List of alumni of Stellenbosch University

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

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

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