33.9250° S, 18.4249° E

CAPE TOWN

Most Famous People Born in Cape Town, South Africa

Notable people
1,062
Peak decade
1980s
Median birth year
1970
Most distinctive
Cricket 10.4×

A city whose leaderboard is almost entirely cricket, and then everything else. The long shadow of South African Test cricket fills most of the top of the list — Newlands is one of the oldest Test grounds in the world and it shows — but the names that travel furthest come from the quieter corners: J. M. Coetzee, the 2003 Nobel laureate in literature; Abdullah Ibrahim, the pianist whose 'Mannenberg' became an unofficial anthem of the anti-apartheid movement; and Marlene Dumas, one of the highest-priced living painters anywhere. A surprising density of botanists too, drawn in by Kirstenbosch and the Cape Floral Kingdom on the city's doorstep.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Cape Town during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1980s with 230 notable births.

What Cape Town Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Player is Cape Town's biggest profession — 16% of all notables (166).

Cape Town over-indexes on cricket10.4× the global rate.

Cape Town under-produces politician — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Player166
  2. Cricket141
  3. Football136
  4. Politician61
  5. Actor38
  6. Sport25
  7. Writer22
  8. Singer22
  1. Cricket14110.4×
  2. Player1668.0×
  3. Botanist143.3×
  4. Judge132.6×
  5. Swimmer122.3×
  1. Politician610.5×
  2. Writer220.6×
  3. Actor380.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Cape Town's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

16501700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Film & TV
  • Other
All1,062
Sort By

1,062 notable people

0001 NOVELIST

J. M. Coetzee

Born 1940

Preview
0002 ACTOR

Johnny Flynn (musician)

Born 1983

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0003 POLITICIAN

Abba Eban

1915 - 2002

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0004 SCREENWRITER

Cecil Kellaway

1890 - 1973

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0005 COMPOSER

Trevor Jones (composer)

Born 1949

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0006 WRITER

Ronald Harwood

1934 - 2020

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0007 COMPOSER

Abdullah Ibrahim

Born 1934

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0008 PAINTER

Marlene Dumas

Born 1953

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0009 FOOTBALL

Benni McCarthy

Born 1977

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0010 SPRINT

Wayde van Niekerk

Born 1992

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0011 ACTOR

Ian Hunter (actor)

1900 - 1975

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0012 PSYCHIATRIST

David Cooper (psychiatrist)

1931 - 1986

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0013 WRITER

Chris Riddell

Born 1962

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0014 AUTHOR

Antony Sher

Born 1949

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0015 WRESTLER

Justin Gabriel

Born 1981

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0016 PRODUCER

Eddie Kramer

Born 1942

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0017 FOOTBALL

Quinton Fortune

Born 1977

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0018 CRICKET

Basil D'Oliveira

1931 - 2011

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0019 MATHEMATICIAN

Richard Borcherds

Born 1959

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0020 FOOTBALL

Mark Fish

Born 1974

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0021 AUTHOR

Laurence Oliphant (author)

1829 - 1888

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0022 KING

Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark

Born 1942

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0023 SWIMMER

Natalie du Toit

Born 1984

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0024 FOOTBALL

Anele Ngcongca

1987 - 2020

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0025 DRUMMER

Anton Fig

Born 1952

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0026 ZOOLOGIST

Solly Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman

1904 - 1993

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0027 ACTOR

Moira Lister

1923 - 2007

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0028 NOVELIST

Alex La Guma

1925 - 1985

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0029 GOLF

Trevor Immelman

Born 1979

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0030 FOOTBALL

Dean Furman

Born 1988

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0031 FEMINIST

Diana E. H. Russell

1938 - 2020

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0032 ACTOR

Jimmy Makulis

1935 - 2007

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0033 ACTOR

Lesley-Ann Brandt

Born 1981

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0034 PLAYER

Herschelle Gibbs

Born 1974

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0035 AUTHOR

Roland Huntford

Born 1927

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0036 ACTOR

Hazel Brooks

1924 - 2002

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0037 MODEL

Reeva Steenkamp

1983 - 2013

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0038 DUKE

Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton

1919 - 2011

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0039 ACTOR

Bill Kerr

1922 - 2014

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0040 SONGWRITER

Alice Phoebe Lou

Born 1993

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0041 CARICATURIST

Jonathan Shapiro

Born 1958

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0042 PLAYER

Francois Louw

Born 1985

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0043 PLAYER

Morné Steyn

Born 1984

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0044 FOOTBALL

Nasief Morris

Born 1981

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0045 ACTOR

Jonny Pasvolsky

Born 1972

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0046 ECONOMIST

Emanuel Derman

Born 1946

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0047 FOOTBALL

Shaun Bartlett

Born 1972

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0048 CIVIL RIGHTS

Denis Goldberg

1933 - 2020

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0049 PHOTOGRAPHER

Pieter Hugo

Born 1976

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0050 FOOTBALL

Moeneeb Josephs

Born 1980

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0051 ATHLETE

Simon Lessing

Born 1971

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0052 COMPOSER

John Joubert (composer)

1927 - 2019

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0053 SPY

Sylvia Raphael

1937 - 2005

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0054 FOOTBALL

Ryan De Vries

Born 1991

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0055 FOOTBALL

Lance Davids

Born 1985

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0056 FILM

Oliver Schmitz

Born 1960

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0057 POLITICIAN

Trevor Manuel

Born 1956

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0058 POLITICIAN

Johannes Brand

1823 - 1888

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0059 POLITICIAN

Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (1894–1948)

1894 - 1948

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0060 MUSIC

Pogo (musician)

Born 1988

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0061 FILM

Henry Cornelius

1913 - 1958

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0062 COMEDIAN

Pieter-Dirk Uys

Born 1945

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0063 ACTOR

Stelio Savante

Born 1970

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0064 PLAYER

Dan Vickerman

1979 - 2017

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0065 POET

Jeremy Cronin

Born 1949

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0066 WRITER

Koos Kombuis

Born 1954

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0067 PLAYER

Piet Norval

Born 1970

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0068 MILITAR

Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce

Born 1943

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0069 ACTOR

Jodi Balfour

Born 1987

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0070 FOOTBALL

Eddie Firmani

Born 1933

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0071 SURVIVOR

Edith Haisman

1896 - 1997

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0072 PLAYER

Eben Etzebeth

Born 1991

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0073 ACTOR

Kim Engelbrecht

Born 1980

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0074 FOOTBALL

Andre Arendse

Born 1967

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0075 SINGER

Anza (singer)

Born 1976

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0076 PAINTER

Leon Botha

1985 - 2011

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0077 PLAYER

Neil Broad

Born 1966

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0078 PHOTOGRAPHER

Robin Rhode

Born 1976

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0079 FOOTBALL

Darren Keet

Born 1989

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0080 POLITICIAN

De Villiers Graaff

1913 - 1999

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0081 PHYSICIAN

Joseph J. Sandler

1927 - 1998

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0082 CRICKET

Gary Kirsten

Born 1967

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0083 CRICKET

JP Duminy

Born 1984

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0084 FOOTBALL

Ayanda Patosi

Born 1992

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0085 PLAYER

Marcello Fiasconaro

Born 1949

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0086 SWIMMER

Sarah Poewe

Born 1983

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0087 ATHLETE

Richard Murray (triathlete)

Born 1989

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0088 MUSIC

Louis Moholo

Born 1940

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0089 POLITICIAN

Colin Eglin

1925 - 2013

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0090 ACTOR

Sybil Jason

1927 - 2011

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0091 WRITER

Richard Rive

1931 - 1989

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0092 ACTOR

Sean Cameron Michael

Born 1969

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0093 INTERPRETER

Krotoa

1643 - 1674

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0094 FILM

Michael Oblowitz

Born 1952

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0095 FOOTBALL

Thembinkosi Fanteni

Born 1984

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0096 MILITAR

Billy Butlin

1899 - 1980

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0097 JOURNALIST

Margaret Gardiner (beauty queen)

Born 1959

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0098 POLITICIAN

P. K. van der Byl

1923 - 1999

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0099 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Dorothea Bleek

1873 - 1948

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0100 POLITICIAN

Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (Onze Jan)

1845 - 1909

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0101 MUSIC

Andrew Porter (music critic)

1928 - 2015

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0102 BOXER

Mike Bernardo

1967 - 2012

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0103 PAINTER

Anton Kannemeyer

Born 1967

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0104 PLAYER

Damian de Allende

Born 1991

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0105 POLITICIAN

Gerrit Viljoen

1926 - 2009

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0106 RESEARCH

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

Born 1955

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0107 SWIMMER

Tamsin Cook

Born 1998

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0108 CRICKET

Andy Flower

Born 1968

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0109 SINGER

Robert Schneider

Born 1971

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0110 WRITER

Alan Scholefield

Born 1931

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0111 PLAYER

Pieter-Steph du Toit

Born 1992

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0112 PLAYER

Neil de Kock

Born 1978

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0113 EXPLORER

James Chapman (explorer)

1831 - 1872

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0114 HISTORIAN

Rhys Isaac

1937 - 2010

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0115 POLITICIAN

Clive Derby-Lewis

1936 - 2016

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0116 PLAYER

James Small (rugby player)

1969 - 2019

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0117 FOOTBALL

Sameehg Doutie

Born 1989

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0118 RUNNER

Ryan Sandes

Born 1982

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0119 COMPOSER

Victor Hely-Hutchinson

1901 - 1947

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0120 SWIMMER

Karl Otto Thaning

Born 1977

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0121 FILM

Lloyd Phillips

1949 - 2013

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0122 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Glynn Isaac

1937 - 1985

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0123 CRICKET

Jonathan Trott

Born 1981

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0124 ASTRONOMER

Alexander Stewart Herschel

1836 - 1907

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0125 GOLF

David Frost (golfer)

Born 1959

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0126 COLLECTOR

Florence, Lady Phillips

1863 - 1940

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0127 PRIEST

Denis Hurley (bishop)

1915 - 2004

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0128 JOURNALIST

A. R. Colquhoun

1848 - 1914

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0129 POLITICIAN

Zach de Beer

1928 - 1999

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0130 SINGER

Laurika Rauch

Born 1950

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0131 PLAYER

Tamaryn Hendler

Born 1992

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0132 ATHLETE

Mari Rabie

Born 1986

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0133 ANTHROPOLOGIST

David Lewis-Williams

Born 1934

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0134 POET

James Matthews (writer)

Born 1929

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0135 ACTOR

Jenny Runacre

Born 1946

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0136 SINGER

Louise Carver (South African singer)

Born 1979

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0137 FOOTBALL

Abbubaker Mobara

Born 1994

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0138 CRICKET

Paul Adams (cricketer)

Born 1977

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0139 MATHEMATICIAN

O. Timothy O'Meara

1928 - 2018

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0140 ARTIST

Nicholas Hlobo

Born 1975

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0141 OPERA

Deon van der Walt

1958 - 2005

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0142 POLITICIAN

Abraham Fischer

1850 - 1913

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0143 FOOTBALL

Thabo Mngomeni

Born 1969

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0144 NOVELIST

Barbara Trapido

Born 1941

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0145 COMPOSER

Nico Carstens

1926 - 2016

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0146 SCULPTOR

Michael Gitlin

Born 1943

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0147 BOXER

Jan Nortje

Born 1975

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0148 PLAYER

Lloyd Harris (tennis)

Born 1997

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0149 COMPOSER

Hendrik Hofmeyr

Born 1957

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0150 POLITICIAN

Tielman Roos

1879 - 1935

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0151 SPORT

Johann van Zyl

Born 1991

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0152 ATHLETIC

Antonio Alkana

Born 1990

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0153 PLAYER

Silvino Francisco

Born 1946

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0154 SINGER

Geneviève Waïte

1948 - 2019

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0155 MUSIC

AKA (rapper)

Born 1988

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0156 PLAYER

Dylan Sage

Born 1992

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0157 PLAYER

Jesse Kriel

Born 1994

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0158 PLAYER

Robbie Fleck

Born 1975

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0159 ARTIST

Berni Searle

Born 1964

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0160 PLAYWRIGHT

Nicholas Wright (playwright)

Born 1940

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0161 PLAYER

Juandré Kruger

Born 1985

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0162 SPORT

Nicholas Dlamini

Born 1995

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0163 SINGER

Fallon Bowman

Born 1983

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0164 SCULPTOR

Michael Bolus

1934 - 2013

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0165 PLAYER

Kyle Brown (rugby union)

Born 1987

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0166 WRITER

Henrietta Rose-Innes

Born 1971

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0167 FOOTBALL

Shu-Aib Walters

Born 1981

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0168 FOOTBALL

Brian Stein

Born 1957

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0169 FOOTBALL

Bevan Fransman

Born 1983

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0170 ROWER

James Thompson (rower)

Born 1986

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0171 POET

Finuala Dowling

Born 1962

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0172 PIANIST

Paul Hanmer

Born 1961

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0173 JUDGE

Johan Steyn, Baron Steyn

1932 - 2017

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0174 PHOTOGRAPHER

Mikhael Subotzky

Born 1981

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0175 FOOTBALL

Mark Williams (South African footballer)

Born 1966

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0176 PLAYER

Justin Geduld

Born 1993

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0177 AUTHOR

Andrew Feinstein

Born 1964

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0178 FILM

Jeremy Hotz

Born 1963

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0179 WRESTLER

Trevor Prangley

Born 1972

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0180 WRITER

Mary Watson (author)

Born 1975

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0181 POLITICIAN

Ronald Campbell Gunn

1808 - 1881

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0182 PLAYER

Ruan Roelofse

Born 1989

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0183 PLAYER

Courtnall Skosan

Born 1991

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0184 MUSIC

Robbie Jansen

1949 - 2010

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0185 ACTOR

Yvonne Bryceland

1925 - 1992

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0186 CRICKET

Temba Bavuma

Born 1990

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0187 PLAYER

Stuart Abbott

Born 1978

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0188 ACTOR

Riaad Moosa

Born 1977

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0189 FOOTBALL

Tashreeq Morris

Born 1994

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0190 SPORT

David George (cyclist)

Born 1976

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0191 POLITICIAN

Richard Spring, Baron Risby

Born 1946

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0192 PLAYER

Fraser Waters

Born 1976

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0193 NOVELIST

Dorothea Fairbridge

1862 - 1931

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0194 FOOTBALL

Alex Bell

1882 - 1934

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0195 WRITER

Mike Nicol

Born 1951

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0196 SINGER

Aleah Stanbridge

1976 - 2016

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0197 PLAYER

Stefan Kruger

Born 1966

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0198 PLAYER

Dion O'Cuinneagain

Born 1972

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0199 FOOTBALL

Granwald Scott

Born 1987

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0200 PRESENTER

Jo-Ann Strauss

Born 1981

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0201 FOOTBALL

Nathan Paulse

Born 1982

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0202 POLITICIAN

Ebrahim Patel

Born 1962

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0203 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

David Forsyth (computer scientist)

-

Preview
0204 FOOTBALL

Danleigh Borman

Born 1985

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0205 JUDGE

Lennie Hoffmann, Baron Hoffmann

Born 1934

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0206 PLAYER

Marius Barnard (tennis)

Born 1969

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0207 BADMINTON

Dorian James

Born 1981

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0208 FOOTBALL

Daniel Ellensohn

Born 1985

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0209 POET

Robin Hyde

1906 - 1939

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0210 MILITAR

Louis Bols

1867 - 1930

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0211 FOOTBALL

David Kannemeyer

Born 1977

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0212 PLAYER

Chris Dry

Born 1988

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0213 BOXER

Mzonke Fana

Born 1973

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0214 PLAYER

Benjamin de Jager

Born 1980

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0215 PAINTER

Ansel Krut

Born 1959

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0216 FOOTBALL

Mark Stein (footballer)

Born 1966

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0217 ACTOR

Wensley Pithey

1914 - 1993

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0218 BOTANIST

Edwin Percy Phillips

1884 - 1967

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0219 BOTANIST

Margaret Levyns

1890 - 1975

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0220 CANOE

Robin Bell

Born 1977

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0221 FOOTBALL

Asavela Mbekile

Born 1986

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0222 CRICKET

Alfonso Thomas

Born 1977

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0223 PLAYER

Ross Geldenhuys

Born 1983

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0224 POET

Rozena Maart

Born 1962

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0225 NEUROSCIENTIST

Michael R. Hayden

Born 1951

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0226 NOVELIST

Cherry Adair

Born 1951

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0227 JOURNALIST

Serge F. Kovaleski

Born 1961

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0228 FILM

Rayda Jacobs

Born 1947

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0229 PHYSICIST

Jeffrey Bub

Born 1942

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0230 MEDICAL

Adolphe Abrahams

1883 - 1967

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0231 COMPOSER

Harry Miller (jazz bassist)

1941 - 1983

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0232 PRIEST

Owen McCann

1907 - 1994

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0233 PLAYER

Gaffie du Toit

Born 1976

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0234 ACTOR

Gray Hofmeyr

Born 1949

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0235 POET

Karen Press

Born 1956

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0236 PLAYER

Louis Koen (rugby player)

Born 1975

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0237 MATHEMATICIAN

Sylvia Wiegand

Born 1945

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0238 SKATER

Rudi Swiegers

Born 1987

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0239 PAINTER

Gregoire Boonzaier

1909 - 2005

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0240 CRICKET

Shabnim Ismail

Born 1988

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0241 SPORT

Darren Lill

Born 1982

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0242 MUSIC

Basil Coetzee

1944 - 1998

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0243 PLAYER

Brigitte Cuypers

Born 1955

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0244 NAVY

John Maclear

1838 - 1907

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0245 DARTS PLAYER

Devon Petersen

Born 1986

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0246 POET

Stephen Watson (poet)

1954 - 2011

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0247 PLAYER

Rob Louw

Born 1955

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0248 POET

Stephen Gray (writer)

1941 - 2020

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0249 CRICKET

Clive van Ryneveld

1928 - 2018

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0250 FOOTBALL

Franklin Cale

Born 1983

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0251 PLAYER

Rob Herring (rugby union)

Born 1990

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0252 POLITICIAN

Peter Gwynn-Jones

1940 - 2010

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0253 CRICKET

Damian D'Oliveira

1960 - 2014

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0254 ACTOR

Sally Farmiloe

1954 - 2014

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0255 FOOTBALL

Nazeer Allie

Born 1985

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0256 ARCHAEOLOGIST

Peter Garlake

1934 - 2011

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0257 BOXER

Virgil Kalakoda

Born 1979

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0258 CRICKET

Tom Curran (cricketer)

Born 1995

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0259 ATHLETIC

Janice Josephs

Born 1982

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0260 FOOTBALL

Fagrie Lakay

Born 1997

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0261 THEOLOGIAN

Robert Hamerton-Kelly

1938 - 2013

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0262 FOOTBALL

Jermaine Seoposenwe

Born 1993

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0263 PLAYER

Tanya Harford

Born 1958

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0264 COMPOSER

Brenton Brown

Born 1973

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0265 COMPOSER

Lindley Evans

1895 - 1982

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0266 BLOGGER

Winston Sterzel

Born 1980

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0267 HISTORIAN

William Beinart

Born 1951

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0268 FOOTBALL

Haashim Domingo

Born 1995

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0269 FOOTBALL

Jody February

Born 1996

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0270 POLE VAULTER

Elmarie Gerryts

Born 1972

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0271 DRUMMER

Makaya Ntshoko

Born 1939

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0272 LAWYER

Alex Boraine

1931 - 2018

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0273 POLITICIAN

Cheryl Carolus

Born 1958

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0274 ACTOR

Francis Chouler

-

Preview
0275 POLITICIAN

Ebrahim Rasool

Born 1962

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0276 CONDUCTOR

Stefan Temmingh

Born 1978

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0277 BOTANIST

Peter Vincent Bruyns

Born 1957

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0278 MUSIC

McCoy Mrubata

Born 1959

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0279 POLITICIAN

Harry Lawrence

1901 - 1973

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0280 MUSIC

Morris Goldberg

Born 1936

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0281 DIPLOMAT

Michael Comay

1908 - 1987

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0282 BOTANIST

Richard Arnold Dümmer

1887 - 1922

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0283 FILM

Antony Hoffman

-

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0284 SPORT

Anke Erlank

Born 1977

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0285 ACTOR

Donald Randolph

1906 - 1993

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0286 ROWER

Donovan Cech

Born 1974

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0287 BOTANIST

Edith Layard Stephens

1884 - 1966

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0288 FOOTBALL

Bradley August

Born 1978

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0289 ECONOMIST

Johannes de Villiers Graaff

1928 - 2015

Preview
0290 HISTORIAN

Shula Marks

Born 1938

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0291 SPORT

James Lewis Perry

Born 1979

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0292 FOOTBALL

Jerome Damon

Born 1972

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0293 PLAYER

Bolla Conradie

Born 1978

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0294 CRICKET

Beuran Hendricks

Born 1990

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0295 POLITICIAN

Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula

Born 1956

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0296 ROWER

Rupert Obholzer

Born 1970

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0297 POLITICIAN

Derek Hanekom

Born 1953

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0298 SINGER

Liza Brönner

Born 1989

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0299 ARCHITECT

Shirley Blumberg

Born 1952

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0300 PLAYER

Shaun Payne

Born 1972

Preview