Wits’ illustrious alumni make their mark across the globe

Over 200 000 illustrious alumni have graduated from Wits. We stand on the shoulders of these giants who make an impact on the world, only a few of whom are mentioned here, but who represent the thousands of successful Witsies in South Africa and around the world.

Many alumni are leaders in the fields of business, medicine, engineering, architecture, science and technology, law, the arts, and politics and public service. Their achivements and success reflect the signification difference that our graduate make in the world today. These ‘Witsies‘ are innovators, change makers, catalysts and critical thinkers who have the edge.

Nobel Prize Winners

Wits has served as the home of four Nobel Prize winners: Sir Sydney Brenner (Medicine), Nadine Gordimer (Literature), Sir Aaron Klug (Chemistry), and Nelson Mandela (Peace).

National Orders

There are many distinguished graduates who have received national orders and international honours for their contribution to society. These include notable academics like Professor Raymond Dart, Professor Phillip V Tobias, Dr Helen Suzman, Professor Jacques (Friedel) Sellschop, Professor Frank Nabarro, Dr Himladevi Soodyall, Dr Selig Percy Amoils, Professor Valerie Mizrahi, Professor Barry Schoub, Professor Glenda Gray, Professor Helen Rees, Sir Terence English, Sir David King, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, Professor Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, and Professor Benedict Vilakazi, too many to name here.

The Order of Luthuli was bestowed on Professor Yosuf (Joe) Veriava and Dr Essop Essak Jassat for their contribution to medicine, but also for their activism and stance against the apartheid regime. Other activists included Ahmed Kathrada, Robert Sobukwe and Max Coleman who fought for liberation and the promotion of human rights. Some activists like Ruth First and David Webster paid the ultimate price and lost their lives in the fight for freedom have received national orders and international These include notable academics like Professor Helen Suzman, Professor Jacques (Friedel)

Sir Sydney Kentridge, one of Wits’ famous graduates, also celebrates his 100th birthday in 2022. Happy Birthday!

Himladevi Soodyall, Dr Selig Percy Amoils, Professor Glenda Gray, Professor Helen Rees, Sir Terence Phakeng, Professor Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, name here.

Yosuf (Joe) Veriava and Dr Essop Essak Jassat their activism and stance against the apartheid Kathrada, Robert Sobukwe and Max Coleman who human rights. Some activists like Ruth First and ������������������������������������������������������������������w�����������������

Given its proximity to business and its location

Wits graduate are influential business eaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropists in South Africa and beyond. Some famous alumni in this category include Adrian Gore, the CEO of Discovery Holdings; Stanley Bergman the CEO of Henry Schein Inc. and his wife Marion, a medical doctor. Entrepreneur Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong and his wife Michelle; founder and chairman of African

JSE listed companies

Legal Giants

In the legal and justice sector, Advocate George Bizos, Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson, Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed, Lord Joel Joffe, Justice Edwin Cameron, Amina, Azhar and Firoz Cachalia, John Dugard, Richard Goldstone, Sir Sydney Kentridge, Michael Katz, Mervyn King, Jody Kollapen, Margaret Marshall and Advocate Thuli Madonsela are some of Wits’ graduates who have received national or global honours. Justice Dikgang Moseneke served as the former Chancellor of the University alongside Professor Loyiso Nongxa and Professor Adam Habib, also a Wits alumnus. Moseneke was succeeded by Dr Judy Dlamini, a medical doctor, activist, business leader and Wits alumnus, who serves as the current Chancellor alongside Chair of Council Isaac Shongwe and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, the current Vice-Chancellor and Principal, a Wits alumnus and Fellow of the Royal Society (UK).

Mark Lamberti; property developer Adam Levy; entrepreneur David Frankel; the CEO of Nando’s, Robbie Brozin; the CEO of Naspers Koos Bekker; the former CEO of ABSA Maria Ramos; and the founder of Liberty Life, Sir Donald Gordon are all Witsies. Other Witsies who have transformed business in South Africa include Elizabeth Bradley; Brian Joffe; Wendy Appelbaum; Steven Collis; Gail Kelly; Nathan Kirsh; Sipho Maseko; Stephen Koseff; Stavros Nicolaou; and Rodney Sacks, the CEO of Monster Beverages. Five Wits alumni are currently CEOs of major global mining or commodity companies including Duncan Wanblad (Anglo American), Gary Nagle (Glencore), who succeeded Ivan Glasenberg, also a Witsie, Paul Brink (Franco Nevada), Neal Froneman (Sibanye Stillwater) and Mpumi Zikalala (Kumba Iron Ore). Similar illustrious lists can be developed for other sectors and professions.

Giants

Legal Giants

justice sector, Advocate George Arthur Chaskalson, Chief Mahomed, Lord Joel Joffe, Cameron, Amina, Azhar and Firoz Dugard, Richard Goldstone, Sir Michael Katz, Mervyn King, Margaret Marshall and Advocate some of Wits’ graduates national or global honours. Moseneke served as the former University alongside Professor Professor Adam Habib, also Moseneke was succeeded by Dr medical doctor, activist, business alumnus, who serves as the alongside Chair of Council Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, a Wits the Royal Society (UK).

In the legal and justice sector, Advocate George Bizos, Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson, Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed, Lord Joel Joffe, Justice Edwin Cameron, Amina, Azhar and Firoz Cachalia, John Dugard, Richard Goldstone, Sir Sydney Kentridge, Michael Katz, Mervyn King, Jody Kollapen, Margaret Marshall and Advocate Thuli Madonsela are some of Wits’ graduates who have received national or global honours.

Justice Dikgang Moseneke served as the former Chancellor of the University alongside Professor Loyiso Nongxa and Professor Adam Habib, also a Wits alumnus. Moseneke was succeeded by Dr Judy Dlamini, a medical doctor, activist, business leader and Wits alumnus, who serves as the current Chancellor alongside Chair of Council Isaac Shongwe and Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, the current Vice-Chancellor and Principal, a Wits alumnus and fellow of the Royel Society (UK).

Legendary Artists

The Order of Ikhamanga was received both by Professor Jeanne Zaidel Rudolph for her work in composing South Africa’s combined national anthem and by Dr Johnny Clegg for his “excellent contribution to and achievement in the field of bridgeing African traditional music with other music forms, promoting racial understanding among racially divided groups in South Africa under dificult apartheid conditions, working for a non-racial society and being an outstanding spokesperson for the

Wits recently hosted a reimagined “Free People’s Concert” in his honour, at which his son Jesse, also a Wits alumnus, paid tribute to his life.

According to the founder of the Free People’s Concert, David Marks, “Wits University was one of the very few venues in the country where we could present mixed bands and audiences; it was a place where township and suburb could meet”.

Another famous band was also started at Wits – Claire Johnston and many of the Mango Groove band members studied together at Wits and returned in 2022 as part of the Wits Homecoming weekend.

The premiere of the musical King Kong was presented in 1959 in the Wits Great Hall to a mixed-race audience. It helped launch the careers of some of South Africa’s best-known musicians and singers including Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, the latter who received an honorary doctorate from Wits.

Sibongile Khumalo, Cecil Skotnes, Gavin Hood, William Kentridge, Phaswane Mpe, Gary Barber and Pieter Dirk-Uys are some of the artists who have shaped our world.

Sporting Greats

Sporting legends from Wits include Comrades marathon runner Hendrik Ramaala and Bruce Fordyce who also led the 2022 Wits Parkrun, cricket legends Ali Bacher and Richard Snell, sprinter Paul Nash, tennis star Syd Levy and Olympic gymnast Odette Richards.

The premiere of the musical King Kong was presented Wits Great Hall to a mixed-race audience. It helped some of South Africa’s best-known musicians and singers Makeba and Hugh Masekela, the latter who received from Wits.

Sibongile Khumalo, Cecil Skotnes, Gavin Hood, Phaswane Mpe, Gary Barber and Pieter Dirk-Uys are who have shaped our world.

Media stalwarts like Aggrey Klaaste, Ferial Haffajee, Fred Khumalo, Raymond Heard, Mathatha Tsedu and Dr Raymond Louw also walked Wits’ corridors – journalists not afraid to speak truth to power and to hold those in power to account.

Media stalwarts like Aggrey Klaaste, Ferial Haffajee, Raymond Heard, Mathatha Tsedu and Dr Raymond Louw corridors – journalists not afraid to speak truth to power in power to account.

Sporting Greats

Sporting legends from marathon runner Hendrik Fordyce who also led cricket legends Ali Bacher sprinter Paul Nash, tennis Olympic gymnast Odette

Witsies are changing spheres – Rory Byrne engineer for Ferrari, the leaning tower of Professor Bavesh Kana the testing for tuberculosis

Witsies are changing the world in all spheres – Rory Byrne served as the chief engineer for Ferrari, John Burland saved the leaning tower of Pisa from falling, and Professor Bavesh Kana is helping to make the testing for tuberculosis more accurate.

There are many more such wonderous stories, of talented alumni, developed at Wits University, who are using their talent, knowledge and savviness to change the world, for good.

There are many more stories, of talented Wits University, who knowledge and savviness world, for good.

Kong was presented in 1959 in the audience. It helped launch the careers of musicians and singers including Miriam who received an honorary doctorate

Gavin Hood, William Kentridge, Pieter Dirk-Uys are some of the artists

Klaaste, Ferial Haffajee, Fred Khumalo, Dr Raymond Louw also walked Wits’ speak truth to power and to hold those

• own a private teaching hospital (the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre)

• open a full-sized planetarium,

• establish a digital mine on campus,

• connect the brain to the internet,