FULL list of South African Nobel Prize winners

South Africa has a remarkable Nobel Prize legacy spanning peace, literature, medicine, chemistry and physics.

Its laureates include anti-apartheid leaders, internationally acclaimed authors, pioneering scientists and, most recently, human rights jurist Navi Pillay.

Pillay’s 2026 Nobel Peace Prize adds another name to the list of Nobel laureates with significant South African connections.

READ | FIVE things you didn’t know about Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay

One important distinction: not every laureate on this list was a South African citizen when they won. Some were born in South Africa but built their careers overseas, while others became internationally recognised for their work in South Africa.

The complete list of Nobel laureates with South African connections

Listed chronologically by award year

1. Max Theiler

1951 · Physiology or Medicine

Born in Pretoria, Theiler won for discovering how to develop a vaccine against yellow fever. He later worked in the United States where he died in 1972.

2. Albert Luthuli

1960 · Peace

The former African National Congress president was recognised for his non-violent struggle against apartheid. He received the prize in 1961.

3. Allan MacLeod Cormack

1979 · Physiology or Medicine

Born in Johannesburg, Cormack shared the prize for work that helped lay the mathematical foundations of computer-assisted tomography, commonly known as CT scanning.

4. Aaron Klug

1982 · Chemistry

Born in Lithuania and raised in South Africa, Klug was honoured for developing crystallographic electron microscopy and studying the structures of important biological molecules.

5. Desmond Tutu

1984 · Peace

The Anglican archbishop was recognised for his role as a unifying leader in the non-violent campaign against apartheid.

6. Nadine Gordimer

1991 · Literature

The South African novelist was honoured for her literary work, which explored social and political realities, including apartheid.

7. Nelson Mandela

1993 · Peace

South Africa’s first democratically elected president shared the prize with F.W. de Klerk for their work towards the peaceful termination of apartheid and the foundations of a democratic South Africa.

8. F.W. de Klerk

1993 · Peace

The former South African president shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela in recognition of their roles in the country’s transition away from apartheid.

9. Sydney Brenner

2002 · Physiology or Medicine

Born in South Africa, Brenner shared the prize for discoveries about genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death. He later became a British citizen.

10. J. M. Coetzee

2003 · Literature

Born in Cape Town, the celebrated novelist was awarded the prize for fiction that explores the surprising involvement of outsiders in society. He later moved to Australia.

11. Michael Levitt

2013 · Chemistry

Born in Pretoria, Levitt shared the prize for developing multiscale models that help scientists understand complex chemical systems using computers.

12. Navi Pillay

2026 · Peace

The South African jurist and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting international law and justice. Her career includes landmark work in international criminal justice.

How many Nobel laureates does South Africa have?

The answer depends on how the list is defined. The 12 people above have significant South African connections, but the list includes people born overseas, such as Aaron Klug, who was raised in South Africa. Some South African-born laureates later acquired other nationalities and pursued their careers abroad.

The Nobel Prizes were established according to the will of the Swedish industrialist and inventor, Alfred Nobel and are awarded to individuals who have excelled in the fields of chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature, economics and peace.