Actors/Actresses

• Sandra Prinsloo,  ( 1947) (The Gods Must Be Crazy, Quest for Love (1988 film)) stage afrikaaner adaption of Miss Julie which saw the first on-screen kiss between a black man and a white woman)
• Peter Cartwright, actor (born 1935)
• Sharlto Copley, actor, (District 9) (born 1973)
• Embeth Davidtz, actress (born 1965)
• Brett Goldin, actor (1977–2006)
• David James, actor (born 1972), stage, television, and film actor
• Sid James, film & television actor (1913–1976)
• Adhir Kalyan, actor (born 1983)
• John Kani, actor, entertainer and writer (born 1943)
• Alice Krige, actress (born 1954)
• Sean Michael , (born 1969)
• Patrick Mynhardt, actor (1932–2007)
• Winston Ntshona, actor (born 1941)
• Sasha Pieterse, actress (born 1996)
• Basil Rathbone, actor (1892–1967)
• Stelio Savante, actor (born 1970)
• Antony Sher, actor, author and painter (born 1949)
• Cliff Simon, actor (born 1962)
• William Smith, TV teacher and presenter
• Janet Suzman, actress (born 1939)
• Charlize Theron, actress (born 1975)
• Pieter-Dirk Uys, political satirist and entertainer (born 1945)
• Musetta Vander, actress (born 1969)
• Arnold Vosloo, actor (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, 24) (born 1962)

Dancers

• Juliet Prowse, dancer (1936–1996)

Playwrights and film directors

• Neill Blomkamp, director, District 9 (born 1979)
• Lev David, writer and media consultant (born 1980)
• Athol Fugard, playwright (born 1932)
• Ronald Harwood, playwright and writer (born 1934)
• Mbongeni Ngema, playwright, actor, choreographer and director (born 1955)
• Mthuli ka Shezi, playwright and political activist (1947–1972)
• Leon Schuster, filmmaker, comedian, actor and prankster (born 1951)
• Jamie Uys, film director (1921–1996)
• Gavin Hood, film director (1963 – ), best known for writing and directing the Academy Award-winning Foreign Language Film, Tsotsi(2005)
• Michael Oblowitz film director

Singers, musicians and composers

• Zain Bhikha, world renowned singer-songwriter of the Nasheed genre
• Johan Botha, opera singer (born 1965)
• Al Bowlly, popular singer (born 1898)
• Johnny Clegg, musician (born 1953)
• Mimi Coertse, opera singer (born 1932)
• Fanie de Jager, operatic tenor (born 1949)
• Lucky Dube, reggae singer (1964–2007)
• Daniel Friedman (Deep Fried Man), musical comedian (born 1981)
• Claire Johnston, singer
• David Kramer, singer and playwright (born 1951)
• Winston Ngozi Mankunku tenor sax player (1943–2009)
• Mahlathini, mbaqanga singer (1938-1999)
• Miriam Makeba, singer and civil rights activist (born 1940)
• Manfred Mann, musician (born 1940)
• Hugh Masekela, jazz trumpeter and singer (born 1940)
• Gwendolyn Masin, violinist, author, pedagogue (born 1977)
• Aquiles Priester, drummer (born 1971)
• Koos Ras, comedian, singer, writer, composer (1928–1997)
• Enoch Sontonga, composer of national anthem (1873–1905)
• Joseph Shabalala, founder and director of Ladysmith Black Mambazo (born 1941)
• Shaun Morgan, lead singer of the award-winning band Seether (born c. 1978)
• Dave Matthews, musician, Dave Matthews Band (born c. 1967)
• ZP Theart, singer, ex Dragonforce (born c. 1974)
• Hilda Tloubatla, lead singer of Mahotella Queens (born 1942)
• Trevor Rabin, musician, composer, former member of progressive rock band Yes
• Watkin Tudor Jones, rapper, performance artist, band member of Die Antwoord
• Yolandi Visser, rapper, performance artist, band member of Die Antwoord

Supermodels, socialites and media personalities

Candice Swanepoel

• Jani Allan, radio personality, journalist (born 1953)
• Riaan Cruywagen, TV news reader (born 1945)
• Trevor Denman, horse racing announcer (born 1952)
• Alan Khan, radio personality (born 1971)
• Jeremy Mansfield, radio and TV personality
• Candice Swanepoel, Victoria's Secret model (born 1988)
• Gina Athans, model, international socialite
• Charlize Theron
• Megan McKenzie
• Minki van der Westhuizen, model and TV presenter
• Debora Patta, broadcast journalist and television producer
• Jeremy Maggs, journalist, radio host and television presenter

Cartoonists

• T.O. Honiball, cartoonist (1905–1990)
• Jeremy Nell, cartoonist (born 1979)
• Zapiro, cartoonist (born 1958)

Ceramists and collage artists

Painters

• Thomas Baines, colonial painter and explorer (1820–1875)
• Garth Erasmus, visual artist (born 1956)
• Clinton Fein, artist, activist, photographer (born 1964)
• C. G. Finch-Davies, painter and ornithologist (1875–1920)
• Ronald Harrison, painter (died 2011)
• William Kentridge, painter (born 1955)
• Neville Lewis, artist (1895–1972)
• Conor Mccreedy, artist (born 1987)
• Brett Murray, artist (born 1961)
• George Pemba, visual artist (1912–2001)
• Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef, artist (1886–1957)
• Gerard Sekoto, artist and musician (1913–1993)
• Cecil Skotnes, painter (1926–2009)
• Irma Stern, painter (1894–1966)
• Vladimir Tretchikoff, painter (1913–2006)
• Maggie Laubser, painter (1886-1973)

Photographers

• Kevin Carter (1961–1994)
• Ernest Cole (1940–1990)
• David Goldblatt, photographer (born 1930)
• Bob Gosani (1934–1972)
• Alf Kumalo (1930-2012)
• Peter Magubane (born 1932)
• Jürgen Schadeberg (born 1931)
• Austin Stevens (born 1951)

Sculptors

• Anton van Wouw (1862–1945)

Performance Artists

• Steven Cohen (born 1962)
• Tracey Rose (born 1974)

Architects

• Gerard Moerdijk (1890–1958)
• Herbert Baker (1862-1946)