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

0901 EDUCATOR

Mandisa Monakali

-

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0902 WRITER

CA Davids

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0903 WRESTLER

Johnny Palazzio

Born 1980

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0904 JOURNALIST

Mark Gleeson (journalist)

Born 1964

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0905 PLAYER

Harold Karele

Born 1971

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0906 SCHOLAR

E. Thomas Lawson

-

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0907 SPORT

Ronnie Turner

Born 1911

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0908 PLAYER

Polla Roux

Born 1973

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0909 BASKET

Christopher Gabriel

Born 1988

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0910 PLAYER

François van Schouwenburg

Born 1979

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0911 MUSIC

Steven McKellar

-

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0912 PLAYER

Frank Mellish

1897 - 1965

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0913 FOOTBALL

Ayabulela Magqwaka

Born 1996

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0914 CRICKET

Wilf Diedricks

1945 - 2009

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0915 COSTUME DESIGNER

Dianna Cilliers

Born 1959

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0916 PLAYER

Dave Stewart (rugby à XV)

Born 1935

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0917 PHOTOGRAPHER

Svea Josephy

Born 1969

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0918 PLAYER

Gino Lupini

Born 1994

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0919 FILM

Amr Singh

Born 1985

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0920 CRICKET

Michael Loubser

Born 1990

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0921 CRICKET

Nikolai Smith

Born 1993

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0922 ATHLETIC

Clifford Davis (athlete)

1900 - 1974

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0923 MEMBER OF THE COURT

Petrus Johannes Truter

1747 - 1825

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0924 PLAYER

Josh Katzen

Born 1992

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0925 WRESTLER

Robin B. Smith

Born 1955

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0926 PLAYER

Ghafoer Luckan

Born 1985

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0927 PLAYER

Steve White-Cooper

Born 1974

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0928 CRICKET

Siya Simetu

Born 1991

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0929 PLAYER

Frania Gillen-Buchert

Born 1981

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0930 CRICKET

Lenert van Wyk

Born 1989

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0931 CRICKET

Junaid Dawood

Born 1996

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0932 ROWER

David Porzig

Born 1974

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0933 PALAEONTOLOGIST

Daniel Rossouw Kannemeyer

1843 - 1925

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0934 CRICKET

Stanley Collins

1909 - 1993

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0935 BANK

Stanley Grove Spiro

1900 - 1948

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0936 CRICKET

Soyisile Pono

Born 1994

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0937 BUSINESS

Gerhard de Kock

1935 - 1989

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0938 CRICKET

Hennie de Wet

Born 1989

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0939 CRICKET

Jeff Luck

Born 1956

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0940 PLAYER

Michael Bernardt

Born 1993

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0941 CRICKET

Murray Commins

Born 1997

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0942 CRICKET

Hanno Kotze

Born 1994

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0943 CRICKET

Brett Matthews (cricketer)

1962 - 2013

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0944 CRICKET

Richard Morris (South African cricketer)

Born 1947

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0945 ATHLETIC

George Hazle

1924 - 2011

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0946 PLAYER

Mike Lawless

Born 1941

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0947 CRICKET

Victor Xulu

Born 1983

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0948 BUSINESS

Damien Fahrenfort

Born 1986

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0949 JUDGE

Jacobus de Wet

1838 - 1900

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0950 CRICKET

Vincent Costello

1906 - 1979

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0951 CONDUCTOR

Albert Horne

Born 1980

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0952 ALLENATORE

Danie de Villiers

Born 1972

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0953 FOOTBALL

Albert Uytenbogaardt

Born 1930

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0954 CRICKET

Karl Nieuwoudt

Born 1988

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0955 CRICKET

Dal Collins

1907 - 2001

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0956 PLAYER

Morgan Newman

Born 1986

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0957 BOWLER

Eric Johannes

Born 1962

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0958 FOOTBALL

Tony Whitson

1885 - 1945

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0959 CRICKET

Andrew Durham

Born 1982

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0960 HOCKEY

Deen Magmoed

Born 1990

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0961 CRICKET

James Cameron-Dow

Born 1990

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0962 JOURNALIST

Frederick Charles Fripp

Born 1981

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0963 CRICKET

Mathew Christensen

Born 1996

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0964 CRICKET

Chris Stephens (cricketer)

Born 1948

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0965 POLITICIAN

Ruth Grossenbacher

Born 1936

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0966 FOOTBALL

Masonwabe Maseti

Born 1987

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0967 CRICKET

Donovan Henry

Born 1978

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0968 CRICKET

Gustave Verheyen

1880 - 1951

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0969 SPORT

Jeremy Maartens

Born 1979

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0970 HOCKEY

Uthman Samaai

Born 1993

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0971 HOCKEY

Luke Carelse

Born 1993

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0972 CRICKET

Jesse Christensen

Born 1998

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0973 CRICKET

Zakir Kathrada

Born 1991

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0974 CRICKET

David Whitefield

1936 - 2014

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0975 CRICKET

Neville Lakay

1938 - 2015

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0976 CRICKET

Francois Drummer

1938 - 2015

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0977 SWIMMER

Lynette Cooper

Born 1944

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0978 CRICKET

David Eaton (cricketer)

1934 - 2012

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0979 ENTREPRENEUR

Saville Kellner

Born 1961

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0980 CRICKET

Jeff Wolhuter

Born 1981

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0981 AUTHOR

Jason Staggie

Born 1984

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0982 CRICKET

Desmond Drummer

1940 - 2013

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0983 CRICKET

Neo Mlumbi

Born 1986

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0984 PLAYER

Harry Boyes

1868 - 1892

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0985 MILITAR

Guy Gregson

1906 - 1988

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0986 SPORT

Reinhardt Hamman

Born 1990

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0987 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Steven Schkolne

Born 1976

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0988 CRICKET

Coetie Neethling

1932 - 2015

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0989 CRICKET

Matthew Norris

Born 1992

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0990 SWIMMER

Michael Houlie

Born 2000

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0991 MEDICINE

Mervyn Maze

-

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0992 POLITICIAN

Kent Diederich Skelton Durr

Born 1941

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0993 HOCKEY

Wesley Krotz

Born 1995

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0994 HOCKEY

Cai Nebe

Born 1992

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0995 NAVAL

Martyn Trainor

Born 1944

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0996 SPRINT

John Anderton (athlete)

1929 - 1991

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0997 PLAYER

Cullen Collopy

Born 1993

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0998 CRICKET

Abdoellah Steenkamp

Born 1974

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0999 LAWYER

Yasmin Sooka

-

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1000 CRICKET

Mkhululi Calana

Born 1993

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1001 CRICKET

John Morris (South African cricketer)

1940 - 2011

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1002 PLAYER

Aston Fortuin

Born 1996

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1003 PLAYER

Chris Smith (rugby union)

Born 1994

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1004 NETBALL

Michelle Hess

Born 1984

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1005 LIEUTENANT

George Lawson (RAF officer)

1899 - 1922

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1006 SWIMMER

Don Johnston (swimmer)

1929 - 2018

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1007 HOCKEY

Philip Woolf

Born 1980

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1008 SURGEON

Donald du Toit

Born 1946

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1009 CRICKET

Ian Payne (South African cricketer)

1949 - 2015

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1010 PLAYER

Katie Poluta

Born 1997

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1011 CRICKET

Robbie van Graan

1939 - 2014

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1012 CRICKET

David McMeeking (cricketer)

1937 - 2013

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1013 SPORT

Athol Jennings

Born 1930

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1014 DIPLOMAT

Oloff Johannes Truter

1829 - 1881

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1015 GOLF

Kelli Shean

Born 1987

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1016 FOOTBALL

Daniel Mbuizeo

Born 1983

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1017 FOOTBALL

Carlos das Neves

Born 1968

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1018 SINGER

Melanie Scholtz

-

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1019 ATHLETIC

George Dustan

1900 - 1951

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1020 CRICKET

Siraag Abrahams

Born 1982

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1021 BIOLOGIST

Stephan Swanson

Born 1966

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1022 PLAYER

Nelson Babrow

Born 1949

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1023 JUDGE

Saul Solomon (judge)

1875 - 1960

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1024 LEITER

Thomas Kendrick

1881 - 1972

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1025 BUSINESS

Joseph McCabe (hunter)

1816 - 1865

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1026 SPORT

Abraham Glantz

1907 - 1998

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1027 SPORT

Ayrton Sweeney

Born 1993

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1028 FOOTBALL

Jonathan Solomons

Born 1976

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1029 FOOTBALL

Robert Priday

1925 - 1998

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1030 INFANTRY

A.O.L. Kindersley

1869 - 1955

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1031 SPORT

Chergin Fillies

Born 1997

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1032 POLITICIAN

Patrick McKenzie

Born 1952

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1033 ATHLETIC

Breyton Poole

Born 2000

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1034 CRICKET

William Openshaw

1852 - 1915

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1035 ACTOR

Job Stewart

1934 - 1991

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1036 CRICKET

Dominic Telo

Born 1986

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1037 PLAYER

Patats Cloete

1873 - 1959

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1038 PLAYER

Ashley Clarke

Born 1982

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1039 PLAYER

Jim Crosby

1873 - 1960

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1040 FOOTBALL

Harman van den Berg

1918 - 2006

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1041 DRIVER

Jack Gerber

Born 1945

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1042 ARTIST

Carolyn Parton

Born 1964

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1043 FOOTBALL

Nkosiyabo Xakane

Born 1985

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1044 FOOTBALL

Dirk Kemp

Born 1913

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1045 PLAYER

Frank Hamilton (rugby union)

1863 - 1901

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1046 PLAYER

Syd Ashley

1880 - 1959

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1047 GUITAR

Russell Herman

1953 - 1998

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1048 SPORT

Bill Jackson (bowls)

Born 1915

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1049 FOOTBALL

Steven Hoffman (South African footballer)

Born 1994

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1050 WRITER

Justin D. Fox

Born 1967

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1051 ACTIVIST

Jacqueline Daane-van Rensburg

Born 1937

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1052 POLITICIAN

Lourens Munnik

1925 - 2016

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1053 PLAYER

Frank Wagenstroom

Born 1985

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1054 AUTHOR

Shereen Pandit

-

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1055 CRICKET

Moeneeb Abbas

Born 1983

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1056 JUSTICE

Olof de Wet

1739 - 1811

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1057 PLAYER

Johanna Snyman

Born 1994

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1058 PLAYER

Robbie Louw

Born 1992

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1059 OPERA

Marvin Kernelle

-

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1060 RAPPER

Crosby Bolani

-

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1061 ACTIVIST

Gertrude Fester

Born 1952

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1062 PLAYER

Toski Smith

1869 - 1917

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