List of alumni of Stellenbosch University

This is a list of notable alumni and staff of Stellenbosch University.

Science edit

James L Barnard, civil engineer and pioneer of biological nutrient removal in wastewater treatment
Johannes Christiaan de Wet, legal scholar, professor, recognized as South Africa's most influential jurist.
Friedel Sellschop, physicist and pioneer in the field of Nuclear physics.
James Leonard Brierley Smith, ichthyologist, organic chemist and university professor. First to identify a taxidermied fish as a coelacanth, at the time thought long extinct.
Leopoldt van Huyssteen, soil scientist.
Lulu Latsky, first woman to earn a PhD at Stellenbosch (1930); zoologist and writer.
Novel Njweipi Chegou, molecular biologist and winner of the Royal Society Africa Prize in 2022.
Henda Swart, mathematician^[1]
Taryn Young, physician and epidemiologist.

Fritz Brand, judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa.
Baron Steyn, British Law Lord, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary.
John Dugard, professor of international law at Leiden University former member of the International Law Commission ad hoc judge of the International Court of Justice.
Lourens Ackermann, former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
Edwin Cameron, Rhodes scholar and justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
Johan Froneman, lawyer and justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
Jacob de Villiers, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1929 to 1932.
Nicolaas Jacobus de Wet, politician, lawyer, and judge. Chief Justice of South Africa and acting Governor-General from 1943 to 1945.
Henry Allan Fagan, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1957 to 1959.
Monique Nsanzabaganwa, economist, politician and Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda.
Lucas Cornelius Steyn, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1959 to 1971.
Pieter Jacobus Rabie, judge, Chief Justice of South Africa from 1982 to 1989.
Barend van Niekerk, lawyer and academic.
Pierre de Vos, constitutional law scholar.
Brian Currin, human rights lawyer.
Billy Downer, public prosecutor.

Naledi Pandor, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (South Africa).
Sandra Botha, former Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly for the Democratic Alliance (South Africa).
James Barry Munnik Hertzog, former Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa.
Magnus André De Merindol Malan, last Minister of defence during the Apartheid era.
Gerhard Tötemeyer, former Namibian Deputy Minister of Local and Regional Government and Housing.
Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg, former leader of the Ossewabrandwag.
Eben Dönges, South African politician who was elected State President of South Africa, but died before he could take office.
Andries Treurnicht, politician, Minister of Education during the Soweto Riots, founded and led the Conservative Party of South Africa.
Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
Balthazar Johannes Vorster, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
Daniel François Malan, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, former apartheid-era Prime Minister of South Africa.
Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, former opposition politician who became chancellor of Stellenbosch University.
Jan Smuts, former South African Prime Minister.

Koos Bekker, businessman, billionaire chairman of Naspers.
Sir David de Villiers Graaff, 3rd Baronet businessman.
Markus Jooste, businessman and the former CEO of Steinhoff International.
Christo Wiese, businessman, former billionaire, chairman of Shoprite (South Africa).
Jan Steyn, judge and development leader.
Beyers Naudé, theologian and anti-apartheid activist.
Jannie Mouton, businessman, founder and chairman of PSG Group.
Mark Patterson, private equity investor and founder of MatlinPatterson Global Advisors
Johann Rupert, businessman and founding trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
Japie van Zyl, deputy director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Ntsiki Biyela, winemaker and businesswomen.

Etienne Leroux, writer and member of the South African Sestigers literary movement.
Paul Cilliers, philosopher and complexity theorist.
Casper de Vries, actor and comedian.
Abraham H. de Vries, writer.
Liza Grobler, artist.
Elsa Joubert, novelist.
Uys Krige, playwright, poet and translator.
Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven, poet who composed words of Afrikaner anthem Die Stem.
Willim Welsyn, singer, songwriter, guitarist and podcaster.
Rona Rupert, musician and author of 33 Afrikaans books.
Johannes du Plessis Scholtz, philologist, art historian and art collector.
Peet Pienaar, performance artist.
Cromwell Everson, composer of the first Afrikaans opera.
Zanne Stapelberg, opera singer.
Tom Dreyer, novelist and poet writing in both English and Afrikaans.
Deon van der Walt, opera singer.
Ernst van Heerden, Afrikaans poet.
Claudette Schreuders, sculptor and painter
Karlien de Villiers, artist

Mark Nigrini, academic, accounting professor.
Estian Calitz, economics professor.
André du Pisani, political scientist and professor at University of Namibia.
Sampie Terreblanche, former professor of economics at Stellenbosch and founder member of the Democratic Party.
Hendrik W. (H.W.) van der Merwe founder of the Centre for Intergroup Studies, University of Cape Town.
Marina Joubert, senior science communication researcher at Stellenbosch University
Lydia Baumbach, classical scholar
Gisela Sole, professor of physiotherapy at University of Otago in New Zealand

Mike Horn, adventurer.
Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari, political scientist.
John Laredo, anti-apartheid campaigner.
Riaan Cruywagen, newsreader and voice artist.
Johan Degenaar, philosopher.
Siegfried Ngubane, Anglican bishop.
D. C. S. Oosthuizen, (Daantjie Oosthuizen), philosopher, Christian, critic of Apartheid.
Vern Poythress, Calvinist philosopher and New Testament scholar.
Martin Welz, investigative journalist and editor of South African investigative magazine Noseweek.
Stefanus Gie, diplomat.
Vuyokazi Mahlati, social entrepreneur, gender activist and global director of the International Women's Forum
Max du Preez, author, columnist and the founding editor of Vrye Weekblad