South Africa is a place of freedom, equality, and diversity. In the past, many heroes have come to the fore in an effort to make South Africa the great place it is today. Whether it has been political heroism, medical, literature, anti war, AIDS activism, or entrepreneurship, these individuals are some of South Africa’s proudest accomplishments. Here we pay tribute to the men and women who risked not only their beliefs and their freedom, but also their lives to become one of South Africa’s heroes.

Nelson Mandela:

Nelson Mandela, born on the 18 July 1918, is a former President of South Africa, anti apartheid hero and activist, former Robben Island prisoner, and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Mandela was the leader of the ANC before being convicted of numerous crimes, including sabotage. Mandela spent 27 years in prison on Robben Island, now a world famous tourist attraction in Cape Town.

Why he matters:

Madiba, a nickname, became a symbol of freedom and equality when he became the first black president of a then racially segregated South Africa. After abolishing Apartheid, he introduced a new South Africa, free from racial segregation, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. This spelt a new era for South Africa, now referred to as the Rainbow Nation, referring to the diverse mix of people, cultures and religions living together peacefully in one country.

Christiaan Barnard:

Born on the 08 November 1922, Dr Christiaan Neethling Barnard was a renowned South African cardiac surgeon. He first received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Cape Town, before travelling to the United States to obtain his Master of Science in Surgery in 1958. He was also awarded the Doctor of Philosophy that same year.

Why he matters:

Barnard received worldwide acclaim after performing the world’s first heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa in 1967. A few years earlier, he performed the first South African kidney transplant. Chris is also the author of several best selling books, including ‘The Donor’, ‘Your Healthy Heart’, ‘The Best Medicine’, and ‘50 Ways to a Healthy Heart’. Barnard died in September 2001 during a holiday in Paphos, Cyprus after an acute asthma attack. Former President Nelson Mandela stated of Barnard, ‘He was one of out main achievements’.

Desmond Tutu:

Desmond Mpilo Tutu was born on the 07 October 1931, and is a well known South Africa cleric and activist who, along with Nelson Mandela, became a heroic figure in the fight against Apartheid. He also became the second South African to be awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.

Why he matters:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu became a leading figure in the struggle of Apartheid, and the fight against HIV/AIDS, poverty and racism. Tutu was elected and ordained the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, and primate of the Church of the Province of South Africa. Tutu also chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and is currently chairman of the elders. Tutu has received many awards, including the Albert Schweitzer prize for Humanitarianism and the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2007.

Steve Biko:

Born Stephen Bantu Biko in December 1946, Biko was a noted anti Apartheid activist, who founded the Black Consciousness Movement, a movement which would empower a vast majority of the black population of South Africa. After a heroic struggle with Apartheid, Biko died while in police custody on 12 September 1977 after suffering a brain lesion caused by the ‘application of force to the head’. Authorities, however, declared that his death was caused by his hunger strike.

Why he matters:

Steve Biko has been called a martyr of the anti Apartheid struggle, who penned the slogan ‘Black is Beautiful’, meaning that man should look upon themselves as human beings. Biko has also been included in the pantheon of struggle heroes, with his image being used for posters during the first South African non-racial elections in 1994.

Jan Smuts:

Jan Smuts was a field marshal born Jan Christiaan Smuts on the 24 May 1870. He was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader, and philosopher, and served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924, and again in 1924 until 1948. He also served in World War 1 and as a British field marshal in World War 2.

Why he matters:

Jan Smuts was the only person to ever sign both peace treaties ending the First and Second World Wars.  One of his greatest accomplishments was the establishment of the League of Nations. He was also urged the formation of a new international organisation for peace, the United Nations. In 2004 Smuts was named as one of the top ten Greatest South African of all time by the South Africa public, where he came sixth.

Francois Pienaar:

Jacobus Francois Pienaar, better known as Francois Pienaar, was born on 2 January 1967. He is the man responsible for the South African feat in the 1995 Rugby World Cup and led the Springboks until 10 August 1996. His test debut was at the age of 26 in a match against France in Durban.

Why he matters:

Francois Pienaar and his team gave the South African nation hope in 1995. The victory filled South Africans with a love and appreciation for our nation. He was voted one of the top 100 South Africans in 2004.

Raymond Ackerman:

Raymond Ackerman was born on 10 March 1931 and received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Town. He started Pick ‘n Pay in 1967 after getting the boot from Greatermans. He is still the chairman of the company.

Why he matters:

Mr Ackerman has always had the consumer’s interests at heart. He is one of the few crusaders for cheaper petrol in South Africa – since 1975 — and is involved in many charities. He is a humble and modest man who fought for the rights of black people to own property in the apartheid years. Raymond Ackerman is the first African to receive the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship.

Mark Shuttleworth:

Mark Shuttleworth was born on the 18 September 1973, and is a world renowned South African entrepreneur. Shuttleworth founded Thawte in 1995, specialising in digital certificates and internet security, which was later sold. He also formed HBD Venture Capital, a business incubator and venture capital provider, and Canonical Ltd, a free software project. He also founded the Ubuntu Foundation.

Why he matters:

In April 2002, Shuttle garnered worldwide recognition after becoming the first African ‘afronaut’ to travel to space, a trip he funded himself. Shuttleworth spent eight days in space, working on experiments related to AIDS and genome research, and arrived safely back to earth on May 5 2002. Before his departure, he had to undergo training and preparation for one year, including 7 months in Star City, Russia.

Nkosi Johnson:

One of the youngest heroes of our time, Nkosi Johnson, born in February 1989, was a South African child living with HIV/AIDS. He made one of the most powerful impacts on the world about the plight of HIV/AIDS sufferers, all before his death at age 12. At the time of his death, he was the longest surviving HIV positive born child.

Why he matters:

Nkosi became recognised after being discriminated at school because of his HIV status. This caused major controversy, as the South Africa law forbids discrimination based on medical health. Nkosi became an activist for HIV/AIDS, even been given the honour of being keynote speaker at the 13th International AIDS Conference. Nkosi and his foster mother, Gail Johnson also formed Nkosi’s Haven, a refuge for mothers and children suffering from HIV/AIDS. Nkosi received the International Children’s Peace Prize before his death on 1 June 2001. Nelson Mandela referred to Nkosi as ‘an icon of the struggle for life’.

F.W de Klerk

Frederik Willem de Klerk was the last state president under the Apartheid rule in South Africa, serving from 1989 to 1994. De Klerk was the leader of the National Party, and became one of the Deputy Presidents of South Africa during the presidency of Nelson Mandela until 1996, the last white person to hold the position. De Klerk retired from politics in 1997.

Why he matters:

De Klerk is probably best known for engineering the end of Apartheid, along with Nelson Mandela, and supporting the transformation of South Africa into a racially free country. This resulted in all citizens of South Africa, including the black majority, having equal voting and other rights. In 1992, he shared the Prince of Asturias Awards, and, in 1993, the Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela for his role in the abolishment of Apartheid.