Great South Africans is a South African television series that aired on SABC3. It was hosted by Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu and Denis Beckett. In September 2004, thousands of South Africans took part in an informal nationwide poll under the series to determine the "100 Greatest South Africans" of all time. Votes were cast by telephone, SMS, and the website of the state-run South African Broadcasting Corporation television channel, SABC3, which aired a series of profiles and documentaries in the weeks leading up to the announcement of the top 100. The programme was modelled on the BBC's Greatest Britons series.
In South Africa, the list was headed by Nelson Mandela, a symbol of post-apartheid liberation and reconciliation. Other popular choices ranged from Professor Christiaan Barnard, a heart surgeon, to General Jan Smuts, wartime Prime Minister and co-founder of the League of Nations, to Shaka Zulu, the a 19th century warrior leader of the Zulu Kingdom, to Internet entrepreneur and civilian space traveller Mark Shuttleworth.
Two days after the list was announced, Nelson Mandela had already received several thousands of votes more than any other candidate.
Controversy At the time when the competition was announced, in June 2004, the SABC gave the assurance that the South African show would not ban certain political figures, as was the case in the German version which banned Nazis from the list. They soon came to regret their decision when the SABC became embroiled in a national controversy over the high rankings accorded to some South Africans who were less widely regarded as "great".
For example, Hendrik Verwoerd, the "Architect of Apartheid", ranked higher on the list than Albert Luthuli, South Africa's first Nobel Peace laureate, or Chris Hani, a famous anti-apartheid activist. Also present on the list was Eugène Terre'Blanche, the head of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging.
Other controversial choices included an 11th placing for Hansie Cronje, the now-disgraced former captain of the South African cricket team, who admitted to taking bribes to influence the outcome of test matches.
On 14 October, the SABC announced that the show was being cancelled, leaving positions 2 to 10 still formally undecided.
Letter columns in some newspapers called the show a farce and used the term "whites with cellphones" to explain the presence of Hendrik Verwoerd and Eugène Terre'Blanche high on the rankings. This view was rebutted by Afrikaans singer-songwriter Steve Hofmeyr who pointed out that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist who was convicted of fraud post-apartheid, scored high on the list as well. According to Peter Matlare, CEO of the SABC, the show was stopped because "wider participation in the voting process" was necessary.
When the competition was announced, the SABC defined a Great South African as someone who contributed to the "country's life and development". When the show was stopped, the SABC claimed that their definition of a Great South African was actually someone who contributed to South Africa's development "and the promotion of humanity" and the fact that quite a few people on the list did not fit this description contributed to the decision to stop the show.
The list This is the original list of "100 Greatest South Africans", with positions 2 to 10 still to be confirmed by public vote, before the show was taken off the air:
No. Name D.O.B. – D.O.D. Role 1. Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) first president of post-Apartheid South Africa and joint Nobel Peace Prize winner 2. Christiaan Barnard (1922–2001) pioneering heart transplant surgeon 3. Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) political activist 4. Nkosi Johnson (1989–2001) child HIV/AIDS activist who died of the disease 5. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (1936–2018) politician and second wife of Nelson Mandela 6. Thabo Mbeki (1942–) second president of post-Apartheid South Africa 7. Gary Player (1935–) golfer 8. Jan Smuts (1870–1950) statesman and philosopher 9. Desmond Tutu (1931–2021) cleric and Nobel Peace Prize winner 10. Hansie Cronje (1969–2002) cricketer 11. Charlize Theron (1975–) actress and Academy Award winner 14. Steve Biko (1946–1977) political activist 15. Shaka Zulu (1787–1828) founder of the Zulu nation 16. Mangosuthu Buthelezi (1928–2023) politician and a Zulu prince 17. Tony Leon (1956–) politician 18. Brenda Fassie (1964–2004) singer 19. Mark Shuttleworth (1973–) Web entrepreneur, founder of Thawte, distributor of Ubuntu Linux and second fee paying space tourist 20. Hendrik Verwoerd (1901–1966) former prime minister and primary architect of Apartheid 21. Chris Hani (1942–1993) political activist who was Secretary General of the SACP when he was assassinated 22. Bonginkosi Dlamini (1977–) also known as "Zola", poet, actor and musician 22. Patricia de Lille (1951–) politician 23. Johnny Clegg (1953–2019) also known as "The White Zulu", musician 24. Helen Suzman (1917–2009) stateswoman 25. Eugène Terre'Blanche (1941–2010) founder of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging 26. Pieter-Dirk Uys (1945–) political satirist and entertainer 27. Paul Kruger (1825–1904) four times president of South African Republic 28. Anton Rupert (1916–2006) businessman and environmentalist 29. Jonty Rhodes (1969–) cricketer 30. Leon Schuster (1951–) filmmaker, comedian, actor and prankster (entertainer) 31. Oliver Tambo (1917–1993) political activist who spent 30 years in exile 32. Steve Hofmeyr (1964–) musician and actor 33. Walter Sisulu (1912–2003) political activist 34. Cyril Ramaphosa (1952–) politician, businessman, and anti-apartheid activist; later served as president of South Africa 35. J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973) English author, wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings; born in Bloemfontein 36. Beyers Naude (1915–2004) cleric and anti-apartheid activist 37. Ernie Els (1969–) golfer 38. Miriam Makeba (1932–2008) musician 39. Patrice Motsepe (1962–) businessman 40. Trevor Manuel (1956–) draftsman, minister of finance and politician 41. Albert Luthuli (1898–1967) cleric, politician and 1960 Nobel Peace Prize winner 42. Robert Sobukwe (1924–1978) former political activist and founder of the PAC 43. Tokyo Sexwale (1953–) politician and businessman 44. Danny Jordaan (1951–) politician and soccer administrator 45. Fatima Meer (1928–2010) scientist and political activist 46. Ahmed Kathrada (1929–2017) political activist 47. Joe Slovo (1926–1995) communist politician 48. Natalie du Toit (1984–) disabled Olympic swimmer 49. Jomo Sono (1955–) soccer coach 50. Francois Pienaar (1967–) captain of the Springboks, the winning team in the 1995 Rugby World Cup 51. John Kani (1943–) actor, entertainer, writer, and Tony Award Winner 52. Penny Heyns (1974–) Olympic swimmer 53. Jeremy Mansfield (1963–2022) radio and TV personality 54. Lucas Radebe (1969–) former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United soccer captain 55. Mamphela Ramphele (1947–) political activist, academic, businesswoman and mother to the son of Steve Biko 56. Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902) businessman and Prime Minister of the Cape Colony 57. Albertina Sisulu (1918–2011) political activist and wife of Walter Sisulu 58. Aggrey Klaaste (1940–2004) journalist and editor who advocated Nation Building during the struggle years 59. Alan Paton (1903–1988) author 60. Harry Oppenheimer (1908–2000) businessman 61. Zackie Achmat (1962–) HIV positive AIDS activist and critic of government AIDS policies 62. Doctor Khumalo (1967–) soccer player 63. Jan van Riebeeck (1619–1677) first colonial administrator 64. Bruce Fordyce (1955–) ultra-marathon runner 65. Enoch Sontonga (1873–1905) teacher, lay-preacher and composer; wrote "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" 66. Zola Budd (1966–) athlete 67. Sol Plaatje (1877–1932) journalist and political activist 68. Danie Craven (1910–1994) rugby player and administrator 69. Alan Boesak (1946–) cleric and politician 70. Felicia Mabuza-Suttle (1950–) talk show host, public speaker and businesswoman 71. Yvonne Chaka Chaka (1965–) musician 72. "Baby" Jake Matlala (1962–2013) boxer and junior flyweight champion 73. Kaizer Motaung (1944–) founder of Kaizer Chiefs Football Club 74. Basetsana Kumalo (1974–) former Miss South Africa, presenter and businesswoman 75. Antjie Krog (1952–) poet, novelist and playwright 76. Dullah Omar (1934–2004) politician 77. Mandoza (1978–2016) musician 78. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (1949–) Politician and activist. Jacob Zuma's ex-wife 79. Raymond Ackerman (1931–2023) businessman 80. Nadine Gordimer (1923–2014) 1991 Nobel Prize-winning author 81. Daniel François Malan (1874–1959) former Prime Minister responsible for laying the groundwork for Apartheid 82. Frederik van Zyl Slabbert (1940–2010) politician 83. James Barry Munnik Hertzog (1866–1942) former Prime Minister 84. Hector Pieterson (1963–1976) young boy whose death has become the symbol of the Soweto uprising of June 1976 85. Sewsunker "Papwa" Sewgolum (1930–1978) golfer 86. William Smith (1939–2021) TV teacher and presenter 87. P. W. Botha (1916–2006) former prime minister and state president 88. Hugh Masekela (1939–2018) musician 89. Bulelani Ngcuka (1954–) politician 90. Jody Scheckter (1950–) Formula One world champion 91. George Bizos (1928–2020) lawyer 92. Mbongeni Ngema (1954–2023) playwright, actor, choreographer and director 93. PJ Powers (1960–) musician 94. Mimi Coertse (1932–2026) musician 95. Mrs Ples (2 million BC) Australopithecus africanus; the oldest hominid skull found at Sterkfontein cave 96 Abdullah Ibrahimaka "Dollar Brand" (1934–2026) musician 96. Govan Mbeki (1910–2001) political activist and father of Thabo Mbeki 97. Jamie Uys (1921–1996) film director 98. JH Pierneef (1886–1957) artist 99. Tebogo Modjadji-Kekana (1977–) globally recognised philanthropist and a Royal Princess 100. Athol Fugard (1932–2025) playwright
Other editions Other countries have produced similar shows; see Greatest Britons spin-offs
See also List of South Africans They Shaped Our Century, a survey by Media24 in 1999 about 100 most influential South Africans (and people associated with South Africa) of the twentieth century
References
External links Competition axed