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List of South African Nobel laureates and nominees

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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. Since 1951, eleven South African-born individuals have been awarded.[1]

Laureates

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Year Image Laureate Born Died Field Citation
Citizens
1951 Max Theiler 30 January 1899
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 		11 August 1972
New Haven, Connecticut, United States 		Physiology or Medicine "for his discoveries concerning yellow fever and how to combat it."[2]
1960 Albert Luthuli[a] c. 1898
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe 		27 July 1967
KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 		Peace "for his non-violent struggle against apartheid."[3]
1979 Allan MacLeod Cormack 23 February 1924
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 		7 May 1998
Winchester, Massachusetts, United States 		Physiology or Medicine "for the development of computer assisted tomography."[4]
(awarded together with Godfrey Hounsfield)
1984 Desmond Tutu 7 October 1931
Klerksdorp, North West, South Africa 		26 December 2021
Cape Town, South Africa 		Peace "for his role as a unifying leader figure in the non-violent campaign to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa."[5]
1991 Nadine Gordimer 20 November 1923
Springs, Gauteng, South Africa 		13 July 2014
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 		Literature "who through her magnificent epic writing has - in the words of Alfred Nobel - been of very great benefit to humanity."[6]
1993 Nelson Mandela 18 July 1918
Mvezo, OR Tambo, Eastern Cape, South Africa 		5 December 2013
Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 		Peace "for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa."[7]
Frederik Willem de Klerk 18 March 1936
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 		11 November 2021
Cape Town, South Africa
2002 Sydney Brenner 13 January 1927
Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa 		5 April 2019
Singapore 		Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries concerning genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death."[8]
(awarded together with H. Robert Horvitz and John E. Sulston)
2003 John Maxwell Coetzee[b] 9 February 1940
Cape Town, South Africa 		— Literature "who in innumerable guises portrays the surprising involvement of the outsider."[10]
2013 Michael Levitt 9 May 1947
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 		— Chemistry "for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems."[11]
(awarded together with Martin Karplus and Arieh Warshel)
Expatriates
1982 Aaron Klug[c] 11 August 1926
Želva, Ukmergė, Lithuania 		20 November 2018
Cambridge, United Kingdom 		Chemistry "for his development of crystallographic electron microscopy and his structural elucidation of biologically important nucleic acid-protein complexes."[13]

Members of laureate organizations

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The following South African-based organizations and individuals were significant members who contributed largely in making a larger organization become a Nobel laureate.

Year Image Individual/
organization		 Born Died Laureate organization Citation
1963 South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) founded in 1921 in Cape Town, South Africa League of Red Cross Societies
(with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)) 		"for promoting the principles of the Geneva Convention and cooperation with the U.N."[14]
1965 UNICEF South Africa founded in 1946 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) "for its effort to enhance solidarity between nations and reduce the difference between rich and poor states"[15]
2007 Debra Roberts[d] 13 January 1961
Harare, Zimbabwe 		— Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
(with Al Gore (b. 1948)) 		"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."[17]

Nominations

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The first South African nominee for the Nobel Prize was a certain P. B. de Ville who was unsuccessfully recommended twice (in 1930 and 1932) by South African Minister of Health and Social Welfare Karl Bremer (1885–1953).[18] Since then, other South African influential figures and organizations started receiving nominations as well. The following list are the nominees with verified nominations from the Nobel Committee and recognized international organizations. There are also other purported nominees whose nominations are yet to be verified since the archives are revealed 50 years after,[19] among them:

Nominees

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Image Nominee Born Died Years Nominated Citation Nominator(s)
Physics
Johannes Frederik ("Hannes") de Beer[30] 1930 1966[e] "for the development of the spark chamber"[35][36] Yozo Nogami (1918-2008) from University of Tokyo
 Japan
Chemistry
John Bockris 5 January 1923 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 7 July 2013 in Gainesville, Florida, United States 1970[f] "for his research on the first model of the electrode-electrolyte surface that include the dipole moment of the solvent."[37] T. M. Salem (?)
 Egypt
Physiology or Medicine
Joseph Gillman[38] 3 December 1907 in Pretoria, South Africa 5 September 1981 in Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France 1953 "for their contributions in addressing malnutrition and pellagra in South Africa."[39][40]
  • E. H. Cluver (?)
     South Africa
  • O. S. Heyns (?)
     South Africa
  • Raymond Dart
    (1893–1988)
     South Africa
Theodore Gillman[40] c. 1917 in South Africa 12 July 1971 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Literature
J. R. R. Tolkien 3 January 1892 in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa 2 September 1973 in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England 1961 The Hobbit (1937)
The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955)
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (1962)
The Road Goes Ever On (1967)[41] 		C. S. Lewis
(1898–1963)
 United Kingdom
1967 Gösta Holm
(1916–2011)
 Sweden
1969 Richard E. Wycherley
(1909–1986)
 United Kingdom
Nadine Gordimer 20 November 1923 in Springs, Gauteng, South Africa 13 July 2014 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 1972, 1973 A World of Strangers (1958)
The Conservationist (1974)
Burger's Daughter (1979)
July's People (1981) 		Artur Lundkvist
(1906–1991)
 Sweden
Alan Paton 11 January 1903 in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 12 April 1988 in Botha's Hill, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 1972 Cry, The Beloved Country (1948)
Too Late the Phalarope (1953)
Tales from a Troubled Land (1961)
Ah, but Your Land Is Beautiful (1983) 		Astley Cooper Partridge
( 1901–?)
 South Africa
Peace
P. B. de Ville ?
South Africa 		?
South Africa 		1930, 1932 [18] Karl Bremer
(1885–1953)
 South Africa
Jan Smuts 24 May 1870 in Riebeek West, Swartland, Western Cape, South Africa 11 September 1950 in Irene, Gauteng, South Africa 1945 "for his efforts to end World War II and for South Africa's main role in the war of helping the allies in preventing Germany and Italy from conquering North Africa."[42] Halvdan Koht
(1873–1965)
 Norway
Marcus [Mordechai Aryeh] Wald 1 June 1901 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania 12 March 1957 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 1949 "for his book on Jewish comprehensions of the peace problem."[43] D. L. Smit (?)
 South Africa
Helen Suzman 7 November 1917 in Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa 1 January 2009 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa 1972 [44] Richard Luyt
(1915–1994)
 South Africa
Stephen Biko 18 December 1946 in Tarkastad, Eastern Cape, South Africa 12 September 1977 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 1978 American Friends Service Committee
Beyers Naudé 10 May 1915 in Roodepoort, Gauteng, South Africa 7 September 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa 1993 "for his role in the dismantling of apartheid, as fighter for human rights, and prophet and humane pastor to all who suffered under apartheid."
Zackie Achmat 21 March 1962 in Vrededorp, Gauteng, South Africa — 2004 "for having helped to galvanize a global movement to provide hope and gain access to treatment for those with HIV and AIDS."[45]
Treatment Action Campaign founded in 1998 in Cape Town, South Africa
14 South African women (part of the 1000 PeaceWomen)[g] began in 2003 in Bern, Switzerland 2005 "in recognition of women's efforts and visibility in promoting peace all over the world."[46] Ruth-Gaby Vermont-Mangold
(born 1941)
  Switzerland
Elon Musk 28 June 1971 in Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa — 2024 "for his adamant defense of dialogue, free speech and [enabling] the possibility to express one’s views' in a continuously more polarized world."[47] Marius Nilsen
(born 1984)

Notes

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  1. ^ Albert Luthuli received his Nobel Prize one year later, in 1961. During the selection process in 1960, the Norwegian Nobel Committee decided that none of the year's nominations met the criteria as outlined in the will of Alfred Nobel. According to the Nobel Foundation's statutes, the Nobel Prize can in such a case be reserved until the following year, and this statute was then applied. Luthuli therefore received his Nobel Prize for 1960 one year later, in 1961.[3]
  2. ^ On 2002, Coetzee moved to Australia but he was still awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature as a South African citizen. Then, on 6 March 2006, he became a full Australian citizen.[9]
  3. ^ Aaron Klug was born in Lithuania to Jewish parents with whom he emigrated to South Africa at the age of two. He received his secondary and tertiary education at the Durban High School and University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg respectively. He studied physics and obtained his Master of Science degree at the University of Cape Town.[12]
  4. ^ Debra C. Roberts was one of the six co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change when it won the 2007 Peace Prize with U.S. Vice President Al Gore.[16]
  5. ^ J. Fr. de Beer was nominated jointly with J.W.Keuffel,[31] T.E.Cranshaw,[32] S.Miyamoto[33] and Shuji Fukui[34] the only time.
  6. ^ J. Bockris was nominated jointly with Herbert Spencer Harned (1888–1969) and Walter Houser Brattain (1902–1987) for the 1970 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Brattain was subsequently awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics.
  7. ^ The 14 South African women who formed part in the 1000 PeaceWomen were Adelle Ptgieter (b. 1974), Busisiwe Virginia Hlomuka (1965–2005), Cordelia Nozukile Tshaka (b. 1951), Daphne Jansen (b. 1956), Edith Matshikiza (b. 1943), Jenet Dlamini (b. 1967), Lesley Ann Foster (b. 1967), Lorna Philander (b. 1960), Mirriam Malala (b. 1936), Nikiwe Nyamakazi (b. 1958), Nosandla Malindi (b. 1960), Regina Makunga (b. 1950), Rolene Miller (b. 1938) and Veronica Khosa (b. 1927).

References

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  1. ^ "Nobel Prizes and South African Laureates". sahistory.org.za. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  2. ^ The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1951 Archived 2018-07-08 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  3. ^ a b The Nobel Peace Prize 1961 Archived 2018-08-15 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  4. ^ The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1979 Archived 2018-07-08 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  5. ^ The Nobel Peace Prize 1984 Archived 2021-07-12 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  6. ^ The Nobel Prize in Literature 1991 Archived 2018-04-12 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  7. ^ The Nobel Peace Prize 1993 Archived 2023-05-11 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  8. ^ The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2002 Archived 2018-07-08 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  9. ^ "JM Coetzee Became an Australian Citizen". Mail & Guardian. 6 March 2006. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  10. ^ The Nobel Prize in Literature 2003 Archived 2018-07-02 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  11. ^ The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013 Archived 2020-05-22 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  12. ^ Aaron Klug – Biographical Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  13. ^ The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1982 Archived 2018-06-13 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  14. ^ The Nobel Peace Prize 1963 Archived 2021-07-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  15. ^ The Nobel Peace Prize 1965 Archived 2021-07-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  16. ^ Debra Roberts – IPCC Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine ipcc.ch
  17. ^ The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 Archived 2018-11-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  18. ^ a b Nomination archive – P de Ville Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  19. ^ "Nomination and selection of Nobel laureates". nobelprize.org. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  20. ^ "Christiaan Neethling Barnard | South African History Online". sahistory.org. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Professor Emeritus Phillip Tobias | South African History Online". sahistory.org.za. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  22. ^ "Es'kia Mphahlele". unisa.ac.za. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  23. ^ Karen van der Berg (9 June 2017). "'Karel could have won the Nobel Prize'". jougesin.solidariteit.co.za. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Karel Schoeman: South Africa's unknown literary legend". Daily Sabah. 5 May 2017. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  25. ^ "Wilbur Smith: Greatest Historical Novelist of Our Time?". historicalnovelsociety.org. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  26. ^ "The Nobel Prize for Literature: Who Could & Should Win". Boxwalla. 2 October 2022. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Producer advocates for author's Nobel Prize nomination". Berea Mail. 19 April 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Nobel Prize in Literature 2019. Why Maryse Condé and Antjie Krog should be the laureates". Diggit Magazine. 5 November 2018. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  29. ^ Emily Temple (26 September 2022). "Here are the bookies' odds for the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature". Literary Hub. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  30. ^ Who's Who in Atoms, 5th ed. (George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., 1969), vol. 1, p.344
  31. ^ "Nomination Archive - J W Keuffel". NobelPrize.org. April 2020. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  32. ^ "Nomination Archive - T E Cranshaw". NobelPrize.org. April 2020. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  33. ^ "Nomination Archive - S Miyamoto". NobelPrize.org. April 2020. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Nomination Archive - S Fukui". NobelPrize.org. April 2020. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  35. ^ Roberts, Arthur (May 1961). "Review of Scientific Instruments 32 482 (1961) "Development of the Spark Chamber: A Review"". Review of Scientific Instruments. 32 (5): 482–485. doi:10.1063/1.1717420. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  36. ^ "Nomination Archive - J F de Beer". NobelPrize.org. April 2020. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  37. ^ Nomination archive – John O'Mara Bockris Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  38. ^ "In Memoriam: Joseph Gillman". journals.co.za. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  39. ^ Nomination archive – Joseph Gillman Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  40. ^ a b Nomination archive – Theodore Gillman Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  41. ^ Nomination archive – John Ronald Reuel Tolkien Archived 2022-10-06 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  42. ^ Nomination archive – Jan Christian Smuts Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  43. ^ Nomination archive – Marcus Wald Archived 2023-02-23 at the Wayback Machine nobelprize.org
  44. ^ "The National Archives of Norway [Det Norske Nobelinstitutt: Nominasjoner til Nobels fredspris]". media-digitalarkivet-no. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  45. ^ "U.S. Quaker Organization Nominates Treatment Action Campaign, Zackie Achmat for 2004 Nobel Peace Prize". Kaiser Health News. 2 December 2003. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  46. ^ PeaceWomen Across the Globe Archived 2023-02-19 at the Wayback Machine, www.1000peacewomen.org, retrieved 1 February 2023.
  47. ^ "Frp-representant nominerte Elon Musk til Nobels fredspris". Dagsavisen. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
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