South Africa

🇿🇦David Hume

Philosophy

Empiricism

1796–1864

"The conclusion [of the essay 'Of the Protestant Succession'] shows me a Whig, but a very sceptical one."

🇿🇦Elon Musk

Business

b. 1971

"We need to figure out how to have the things we love, and not destroy the world."

🇿🇦Ilana Mercer

Journalism

"Life with Islam is life under Islam and its enablers."

🇿🇦Jan Smuts

Politics

1870–1950

"If there was to be equal manhood suffrage the whites would be swamped all over South Africa by the blacks and the whole position for which whites have striven for 200 years or more would be given up."

"The sinners … did not even have the consolation of feeling they were in God’s good books. The educated people told them that they were displeasing to God and “they ought to know."

🇿🇦Hendrik Verwoerd

Politics

1901–1966

"The British have fought to death for the requisites of their existence. Can't you understand that we are doing it also?"

"Those who consume animals not only harm those animals and endanger themselves, but they also threaten the well-being of other humans who currently or will later inhabit the planet."

"Good tourism will follow good hotels - and what could be better for our country?"

🇿🇦Moira Lister

Entertainment

1923–2007

"The Vicomtesse alias Moira Lister - even though she is on the wrong side of 60, is looking like an exquisite, flawless Gainsborough cameo."

🇿🇦Julius Malema

Politics

b. 1981

"Chinese are like Indians. They think they're close to whiteness. When they practice racism they even become worse than whites. There are even Blacks who mimic whiteness. All of this needs to be confronted."

🇿🇦Trevor Noah

Entertainment

b. 1984

"We drink to enjoy. The Scottish drink to die."

🇿🇦F. W. de Klerk

Politics

1936–2021

"I prefer to live in South Africa because it's a wonderful country; because I've been there for 300 years."

🇿🇦P. W. Botha

Politics

1916–2006

"I am tired of constantly hearing how guilty the Afrikaner and the National Party are and the time has come that this myth be crushed."

"Whether we like it or not, we are all on a journey, a Quest if you will, every day of our lives, and the path we must take is full of perils, and our destiny can never be predicted in advance."

🇿🇦Jani Allan

Journalism

1952–2023

"That night I made copies of all the documents with shaking hands and gave them to a friend with contacts in the British secret services. I had a bitter taste in my mouth."

🇿🇦Nadine Gordimer

Literature

1923–2014

"Sentiment is for those who don't know what to do next."

🇿🇦Christiaan Barnard

Music

1922–2001

"The prime goal is to alleviate suffering, and not to prolong life. And if your treatment does not alleviate suffering, but only prolongs life, that treatment should be stopped."

🇿🇦Pieter-Dirk Uys

Entertainment

b. 1945

"I'm just the dumb blonde with the jewelery!"

🇿🇦Dave Matthews

Music

b. 1967

"Take what you can from your dreams, make them as real as anything."

🇿🇦Helen Suzman

Politics

1917–2009

"Every Nationalist MP should go to at least one funeral for unrest victims heavily disguised as human beings, instead of sitting on their green benches in parliament, insulated like fish in an aquarium."

🇿🇦Cyril Ramaphosa

Politics

b. 1952

"We now have a great opportunity to put land to good use, to take it out of those hands, lazy hands I might say, and put it into the working hands of our people."

🇿🇦John Vorster

Politics

1915–1983

"The government will not be intimidated. Orders have been given to maintain order at all costs."

🇿🇦George F. R. Ellis

Mathematics

b. 1939

"On the limits of quantum theory: Contextuality and the quantum–classical cut", Annals of Physics 327 1890–1932"

"Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be here."

🇿🇦Jacob Zuma

Politics

b. 1942

"Ever since I was born I have never been involved in corruption and I will never be corrupt."

"I don't want to give the impression that because of gender, I was oppressed. I was, but then I lent myself to it. I regret it, as it was a disservice to women. But I was too unaware for too long."

🇿🇦Steve Biko

Social Activism

1946–1977

"In time, we shall be in a position to bestow on South Africa the greatest possible gift—a more human face."

🇿🇦Albert Lutuli

Politics

1898–1967

"I have joined my people in the new spirit that moves them today, the spirit that revolts openly and boldly against injustice and expresses itself in a determined and non-violent manner."

"I am one of four people in Johannesburg who drives at the speed limit and pays his fines. The city council has us on six-hour shifts, so it works out."

🇿🇦Bessie Head

Literature

1937–1986

"You just have to look different ... then seemingly anything can be said and done to you as your outer appearance reduces you to the status of a non-human being."

"... is nothing else but the rise and disappearance of races."

🇿🇦Gary Player

b. 1935

"An old friend once told me, you don't go fill up your car with gas at night and then park it in the garage."

🇿🇦Piet Joubert

Politics

1834–1900

"The heart of my soul is bloody with sorrow. … … But now we can only leave it to God. If it is His will that the Transvaal perish, we can only do our best."

🇿🇦Miguna Miguna

Literature

b. 1962

"Every single leader here, I can take to The Hague. Mark my word. I have it right here! And I am saying, Come, baby come!"

"I often sneak into the cinema and watch how the audience are reacting to my movie. It teaches me so much."

"Ingrid de Kok page on the Poetry International Web"