For the longest time, it has perplexed me about how hard we are on ourselves here in

Mzansi. We are a demanding people and that’s a good thing, because it means we won’t be

stomped on. But it also means we often fail to harvest the life lessons of the good and the

great among us. This is our effort to do so.

This, my pet project, is a collection of South Africans who have staked a claim to

greatness not only on our shores but also abroad. I know ‘world class’ can be a contested

term, but I use it unapologetically. If we are to reach our potential as a nation then we must

strive to be a world class nation. To my mind, we are not that far away, though the popular

narrative may paint a different picture.

One of the many adverse legacies of apartheid is an inferiority complex – if a system

tells you often enough that you are not good enough, you begin to believe it. I think

sometimes we still suffer the affl iction. So, here is a collection of men and women who can

guide us to a different path, people who have reached their destinies and often beyond an

accepted ability to do wonderful things. To make art, make peace, cross deserts, to judge,

to bless, to act and to create. We salute them all and learn from the many wonderful

examples of persistence, talent and truth-telling we chronicle here.

There are gaps, but that’s the diffi culty of trying to squeeze it all into 100 people

– it was hard to edit down the list and we chose based on obvious impact, on awards and

on consultations with industry experts. If you know of people who absolutely must be

included next year, let me know. You will recognise some familiar faces from last year,

whom we have included again this year because they continue to make their mark – often

in new ways – but there are also a whole bunch of new people in this, our second edition.

Enjoy this antidote to the daily news and our big challenges. If we look beyond them,

we will see that we have, in abundance, the greatest asset: a class full of world beaters.

THE TEAMEDITORIAL DIRECTORClare O’Donoghue

EDITOR Caroline Webb

ART DIRECTOR Piers Buckle

PICTURE EDITORZandile Xabendlini

WRITERS Tamara RothbartZama NkosiNokwazi Mkhize Greg Gordon

CITY PRESSEDITORFerial Haffajee

ASSISTANT EDITOR Nicki Gules

NEW MEDIA ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Sandra Ladas

GENERAL MANAGERMaria Tiganis

GENERAL MANAGER:OPERATIONS, PRODUCTION & SYSTEMS Lucrezia Wolfaardt

MANAGER: PRODUCTION & TRAFFICShirley Quinlan

GROUP HEAD OF CREATIVE Crispian Brown

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR John Psillos

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Irna van Zyl

MANAGING & EXECUTIVE DIRECTORBridget McCarney

PRINTED BY Paarl Media Gauteng.

Published on behalf of City Press by New Media Publishing (Pty) Ltd, New Media House, 19 Bree Street, Cape Town, PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051. Tel 021 417 1111. Email: info@newmediapub.co.za.

All rights reserved. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, neither the editor, publisher, City Press nor New Media Publishing can be held responsible for any inaccuracies, injury or damages that may arise. The opinions expressed in articles may not refl ect those of the publisher.

INTRODUCTION

FERIAL HAFFAJEE EDITOR, CITY PRESS

ferial.haffajee@citypress.co.zaFollow me on @ferialhaffajee

‘ May we learn from them and grow generations anew.’

100WORLD CLASS

SOUTH AFRICANS

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