List of alumni of Stellenbosch University

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

Science

 * 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
 * Taryn Young, physician and epidemiologist.

Law

 * 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.

Politics

 * 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.

Business

 * 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.

Sport

 * Stuart Abbott, rugby player.
 * Mari Rabie, Rhodes scholar, triathlete.
 * Danie Craven, prominent Rugby player and sport administrator.
 * Ashley Burdett, Zimbabwean cricketer
 * Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia and Director of the Australian Open.
 * Attie van Heerden, Olympian, rugby union, and rugby league footballer.
 * Jonathan Trott, England Cricketer.
 * Max Howell, Australian educator and rugby union player

Arts and music

 * 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

Academia

 * 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

Other

 * 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