Who owns South Africa's wealth?
Isabella Harris
Updated on January 22, 2026
South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, with race playing a determining factor in a society where 10 percent of the population owns more than 80 percent of the wealth, a World Bank report has said.
Who has all the wealth in South Africa?
The top 10 percent of South African wealth holders own more than 85 percent of household wealth, while the top 1 percent wealth share reaches 55 percent. The top 0.01 percent (about 3,500 adults) own a higher share of wealth than the bottom 90 percent as a whole (about 32 million individuals).Who has the most wealth in South Africa?
$1.7 billionGiven the current rankings, Johann Rupert firmly maintains his position as South Africa's richest man, with the Bloomberg Billionaire Index also placing his net worth of an estimated $11.7 billion above Nicky Oppenheimer's $8.0 billion fortune.