Nadine Gordimer’s works were a thorn in the side of the apartheid government and, although a number of them were banned, she chose to stay on in Johannesburg. She was the first South African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. more

When the great South African icon, Nelson Mandela, was released from Robben Island in 1990, South African writer Nadine Gordimer was high on his priority list of people he wanted to meet with first. No wonder. This Nobel prize winner for Literature, struggled ceaselessly against apartheid - in black on white. more

Acclaimed resistance artist, Gerard Sekoto (1913-1993), astounded researchers from beyond his grave, when in 2002 art historian Barbara Lindop discovered 30 jazz songs, composed by the artist, amongst his manuscripts and paintings brought back from Paris after his death in 1993. South Africans had no clue this talented painter was also a Parisian musician. more

George Pemba (1912-2001) painted from a tender age and kept on doing so through South Africa's dark apartheid era, when black artists were frowned upon. Only at the age of 79 was Pemba truly recognized for his exceptional contribution to South African art. more

The comedians of South Africa may have grown up in extremely diverse communities, providing each of them with a unique style of comedy, byt they do, however, have a common bond; the country’s dramatic contrasts and the multitude of funny and fascinating stories stemming from its origins. more

South African dance events prove there’s much more to South Africa than game, good sport, great weather and gob-smacking scenery. A multitude of dance events, held annually, are a window onto the enchanting, historical tapestry of a nation forged with the same fervour and fever that courses through a passionate dancer’s veins. more

Comic expression in South Africa comes in a delightful variety of styles, often poking fun at the multitude of colourful characters and the weird and wonderful situations they might find themselves in. From impersonations to controversial commentary and satire, comedic expression in South Africa is authentic and idiosyncratic. more

South Africans already knew Charlize Theron was a girl with immense potential when this breathtaking beauty won a local modelling competition at the age of 15. When her subsequent ballet career in New York ended with a knee injury, she started acting – and won an Oscar. more

The book in Alan Paton’s oeuvre that stands out like a pole above water, is Cry, the Beloved Country (1948). By the time of his death in 1988, the book had sold over 15 million copies. It is testimony to a writer with a passion for his country, his nation and freedom for all. more

CL Leipoldt’s abiding passion was food and wine. Few other socio-historical records of the South African larder and table demonstrate the breadth, wit and boundless culinary curiosity of Leipoldt’s appetite. more

Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli became known as 'The Cradock Four' after they were assassinated by security police in July 1985 on their way home from Port Elizabeth. Their deaths sparked such a national outcry that historians have marked the event as 'the beginning of the end of Apartheid'. more

The Nelson Mandela Museum documents the early years of an historic man. In a form unprecedented, the Nelson Mandela Museum in South Africa incorporates three different museums: the Bhunga building in Umtata; Mvezo where he was born; and at the Qunu Museum, a colourful depiction of his youth. more

South Africa’s history is replete with rags-to-riches stories, but few so incredible as that of Barney Barnato, who possessed diamonds, gold and a lightning combination punch to the midriff. His vibrant character stood in contrast to the dourer mien of his rival on the Kimberley diamond fields, Cecil John Rhodes. more

Professor Himla Soodyall is renowned across the globe for her groundbreaking genetic research into the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa. Her studies have identified some of the oldest DNA found in living people today, adding weight to the theory that modern humans evolved in the area now known as Southern Africa. more