This is an incomplete list ofnotable alumni and faculty (past and present) of theUniversity of Johannesburg including notable people from the merger of theRand Afrikaans University (RAU), theTechnikon Witwatersrand (TWR) andVista University into the University of Johannesburg.
| Name | Class year | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa-Marie Deetlefs | N/A | South AfricanOlympicfield hockey player | [1] |
| Zaid Timol | N/A | South African rugby player who plays for theLions | [2] |
| Uzair Docrat | N/A | South African basketball player | [3] |
| Thornton McDade | N/A | South AfricanOlympicfield hockey player | [1] |
| Caylib Oosthuizen | N/A | South African rugby player for theTel Aviv Heat | [4] |
| Shireen Sapiro | N/A | South AfricanParalympicswimmer | [5] |
| Micheen Thornycroft | N/A | ZimbabweanOlympicrower | [6] |
| Francois Uys | N/A | South African rugby player who plays for theFree State Cheetahs | [7] |
| Irvette van Zyl | N/A | South AfricanOlympiclong-distance runner | [1] |
| Walter Venter | N/A | Former South African rugby player who represented theGolden Lions,Leopards,Falcons,Griquas and theLions | [8] |
| Jano Vermaak | N/A | South African national rugby player | [9] |
| Adel Weir | N/A | South Africansquash player | [10] |
| Name | Class year | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zibusiso Mkhwanazi | 2005 | Entrepreneur | [11] |
| Bridget van Kralingen | 1985 | Senior Vice President ofIBM Global Business Services | [12] |
| Lizelle Bisschoff | Founder of theAfrica in Motion (AiM) film festival in Scotland | [13] |
| Name | Year | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Kabila | 2019 | Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo | [14] |
| Name | Class year | Field of expertise | Academic level | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs | N/A | Economics | Doctorate (Ph.D.) | First chancellor of theRand Afrikaans University and Minister of Finance of South Africa (1967–1975) | [15] |
| Farid Esack | N/A | Religion | Professor | Islamic studies | [16] |
| Hendrik C. Ferreira | N/A | Engineering | Professor | NRF "A-rated" researcher specialising in Communication technologies, Information systems and technologies, Electronic engineering, Applied mathematics, Communication technologies & Information systems and technologies | [17] |
| Adam Habib | N/A | Political Science | Professor | Former deputy Vice Chancellor | [18] |
| Tshilidzi Marwala | N/A | Engineering | Professor | Known for extensive contributions to the field ofmechanical engineering; received theOrder of Mapungubwe in Bronze for outstanding contributions to, and inspirational achievements in, the field of engineering science | [19] |
| Gerrit Viljoen | N/A | Classical literature &Philosophy | Masters | First vice-chancellor of theRand Afrikaans University, Minister of Education in South Africa (1980–1989), and Minister of Constitutional Development (1989–1992) | [20] |
The university may confer advanced degrees, including an honorary doctoral degreehonoris causa as an academic award in any faculty. The university follows a conservative awards policy in order to emphasise the extraordinary and inherent value of the honorary doctorate.
| Name | Doctorate field | Year awarded | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Goldstone | Law | 2010 | Former Constitutional Court judge | [21] |
| Richard Maponya | Management | 2010 | Businessman | [22] |
| Willem Boshoff | Fine Arts | 2010 | South African artist | [23] |
| Aung San Suu Kyi | Literature | 2011 | Nobel Peace laureate | [24] |
| Barack Obama | Law | 2013 | 44th president of the United States | [25] |
| Kees Schouhamer Immink | Engineering | 2014 | Digital pioneer | [26] |
| Barbara Masekela | Humanities | 2025 | Poet, academic and diplomat | [27] |
| Margaret Busby | Humanities | 2025 | Publisher | [28] |