Wet, politician, lawyer, and judge. Chief Justice of South Africa and acting Governor-General from 1943 to 1945.
* Henry Allan Fagan, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1957 to 1959.
* Monique Nsanzabaganwa, economist, politician and Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda.
* Lucas Cornelius Steyn, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1959 to 1971.
* Pieter Jacobus Rabie, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1982 to 1989.
* Barend van Niekerk, lawyer and academic.
* Pierre de Vos, constitutional law scholar.
* Brian Currin, human rights lawyer.
* Billy Downer, public prosecutor.

## Politics

* Naledi Pandor, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (South Africa).
* Sandra Botha, former Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly for the Democratic Alliance (South Africa).
* James Barry Munnik Hertzog, former Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa.
* Magnus André De Merindol Malan, last Minister of defence during the Apartheid era.
* Gerhard Tötemeyer, former Namibian Deputy Minister of Local and Regional Government and Housing.
* Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg, former leader of the Ossewabrandwag.
* Eben Dönges, South African politician who was elected State President of South Africa, but died before he could take office.
* Andries Treurnicht, politician, Minister of Education during the Soweto Riots, founded and led the Conservative Party of South Africa.
* Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
* Balthazar Johannes Vorster, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
* Daniel François Malan, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
* Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
* Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, former opposition politician who became chancellor of Stellenbosch University.
* Jan Smuts, former South African Prime Minister.

## Business

* Koos Bekker, businessman, billionaire chairman of Naspers.
* Sir David de Villiers Graaff, 3rd Baronet businessman.
* Markus Jooste, businessman and the former CEO of Steinhoff International.
* Christo Wiese, businessman, former billionaire, chairman of Shoprite (South Africa).
* Jan Steyn, judge and development leader.
* Beyers Naudé, theologian and anti-apartheid activist.
* Jannie Mouton, businessman, founder and chairman of PSG Group.
* Mark Patterson, private equity investor and founder of MatlinPatterson Global Advisors
* Johann Rupert, businessman and founding trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
* Japie van Zyl, deputy director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
* Ntsiki Biyela, winemaker and businesswomen.

## Sport

* Stuart Abbott, rugby player.
* Mari Rabie, Rhodes scholar, triathlete.
* Danie Craven, prominent Rugby player and sport administrator.
* Ashley Burdett, Zimbabwean cricketer
* Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia and Director of the Australian Open.
* Attie van Heerden, Olympian, rugby union, and rugby league footballer.
* Jonathan Trott, England Cricketer.
* Max Howell, Australian educator and rugby union player

## Arts and music

* Etienne Leroux, writer and member of the South African Sestigers literary movement.
* Paul Cilliers, philosopher and complexity theorist.
* Casper de Vries, actor and comedian.
* Abraham H. de Vries, writer.
* Liza Grobler, artist.
* Elsa Joubert, novelist.
* Uys Krige, playwright, poet and translator.
* Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven, poet who composed words of Afrikaner anthem Die Stem.
* Willim Welsyn, singer, songwriter, guitarist and podcaster.
* Rona Rupert, musician and author of 33 Afrikaans books.
* Johannes du Plessis Scholtz, philologist, art historian and art collector.
* Peet Pienaar, performance artist.
* Cromwell Everson, composer of the first Afrikaans opera.
* Zanne Stapelberg, opera singer.
* Tom Dreyer, novelist and poet writing in both English and Afrikaans.
* Deon van der Walt, opera singer.
* Ernst van Heerden, Afrikaans poet.
* Claudette Schreuders, sculptor and painter
* Karlien de Villiers, artist

## Academia

* Mark Nigrini, academic, accounting professor.
* Estian Calitz, economics professor.
* André du Pisani, political scientist and professor at University of Namibia.
* Sampie Terreblanche, former professor of economics at Stellenbosch and founder member of the Democratic Party.
* Hendrik W. (H.W.) van der Merwe founder of the Centre for Intergroup Studies, University of Cape Town.
* Marina Joubert, senior science communication researcher at Stellenbosch University
* Lydia Baumbach, classical scholar
* Gisela Sole, professor of physiotherapy at University of Otago in New Zealand

## Other

* Mike Horn, adventurer.
* Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari, political scientist.
* John Laredo, anti-apartheid campaigner.
* Riaan Cruywagen, newsreader and voice artist.
* Johan Degenaar, philosopher.
* Siegfried Ngubane, Anglican bishop.
* D. C. S. Oosthuizen, (Daantjie Oosthuizen), philosopher, Christian, critic of Apartheid.
* Vern Poythress, Calvinist philosopher and New Testament scholar.
* Martin Welz, investigative journalist and editor of South African investigative magazine Noseweek.
* Stefanus Gie, diplomat.
* Vuyokazi Mahlati, social entrepreneur, gender activist and global director of the International Women's Forum
* Max du Preez, author, columnist and the founding editor of Vrye Weekblad