Cape Coloureds () are a South African

ethnic group An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

consisted primarily of persons of

mixed race Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-ethn ...

and

Khoisan Khoisan , or (), according to the contemporary Khoekhoegowab orthography, is a catch-all term for those indigenous peoples of Southern Africa who do not speak one of the Bantu languages, combining the (formerly "Khoikhoi") and the or ( in ...

descent. Although

Coloureds Coloureds ( af, Kleurlinge or , ) refers to members of multiracial ethnic communities in Southern Africa who may have ancestry from more than one of the various populations inhabiting the region, including African, European, and Asian. Sou ...

form a minority group within

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

, they are the predominant population group in the

Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 202 ...

. They are generally bilingual, speaking

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gr ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, though some speak only one of these. Some Cape Coloureds may

code switch ''Code Switch'' is a race and culture outlet and a weekly podcast from American public radio network NPR. It began in 2013 with a blog as well as contributing stories to NPR radio programs. The Code Switch podcast launched in 2016. In the wake ...

, speaking a

patois ''Patois'' (, pl. same or ) is speech or language that is considered nonstandard, although the term is not formally defined in linguistics. As such, ''patois'' can refer to pidgins, creoles, dialects or vernaculars, but not commonly to jargon o ...

of Afrikaans and English called also known as Cape Slang (Capy) or , meaning Kitchen Afrikaans. Cape Coloureds were classified under

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

as a subset of the larger

Coloured Coloureds ( af, Kleurlinge or , ) refers to members of multiracial ethnic communities in Southern Africa who may have ancestry from more than one of the various populations inhabiting the region, including African, European, and Asian. South ...

race group. At least one genetic study indicates that Cape Coloureds have an ancestry consisting of the following ethnic groups: *

: (32–43%) * Bantu-speaking Africans: (20–36%) *

Ethnic groups in Europe Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common genetic ancestry, common language, or both. Pan and Pfeil (200 ...

: (21–28%) *

Asian people Asian people (or Asians, sometimes referred to as Asiatic people)United States National Library of Medicine. Medical Subject Headings. 2004. November 17, 200Nlm.nih.gov: ''Asian Continental Ancestry Group'' is also used for categorical purpos ...

s: (9–11%)

Origin and history

The Cape Coloureds are a heterogeneous South African

, with diverse ancestral links. Ancestry may include European settlers, indigenous Khoi and San and

Xhosa people The Xhosa people, or Xhosa-speaking people (; ) are African people who are direct kinsmen of Tswana people, Sotho people and Twa people, yet are narrowly sub grouped by European as Nguni ethnic group whose traditional homeland is primarily t ...

, and slaves imported from the

Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...

(or a combination of all). People from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

and the islands within the Indian Ocean region were also taken to the Cape and sold into slavery by the Dutch settlers. The Indian slaves were almost invariably given Christian names but their places of origin were indicated in the records of sales and other documents so that it is possible to get an idea of the ratio of slaves from different regions. These slaves were, however, dispersed and lost their Indian cultural identity over the course of time. Slaves of Malay and other ancestry were brought from

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Afric ...

, and

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

. This diverse assortment of people was subsequently classified as a single group under the

Apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

regime. Under Apartheid, under the

Population Registration Act The Population Registration Act of 1950 required that each inhabitant of South Africa be classified and registered in accordance with their racial characteristics as part of the system of apartheid. Social rights, political rights, educationa ...

as amended, the term ''Cape Coloured'' referred to a subset of

South Africans, with subjective criteria having been used by the bureaucracy to determine whether a person was a Cape Coloured, or belonged to one of a number of other related subgroups such as the "

Cape Malays Cape Malays (, in Arabies script) also known as Cape Muslims or Malays, are a Muslim community or ethnic group in South Africa. They are the descendants of enslaved and free Muslims from different parts of the world who lived at the Cape duri ...

", or "Other Coloureds".

Cape Coloureds in the media

A group of Cape Coloureds were interviewed in the documentary series '' Ross Kemp on Gangs''. One of the gang members who participated in the interview mentioned that black South Africans have been the main beneficiaries of South African social promotion initiatives while the Cape Coloureds have been further marginalised. The 2009 film ''I'm Not Black, I'm Coloured - Identity Crisis at the Cape of Good Hope'' (Monde World Films, US release) is one of the first historical documentary films to explore the legacy of Apartheid through the viewpoint of the Cape Coloured community, including interviews with elders, pastors, members of Parliament, students and everyday people struggling to find their identity in the new South Africa. The film's 2016 sequel ''Word of Honour: Reclaiming Mandela’s Promise'' (Monde World Films, US release) Various books have covered the subject matter of Coloured identity and heritage. Patric Tariq Mellet, heritage activist and author of 'The Camissa Embrace' and co-creator of The Camissa Museum, has composed a vast online blog archive ('Camissa People') of heritage information concerning Coloured ancestry tracing to the Indigenous San and Khoe and Malagasy, East African, Indonesian, Indian, Bengal and Sri Lankan slaves.

Terminology

The term "

coloured Coloureds ( af, Kleurlinge or , ) refers to members of multiracial ethnic communities in Southern Africa who may have ancestry from more than one of the various populations inhabiting the region, including African, European, and Asian. South ...

" is currently treated as a neutral description in Southern Africa, classifying people of mixed race ancestry. "Coloured" may be seen as offensive in some other western countries, such as Britain and the United States of America.

Notable people

Politicians

Midi Achmat Taghmeda Achmat, commonly known as Midi Achmat, is one of South Africa's most well known lesbian activists. Achmat co-founded the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) with her partner and fellow activist Theresa Raizenberg on 10 December 1998. Biog ...

, South African writer and

LGBT rights activist A list of notable LGBT rights activists who have worked to advance LGBT rights by political change, legal action or publication. Ordered by country, alphabetically. Argentina * Claudia Castrosín Verdú, she and her partner were the first lesb ...

* Zackie Achmat, South African HIV/AIDS activist and filmmaker *

Neville Alexander Neville Edward Alexander (22 October 1936 – 27 August 2012) was a proponent of a multilingual South Africa and a former revolutionary who spent ten years on Robben Island as a fellow-prisoner of Nelson Mandela. Early life Alexander was born i ...

, Political activist, educationalist and lecturer. * Allan Boesak (Political activist & Cleric). *

Patricia de Lille Patricia de Lille (née Lindt; born 17 February 1951) is a South African politician who is the current Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure and leader of the political party Good. She was previously Mayor of Cape Town from 2011 to 2018, ...

, former

PAC Pac or PAC may refer to: Military * Rapid Deployment Force (Malaysia), an armed forces unit * Patriot Advanced Capability, of the MIM-104 Patriot missile * Civil Defense Patrols (''Patrullas de Autodefensa Civil''), Guatemalan militia and paramil ...

, then Independent Democrats leader, then Democratic Alliance mayor of

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

, now leader of Good Party *

Tony Ehrenreich Tony Ehrenreich is a South African trade-unionist and regional secretary of the Western Cape region of COSATU. Political career Ehrenreich joined COSATU in 1989, raising to become its National Deputy General-Secretary from 1999 to 2001. He re ...

, South African trades unionist. *

Zainunnisa Gool Zainunnisa "Cissie" Gool (6 November 1897 – 1 July 1963) was an anti-apartheid political and civil rights leader in South Africa. She was the daughter of prominent physician and politician Abdullah Abdurahman and mother Helen Potter James. G ...

, South African Political activist and representative on the Cape Town City Council. *

Alex La Guma Alex La Guma (20 February 1924 – 11 October 1985) was a South African novelist, leader of the South African Coloured People's Organisation (SACPO) and a defendant in the Treason Trial, whose works helped characterise the movement against ...

, South African novelist and leader of the South African Coloured People's Organisation. *

Trevor Manuel Trevor Andrew Manuel (born 31 January 1956) is a South African politician who served in the government of South Africa as Minister of Finance from 1996 to 2009, during the presidencies of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, and ...

, former Finance Minister, currently Head of the National Planning Commission of South Africa. * Peter Marais, former Unicity Mayor of Cape Town and Former Premier of the Western Cape *

Gerald Morkel Gerald Morkel (2 February 1941 – 9 January 2018) was the Mayor of Cape Town and Premier of the Western Cape province in South Africa. He later served as a member of the Cape Town City Council for the Democratic Alliance until his retirement f ...

, former mayor of

Dan Plato Daniel Plato (born 5 October 1960), known as Dan Plato, is a South African politician and a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament since January 2022, previously serving from June 2011 until October 2018. He is the former mayor of Cap ...

, Western Cape Community Safety Minister. * Dulcie September, political activist. * Adam Small, political activist, poet and writer. * Percy Sonn, former president of the

International Cricket Council The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, its members are 108 national associations, with 12 Full Members and 96 Associate Members. Founded in 1909 as the '' ...

. * Simon van der Stel, last commander and first Governor of the

Dutch Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie) was a Dutch United East India Company (VOC) colony in Southern Africa, centered on the Cape of Good Hope, from where it derived its name. The original colony and its successive states that the colony was inco ...

Artists and writers

Peter Abrahams Peter Henry Abrahams Deras (3 March 1919 – 18 January 2017), commonly known as Peter Abrahams, was a South African-born novelist, journalist and political commentator who in 1956 settled in Jamaica, where he lived for the rest of his life. Hi ...

, writer * Tyrone Appollis, academic * Willie Bester *

Dennis Brutus Dennis Vincent Brutus (28 November 1924 – 26 December 2009) was a South African activist, educator, journalist and poet best known for his campaign to have South Africa banned from the Olympic Games due to its racial policy of apartheid. ...

, journalist, poet, activist * Peter Clarke *

Phillippa Yaa de Villiers Phillippa Yaa de Villiers (born 17 February 1966)Phillippa Yaa de Vill ...

, writer and performance artist *

Garth Erasmus Garth Erasmus (born April 12, 1956, in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa) is a South African artist who works in several media, including painting. Early life and education He attended Paterson High School in Port Elizabeth and later ...

, artist *

Diana Ferrus Diana Ferrus (born 29 August 1953, Worcester, Western Cape) is a South African writer and storyteller of mixed Khoisan and slave ancestry. Her work is published in Afrikaans and English. Ferrus leads writing workshops in Cape Town while working a ...

, poet, writer and performance artist *

Oliver Hermanus Oliver Hermanus (born 26 May 1983) is a South African film director and writer.
"Oliver Hermanus." IMDb: The Internet Movie Dat ...

, writer, director * Rozena Maart, writer *

Mustafa Maluka Mustafa Maluka (born 1976, Cape Town, South Africa) is an artist known for his portraits. Biography Maluka grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, but came of age in Amsterdam, the Netherlands where he studied at De Ateliers postgraduate art inst ...

* Dr.

Don Mattera Donato Francisco Mattera (29 December 1935 – 18 July 2022), better known as Don Mattera, was a South African poet and author. Overview Born in 1935 in Western Native Township (now Westbury), Johannesburg, Union of South Africa, Mattera g ...

* James Matthews, writer * Selwyn Milborrow, poet, writer, journalist * Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh * Arthur Nortje, poet * Robin Rhode *

Richard Moore Rive Richard Moore Rive (1 March 1931 – 4 June 1989) was a South African writer and academic, who was from Cape Town. Biography Rive was born on 1 March 1931 in Caledon Street in the working-class Coloured residential area District Six, Cape Town, ...

, writer *

Tracey Rose Tracey Rose is a South African artist who lives and works in Johannesburg. Rose is best known for her performances, video installations, and photographs. Biography Rose was born in 1974 in Durban, South Africa. She attended the University o ...

* Adam Small, writer *

Zoë Wicomb Zoë Wicomb (born 23 November 1948) is a South African-Scottish author and academic who has lived in the UK since the 1970s. In 2013, she was awarded the inaugural Windham–Campbell Literature Prize for her fiction. Early life Zoë Wicomb w ...

, writer *

Athol Williams Athol Williams (born 20 June 1970) is a South African poet, social philosopher and public intellectual based at Oxford University. Life Williams was born in Lansdowne, Cape Town, South Africa, and grew up in Mitchells Plain, the coloured to ...

, poet, writer, scholar, social philosopher

Actors and actresses

Quanita Adams Quanita Adams is stage and screen actress living in Cape Town, South Africa. She has performed in the movies ''Forgiveness'' (2004, alongside Arnold Vosloo), ''Cape of Good Hope'' (2004) and ''Skeem'' (2011). She has appeared on stage in not ...

, actress *

Natalie Becker Natalie Bridgette Becker is a South African actress. Biography Becker was born in George, Western Cape province and raised in Cape Town. She is of Cape Coloured descent. Becker has spoken about growing up lonely on a small holding because her m ...

, actress *

Lesley-Ann Brandt Lesley-Ann Brandt (born 2 December 1981) is a South African actress. Brandt has acted in a number of New Zealand television series and first came to international notice with her role as a slave girl Naevia in the series '' Spartacus: Blood and ...

, actress *

Meryl Cassie Meryl Danielle Cassie (born 2 April 1984) is a New Zealand actress and singer. She has three children, a son, Rylon born in 2006 and two daughters Breeze (Born 18 October 2013) and Diaz (born 2015). She is most famous for her role as Ebony in t ...

, actress from the television series '' The Tribe''. * Vincent Ebrahim, actor *

Vinette Ebrahim Vinette Ebrahim (born 21 February 1957) is a South African actress and playwright known for her role as Charmaine Meintjies in the SABC 2 soap opera ''7de Laan.'' She is the sister of actor Vincent Ebrahim. Early life Ebrahim is the sister o ...

, actress *

Kim Engelbrecht Kim Suzanne Engelbrecht (born 20 June 1980) is a South African actress. She is the recipient of two South African Film and Television Awards as well as a nomination for an International Emmy Award. She is known for her roles as Lolly in the soa ...

, actress,

Dominion The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire. "Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 ...

, Isidingo,

The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...

, Boy Called Twist *

Jarrid Geduld Jarrid Geduld (born 13 January 1990), is a South African actor. He is best known for his roles in the popular films ''10,000 BC'', ''Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story, Ellen: Die storie van Ellen Pakkies'' and ''Boy Called Twist''. Personal life H ...

, actor, Boy Called Twist,

A Lucky Man ''A Lucky Man'' (Spanish: ''Un hombre de suerte'') is a 1930 American comedy film directed by Benito Perojo and starring Roberto Rey, María Luz Callejo and Valentín Parera. It is a Spanish-language film made for the Hollywood company Paramo ...

, Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story,

Indemnity In contract law, an indemnity is a contractual obligation of one Party (law), party (the ''indemnitor'') to Financial compensation, compensate the loss incurred by another party (the ''indemnitee'') due to the relevant acts of the indemnitor or ...

, Aarendsvlei * Kandyse McClure, actress,

Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series) ''Battlestar Galactica'' (''BSG'') is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the ''Battlestar Galactica'' franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore and executive produced by Moore and David Eick as a r ...

(resides in Canada) * Shamilla Miller, actress *

Blossom Tainton-Lindquist Blossom Alexandra Liliana Tainton-Lindquist (born 29 June 1962 in Stockholm) is a Swedish singer, dancer, publisher, fitness coach and personal trainer. Her father, Graham Tainton, is a choreographer. Tainton danced and sang at an early age. S ...

Beauty queens

Tansey Coetzee Tansey Coetzee (born 8 October 1984) is a South African beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss South Africa 2007, and later represented South Africa in Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam, where she placed among the top 15 semifinalists ...

, Miss South Africa 2007 *

Tamaryn Green Tamaryn Green-Nxumalo (born 19 August 1994) is a South African beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss South Africa 2018. She represented South Africa in the Miss Universe 2018 competition and placed as the first runner-up. Early life a ...

, Miss South Africa 2018 *

Amy Kleinhans Amy Kleinhans-Curd (born 1968) is a South African beauty queen who was Miss South Africa 1992, the first non-white winner in the history of South Africa. She placed Top 5 to Miss World as Miss World Africa on 12 December 1992. Kleinhans also ...

, former Miss South Africa 1992 and first non-white Miss South Africa. *

Liesl Laurie Liesl Laurie (born 24 December 1990 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a South African model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss South Africa 2015. She has represented her country at the Miss World 2015, in Sanya, China on 19 De ...

, Miss South Africa 2015 *

Jo-Ann Strauss Jo-Ann Cindy Strauss (born 3 February 1981 in Cape Town) is a South African model, public speaker and businesswoman. In 2001, she represented her country as Miss South Africa at the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico as well as at the Mi ...

, Miss South Africa 2000, media personality and business woman.

Musicians

AKA Aka, AKA or a.k.a. may refer to: * "Also known as", used to introduce an alternative name Languages * Aka language (Sudan) * Aka language, in the Central African Republic * Hruso language, in India, also referred to as Aka * a prefix in the n ...

, hip-hop recording artist * Fallon Bowman, South African-born guitarist, singer, and actor. *

Jonathan Butler Jonathan Kenneth Butler (born 10 October 1961) is a South African singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music is often classified as R&B, jazz fusion or worship music. Biography Born and raised in Athlone, Cape Town, South Africa, during Apa ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

musician. *

Paxton Fielies Paxton Fielies (born September 17, 2000), better known Mononymous person, mononymously as Paxton, is a South African singer, songwriter and Philanthropy, philanthropist. She rose to fame in 2017, after winning the Idols South Africa (season 13) ...

, singer * Jean Grae, hip-hop artist. *

Paul Hanmer Paul Hanmer (born 1961, Cape Town) is a South African jazz pianist. Career As a child he studied piano. He attended the University of Cape Two for two years before beginning a music career with guitarist Paul Petersen. During the 1980s he starte ...

, pianist and composer *

Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934 and formerly known as Dollar Brand) is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...

, jazz pianist *

Robbie Jansen Robert Edward Jansen (5 August 1949 – 7 July 2010) was a South African musician. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Biography Jansen began his career in the pop band The Rockets. The first instruments he played were concertina and mouth ...

, musician * Trevor Jones, South African-born film composer. *

Taliep Petersen Taliep Petersen (15 April 1950 – 16 December 2006) was a South African singer, composer and director of a number of popular musicals. He worked most notably with David Kramer, with whom he won an Olivier Award. Career One of "South Africa's ...

, musician and director *

YoungstaCPT Riyadh Roberts (born Riyadh Emandien; 23 December 1991), known professionally as YoungstaCPT (or simply YoungCPT), is a South African rapper and songwriter. He is known for incorporating details about his Cape Malay culture and his Cape Town ...

, rapper

Others

Marc Lottering Marc Eugene Lottering (born 4 December 1967) is a stand-up comedian from Cape Town, South Africa, and grew up in the Retreat townships of the Cape Flats. His first show was titled "AFTER THE BEEP" in 1997. In 2001 he won the Vita Award for ...

, comedian *

Jenny Powell Jenny Powell (born 8 April 1968) is an English television and radio presenter. After appearing on '' No Limits'', she went on to present series such as '' Wheel of Fortune'', ''UP2U'', '' Gimme 5'', '' Live Talk'', ''Wordplay'' and '' Daybreak' ...

, television presenter. * Trevor Noah

Athletics

Shaun Abrahams Shaun Abrahams is a South African lawyer and the former national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) at the National Prosecuting Authority. Prior to his appointment in 2015 when Mxolisi Nxasana stepped down as NDPP, Abrahams had been a senio ...

, 800m runner *

Cornel Fredericks Cornel Edwin Fredericks (born 3 March 1990 in Worcester, Western Cape) is a South African track and field athlete who competes in the 400 metres hurdles. His personal best for the event is 48.14 seconds. He was the silver medallist at the ...

, track-and-field sprinter * Paul Gorries, Sprinter *

Leigh Julius Leigh Ignatius Julius (born 25 March 1985) is a South African sprinter. Julius was born in Cradock, Eastern Cape, He represented South Africa at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He competed at the 4x100 metres relay together with Hannes D ...

, 2004-08 Olympian *

Geraldine Pillay Geraldine Pillay (born 25 August 1977) is a South African sprinter who specializes in the 100 and 200 metres. Achievements * 2008 African Championships - sixth place (100 metres), fourth place (200 metres), bronze medal (4x100 metres relay) * ...

, 2004 Olympian, Commonwealth medallist *

Wayde van Niekerk Wayde van Niekerk (South African English: , ; born 15 July 1992) is a South African track and field Sprint (running), sprinter who competes in the 200 metres, 200 and 400 metres. In the 400 metres, he is the current world record, world and ...

, track-and-field sprinter, Olympic and World Champion, and World Record Holder

Cricket

* Paul Adams *

Vincent Barnes Vincent Alexander Barnes (born 15 February 1960 in Cape Town) is a former South African first-class cricketer who played for Western Province and Transvaal. Barnes, a coloured fast bowler with a slingy action, played most of his cricket durin ...

Loots Bosman Lungile Edgar Bosman (born 14 April 1977) is a former South African international cricketer. He was a top order right-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium pace bowler. He played domestic cricket for Dolphins, and appeared for South ...

* Henry Davids *

Basil D'Oliveira Basil Lewis D'Oliveira CBE OIS (4 October 1931 – 19 November 2011) was an England international cricketer of South African Cape Coloured background, whose potential selection by England for the scheduled 1968–69 tour of apartheid-era South ...

Damian D'Oliveira Damian Basil D'Oliveira (19 October 1960 – 29 June 2014) was a South African-born English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Worcestershire, and was the Academy Director of Worcestershire County Cricket Club. Playing for Worcestersh ...

* JP Duminy *

Herschelle Gibbs Herschelle Herman Gibbs (born 23 February 1974) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer, who played all formats of the game for fourteen years. A right-handed batsman, mostly opened the batting, Gibbs became the first player to hi ...

Beuran Hendricks Beuran Eric Hendricks (born 8 June 1990) is a South African cricketer who plays as a left-arm fast-medium bowler and left-handed batter for Western Province. He made his international debut for South Africa in March 2014. Domestic career Fo ...

Reeza Hendricks Reeza Raphael Hendricks (born 14 August 1989) is a South African cricketer who plays for Gauteng and for the South Africa national cricket team. He is a right-handed opening batsman. He made his international debut for South Africa in November ...

Omar Henry Omar Henry (born 23 January 1952) is a former cricketer who represented South Africa at international level, and also played for Scotland. He played in three Tests and three One Day Internationals for South Africa. He is notable for being the ...

* Garnett Kruger *

Charl Langeveldt Charl Kenneth Langeveldt (born 17 December 1974) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer who is currently a bowling coach with the South Africa national cricket team. As a cricket player, he played all formats of the game. A right ...

Wayne Parnell Wayne Dillon Parnell (born 30 July 1989) is a South African professional cricketer who most recently played for Northamptonshire in English county cricket. Previously, Parnell played Test cricket, One Day International cricket and Twenty20 matc ...

Alviro Petersen Alviro Nathan Petersen (born 25 November 1980) is a former South African international cricketer who played domestic cricket in South Africa for the Highveld Lions and in England for Lancashire. A right-handed batsman, he has represented South Af ...

* Robin Peterson *

Keegan Petersen Keegan Darryl Petersen (born 8 August 1993) is a South African cricketer. A right-handed batsman, occasional wicket-keeper and occasional leg break bowler, he has played for Boland, Cape Cobras, Knights and Northern Cape in South African domest ...

Vernon Philander Vernon Darryl Philander (born 24 June 1985) is a South African former international cricketer. He was a right-handed bowling all-rounder; he had previously represented his country at under 19 level. He played for the South Africa national cricket ...

Dane Piedt Dane Leeroy Piedt (born 6 March 1990) is a South African former cricketer. He played for the Cape Cobras. He made his Test cricket debut for South Africa against Zimbabwe in August 2014. In March 2020, Piedt announced his retirement from cri ...

Ashwell Prince Ashwell Gavin Prince (born 28 May 1977) is a former South African cricketer and captain who played all formats of the game for South Africa. At the age of 29, he became the first non-white man to captain the South African cricket team when he st ...

* Roger Telemachus

Field hockey

Clyde Abrahams Clyde Abrahams (born 15 October 1978) is a South African field hockey player who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an inter ...

Liesel Dorothy Liesel Dorothy (born 16 January 1984) is a South African former field hockey player who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of th ...

Ignatius Malgraff Ignatius Malgraff (born 17 February 1993 in East London, South Africa) is a South African field hockey player. Malgraff represented South Africa in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is ...

Football

Cole Alexander Cole Alexander (born 9 July 1989) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a central midfielder for Helsingborgs Idrottsförening, commonly known as Helsingborgs IF, in the Swedish second tier, Superettan Early and personal ...

* James Musa * Oswin Appollis * Andre Arendse * Tyren Arendse * Wayne Arendse *

Bradley August Bradley John August (born 24 September 1978) is a South African former soccer player who played as a center-forward. He played club football for Hellenic, Lyngby, Santos, Ajax Cape Town, Maritzburg United, Ikapa Sporting and Vasco Da Gama ...

Brendan Augustine Brendan Augustine (born 26 October 1971 in East London) is a South African former football player. He played professionally for Bush Bucks, LASK Linz (Austria) and Ajax Cape Town. He played for South Africa national soccer team and was a parti ...

Emile Baron Emile Raymond Baron (born 17 June 1979) is a South African retired association football goalkeeper who has played for South Africa. International career Baron made his international debut in a friendly against Saudi Arabia on 20 March 200 ...

* Shaun Bartlett *

Tyrique Bartlett Tyrique Bartlett (born 14 April 1999) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a forward for Cape Town Spurs. Club career In June 2017, Bartlett joined Newcastle United on a three-year deal after a successful trial. In June 2019 ...

* David Booysen *

Mario Booysen Mario Booysen (born 15 August 1988) is a South African professional soccer player who last played as a defender for Amazulu in the South African Premier Division. International career Booysen was selected in the South Africa senior team pre ...

* Ethan Brooks *

Delron Buckley Delron Sebastian Buckley (born 7 December 1977) is a South African former professional footballer. His preferred position was the left wing although he could also play as a striker. In September 2021, he was appointed Head Coach of the Universi ...

Brent Carelse Brent Carelse (born 30 March 1981) is a South African former soccer player who played as a midfielder. He played club football for Hellenic, Ajax Cape Town, Mamelodi Sundowns, Supersport United, Chippa United and Cape Town All Stars and in ...

* Daylon Claasen * Rivaldo Coetzee *

Keanu Cupido Keanu Gregory Cupido (born 15 January 1998) is a South African soccer player who plays as a defender for Cape Town City in the ABSA Premiership. Career International Cupido made his senior international debut on 4 June 2019, playing the enti ...

* Clayton Daniels *

Lance Davids Lance Davids (born 11 April 1985) is a South African former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Club career Born in Cape Town, Davids hails from Mitchell's Plain on the Cape Flats. In 1999, Davids went for trials with Budgie B ...

Rushine De Reuck Rushine De Reuck (born 1 January 1996) is a South African professional Association football, soccer player who plays as a Defender (association football), defender or defensive midfielder for South African Premier Division side Mamelodi Sundowns ...

Keagan Dolly Keagan Larenzo Dolly (born 22 January 1993) is a South African professional football player who plays as an attacking midfielder for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League and the South Africa national team. He won the Premier Soccer Lea ...

Kermit Erasmus Kermit Romeo Erasmus (born 8 July 1990) is a South African professional soccer player who plays for South African Premier Soccer League side Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national team. Born in Port Elizabeth, Erasmus moved to Pret ...

Jody February Jody Jason February (born 12 May 1996) is a South African soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Mamelodi Sundowns. He was born in Cape Town. Club career February started his career at Ajax Cape Town before signing for Mamelodi Sundowns i ...

Taariq Fielies Taariq Fielies (born 21 June 1992 in Cape Town) is a South African professional soccer player currently playing as a defender for South African side Cape Town City in the South African Premier League. Club career After playing for Salt Rive ...

Quinton Fortune Quinton Fortune (born 21 May 1977) is a South African professional football coach and former player, who played as both a midfielder and a defender. His career began in Europe and after stints with Tottenham Hotspur, Mallorca and Atlético ...

* Bevan Fransman *

Stanton Fredericks Stanton "Stiga" Fredericks (born 13 June 1978 in Johannesburg, Gauteng) is a South African association football player who last played as midfielder for Bidvest Wits in the Premier Soccer League and has previously represented South Africa. ...

Reeve Frosler Reeve Peter Frosler (born 11 January 1998) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a right back for Kaizer Chiefs in the South African Premier Division. Club career Bidvest Wits Frosler started his career as a winger in t ...

Ruzaigh Gamildien Ruzaigh Gamildien (born 4 April 1989) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for South African Premier Division The South African Premier Division, officially referred to as the DStv Premiership for sponso ...

Morgan Gould Morgan Leonard Gould (born 23 March 1983) is a South African international footballer who plays professionally for Sekhukhune United as a defender. Club career Born in Soweto, Gould began his senior career with Jomo Cosmos in 2001, before m ...

Victor Gomes Victor Miguel de Freitas Gomes (born 15 December 1982) is a South African football referee. A PSL referee since 2008, Gomes was voted PSL Referee of the Season in 2012–13 and 2017–18 and has been an international referee since 2011. In 2 ...

, referee *

Travis Graham Travis Graham (born 8 May 1993) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Maritzburg United F.C. in the Premier Soccer League. He is a product of Ajax Cape Town's youth academy, and was first called up for the senior ...

Ashraf Hendricks Ashraf Hendricks (born 28 July 1984 in Cape Town, Western Cape) is a South African football (soccer) defender who was capped for South Africa. References {{DEFAULTSORT:Hendricks, Ashraf 1984 births Living people Sportspeople from Cap ...

* Rowan Human *

Rudi Isaacs Rudi Isaacs (born 31 January 1986 in Cape Town) is a South African association football defender and midfielder who was capped for South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, sout ...

Willem Jackson Willem Jackson (born 26 March 1972 in Bloemfontein, Free State) is a retired South African footballer who played as defender. A fullback capable of lining up on either flank, he played mostly for Bloemfontein Celtic and Orlando Pirates. Ja ...

* Moeneeb Josephs * David Kannemeyer *

Ricardo Katza Ricardo Katza (born 12 March 1978 in Cape Town, Western Cape) is a retired South African football (soccer) defender. Katza made 19 appearances for the South Africa national football team. References External links * 1978 birt ...

Daine Klate Daine Klate (born 25 January 1985) is a retired South African football (soccer), football midfielder born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Football coach- Chippa United Early life Klate was raised in Gelvandale, a former coloured township (Sou ...

Lyle Lakay Lyle Lakay (born 17 August 1991) is a South African professional soccer player who plays a midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League. Club career He is a product of the SuperSport United's youth academy, he was promoted to ...

Lee Langeveldt Lee Langeveldt (born 10 November 1986) is a South African association footballer who plays for National First Division club Stellenbosch. Career Langeveldt is a goalkeeper and began his career at South African club Idas Valley. He was a pro ...

Clinton Larsen Clinton Larsen (born 17 February 1971 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal) is a South African former football player and manager who was last manager of Polokwane City in the South African Premier Division The South African Premier Division, offici ...

Luke Le Roux Luke Gareth Le Roux (born 10 March 2000) is a South African soccer player currently playing as a midfielder for Varbergs BoIS Varbergs BoIS FC is a Swedish football club located in Varberg, the main town of Varberg Municipality in Halland Co ...

* Stanton Lewis * Benni McCarthy, South Africa national team's all-time top scorer with 31 goals * Fabian McCarthy *

Leroy Maluka Leroy Maluka (born 22 December 1985) is a South African footballer currently playing for Åbo IFK in the Finnish third tier Kakkonen. He has previously played for Ikapa Sporting in the South African National First Division and for TPS in th ...

Grant Margeman Grant Margeman (born 3 June 1998) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a central midfielder for SuperSport United in the Premier Soccer League. Club career Born in Cape Town, Grant Margeman made his senior professiona ...

Wiseman Meyiwa Wiseman Meyiwa (born 27 December 1999) is a South African retired footballer. During his playing career, he represented South African Premier Division club Kaizer Chiefs and the South African national team. He was forced to retire at the age o ...

Bryce Moon Bryce Moon (born 6 April 1986 in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal) is a South African football player who last played for Maritzburg United as a defender and midfielder. An attacking right-back and a decent crosser of the ball, Moon is nicknam ...

Nasief Morris Mogammat Nasief Morris (born 16 April 1981) is a South African former professional footballer who played as a central defender. He left his country in 2001 to pursue a career in Europe, going on to play mostly in Greece but also in Spain and C ...

Tashreeq Morris Tashreeq Morris (born 13 May 1994) is a South African soccer player who plays for Sekhukhune United as a forward. Club career Morris joined the Ajax Cape Town youth academy from amateur club Juventus FC. He represented the club in a number ...

* Andile Ncobo, referee * Andras Nemeth *

Reagan Noble Reagan Noble (born 22 July 1983 in Johannesburg, Gauteng) is a South African footballer, who currently plays for University of Pretoria F.C. Career The midfielder played previously for Wits University, Mamelodi Sundowns, Bloemfontein Celtic, ...

Brad Norman Brad Dayan Norman (born 5 July 1996) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Greek Super League 2 club Apollon Larissa. Norman is the third of his nationality to play in South America following Harold Henman an ...

Riyaad Norodien Riyaad Norodien (born 26 March 1995) is a South African professional Association football, footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kiyovu based club S.C. Kiyovu Sports , Kiyovu. Early career Born in Kensington, Cape Town, Norodien signed with ...

Bernard Parker Bernard Parker (born 16 March 1986) is a South African professional association footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for Premier Soccer League club TS Galaxy. Between 2007 and 2015 he made 73 appearances for the South Africa n ...

* Peter Petersen *

Brandon Peterson Brandon Peterson is an American comic book writer and artist, known for his work on Marvel Comics from Paterson New Jersey and Top Cow's '' Codename: Strykeforce'' in the 1990s. Career Peterson's early works for Marvel include a ''New Warriors ...

* Steven Pienaar *

Reyaad Pieterse Reyaad Pieterse (born 17 February 1992) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier Soccer League side Mamelodi Sundowns. He was capped seven times for the South Africa national soccer team. Club care ...

* Wayne Roberts *

Frank Schoeman Frank Schoeman (born 30 July 1975) is a South African former footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a defender. Schoeman played club football in South Africa for Bush Bucks and Mamelodi Sundowns Mamelod ...

Ebrahim Seedat Ebrahim Seedat (born 18 June 1993) is a South African soccer player who plays as a defender and midfielder for TS Galaxy in the Premier Soccer League. Early and personal life Seedat hails from Athlone Athlone (; ) is a town on the borde ...

Brandon Silent Brandon Silent (born 22 January 1973) is a South African former footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a right-sided midfielder and fullback. Career Silent played club football for Orlando Pirates, scoring 22 ...

* Elrio van Heerden *

Dino Visser Dino Ben Visser (born 10 July 1989) is a South African footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Leek Town. He began his career with Platinum Stars in his native country South Africa, making his Premier Soccer League debut in March 2011. ...

Shu-Aib Walters Shu-Aib Walters (born 26 December 1981) is a South African association football player who last played as a goalkeeper for Ajax Cape Town Cape Town Spurs F.C. (formerly known as Ajax Cape Town) is a South African professional football club ...

* Mark Williams, scored both goals to win the

1996 African Cup of Nations The 1996 African Cup of Nations was the 20th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa ( CAF). It was hosted by South Africa, who replaced original hosts Kenya. The field expanded for the first time to 16 teams, s ...

final * Ronwen Williams

Rugby

* Gio Aplon * Nizaam Carr *

Kurt Coleman Kurt Coleman (born July 1, 1988) is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State. Early years Coleman graduated from Northmo ...

, Western Province and Stormers player *

Bolla Conradie Bolla Conradie (born 24 February 1978) is a former South African rugby union footballer. See also *List of South Africa national rugby union players South Africa national rugby union team players hold several international records. Several p ...

Juan de Jongh Juan Leon de Jongh (born 15 April 1988) is a South African rugby union footballer. He was one of the stars of Vodacom WP's ABSA Currie Cup campaign in 2009 and he made his debut against the . He became the first choice inside centre for the Storm ...

Peter de Villiers Peter de Villiers (born 3 June 1957) is a South African professional rugby union coach and Good Party politician. He was coach of the South Africa national rugby union team from 2008 to 2011, after successes with the South African U19 and U21 ...

Justin Geduld Justin Gilberto Geduld (born 1 October 1993) is a South African rugby union player, currently contracted to SARU as a sevens rugby player, as well as playing domestic rugby union for . His regular position is centre. He was a member of the S ...

, Sprinbok 7’s * Bryan Habana * Cornal Hendricks * Adrian Jacobs *

Conrad Jantjes Conrad Alcon Jantjes (born 24 March 1980 in Boksburg, Gauteng) is a South African rugby union footballer who used to play primarily as a fullback for the Springboks in international rugby and the Stormers in Super Rugby. In the domestic Currie ...

Elton Jantjies Elton Thomas Jantjies (born 1 August 1990) is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team, the in the Japan Rugby Football Union and the in the Currie Cup. Jantjies made his professional debut with the L ...

* Herschel Jantjies *

Ricky Januarie Enrico Ricardo "Ricky" Januarie (born 2 January 1982) is a South African professional rugby union player. He currently plays for SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne of the Rugby Pro D2 second-level division in France. He has also been a member of the South A ...

* Ashley Johnson *

Cheslin Kolbe Cheslin Kolbe (born 28 October 1993) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and for in the Top 14 in France. His regular position is wing, but he also plays at fullback. He ha ...

, Western Province and Stormers player * Dillyn Leyds, Western Province and Stormers player * Lionel Mapoe *

Breyton Paulse Breyton Paulse (born 25 April 1976 in De Keur, Koue Bokkeveld) is a South African former rugby union player who played on the wing for the national team, the Springboks, from 1999 to 2007. He played 64 test matches for South Africa, scoring 26 ...

* Earl Rose *

Tian Schoeman Christian Francois Schoeman (born 23 September 1991 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player. His regular position is fly-half. Career Youth Schoeman played for Witbank-based outfit the in the 2010 Under-19 Provinc ...

Errol Tobias Errol George Tobias (born 18 March 1950) is a former South African rugby union footballer, and the first player of colour to play in a test match for the South African national side. He gained six caps between 1981 and 1984 when the country was ...

Jaco van Tonder Jaco van Tonder (born 7 April 1991) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with Top10 side Colorno. His regular position is full-back, winger or fly-half. Career Youth He represented George-based side at the 2007 Under-16 Gr ...

Ashwin Willemse Ashwin Willemse (born 8 September 1981 in Caledon, Cape Province) is a retired South African rugby union player. He played at wing for the national team, the Springboks. After winning an IRB Under-21 World Cup gold medal for South Africa in 2 ...

* Chester Williams

Others

* Christopher Gabriel, basketball player *

Raven Klaasen Raven Klaasen ( ; born 16 October 1982) is a South African professional tennis player who specialises in doubles. He achieved his career-high doubles ranking of world No. 7 in August 2019, and has won 19 doubles titles on the ATP Tour, includi ...

- tennis player *

Devon Petersen Devon Petersen (born 4 June 1986) is a South African professional darts player and a pundit for Sky Sports. He has qualified for the PDC World Championship on seven occasions with his best result coming in 2014, 2019 and 2021 when he reached th ...

- darts player *

Kenny Solomon Kenneth Terence Solomon (born 8 October 1979) is a South African chess Grandmaster. He is the first and currently the only Grandmaster South Africa has ever produced. He took up chess at the age of 13, inspired by his elder brother's qualif ...

, South Africa's first chess grandmaster

References

* * * * {{authority control Afrikaner diaspora Ethnic groups in South Africa History of the Dutch East India Company