It’s often said that making money is easy – once you already have some.
For South Africa’s wealthiest businessmen, that truth is backed by decades of compound interest, strategic investments, and in some cases, well-timed inheritances.
The concept of compound interest is so powerful that it’s been dubbed the “eighth wonder of the world.”
And for those who know how to wield it – especially from an early starting point – the rewards are astronomical.
As the saying goes, “the rich get richer,” and in South Africa, a select group of men has taken that maxim to new heights.
Their billions have been built across industries ranging from mining and banking to tech, retail, and media- and their wealth continues to grow, both locally and globally.
If you’re wondering how much we’re talking about, let’s just say: it’s enough to make your calculator overheat.
Richest in South Africa
Here are South Africa’s richest men – and how they made (and keep making) their fortunes.
According to Forbes’ real-time tracking of billionaires, Johann Rupert and his family are the richest in South Africa, with a net worth of $13.6 billion.
The Ruperts are followed by diamond magnate Nicky Oppenheimer, who boasts a net worth of $10.5 billion.
They are followed by Koos Bekker, Patrice Motsepe, Michiel Le Roux, Jannie Mouton and Christo Wiese.
South Africa’s seven dollar billionaires all made their money in different ways – from luxury goods, diamonds, mining, media, banking and retail.
Last week, Rupert was the big ‘loser’ as his net worth fell by $900 million (R15.9 billion).
Bekker and Motsepe both added $100 million (R1.77 billion) to their net worths.
Cumulatively, South Africa’s seven dollar billionaires are worth $37.3 billion (R661 billion).
Meanwhile, in terms of the overall world list, South Africa-born Elon Musk remains the world’s richest person with a reported $413.2 billion.
Below, the list of the top seven richest South Africans in the world as of 21 July 2025.
| Rank | Name | Last week | This week | Source |
| 190 | Johann Rupert & family | $14.5bn | $13.6bn | Luxury goods |
| 279 | Nicky Oppenheimer & family | $10.5bn | $10.5bn | Diamonds |
| 1 045 | Koos Bekker | $3.6bn | $3.7bn | Media, investments |
| 1 148 | Patrice Motsepe | $3.3bn | $3.4bn | Mining |
| 1 502 | Michiel Le Roux | $2.6bn | $2.6bn | Banking |
| 2 045 | Jannie Mouton & family | $1.8bn | $1.8bn | Retail |
| 2 179 | Christo Wiese | $1.7bn | $1.7bn | Financial services |
| TOTAL | $38bn | $37.3bn |
How far off are YOU from joining this list of South African dollar billionaires?
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