The Bloomberg Billionaires Index has been released for 2020, and there are a few South Africans on the Index. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index features the 500 richest people in the world, charting their rise to financial immortality. The wealthiest people in the world gained about $1.2 trillion in 2019
South Africa has three representatives:
According to Bloomberg, Johan Rupert is a new “richest person” on the list. His net worth is now larger than that of Nicky Oppenheimer’s. He ranks number 242 in the world with a $7.38-billion net worth.
The second South African is Nick Oppenheimer who sits comfortably on number 243. He sold his family’s 40% stake in De Beers, the world’s biggest diamond producer, to mining company Anglo American in 2012 for $5.2 billion in cash. He maintains private equity investments in Africa, Asia, the U.S. and Europe through London-based Stockdale Street and Johannesburg-based Tana Africa Capital.
The third South African on the Index is Natie Kirsch. His net worth of $6.16-billion puts him in the 312th rank. The bulk of Kirsh’s fortune comes from Jetro Holdings, which owns restaurant supply stores Jetro Cash and Carry and Restaurant Depot. He has been based in the US for a long time, and founded a successful group of food and beverage companies. He is a regular feature on Bloomberg’s top 500.
Meanwhile, Aliko Dangote remains the only black person on the list. Africa’s richest man, became $4.3 billion richer in 2019 as his fortune continued to grow on the back of investments in cement, flour and sugar. He ended the decade with a net worth of almost $15 billion, making him the 96th wealthiest man in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Patrice Motsepe is within the world’s top 1 000 richest people. His net worth is estimated at $2.6-billion.
According to Bloomberg, only 52 of the world’s 500 wealthiest people saw their fortunes shrink in 2019. Media mogul, Rupert Murdoch is amongst those who lost more than anyone else in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index in 2019, ending the year at number 220 with a $7.8 billion fortune. His net worth had plunged after Disney bought 21st Century Fox.
2019 Winners
The 172 American billionaires on the Bloomberg ranking added $500 billion, with Facebook Inc.’s Mark Zuckerberg up $27.3 billion and Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates rose $22.7 billion. Representation from China continued to grow, with the nation’s contingent rising to 54.
The top five of the richest is as follows:
#1. Jeff Bezos. $115B.
#2. Bill Gates. $113B.
#3. Bernard Arnault. $105B.
#4. Warren Buffett. $89.3B.
#5. Mark Zuckerberg. $78.4B.
