Motsepe and Rupert make Forbes’ 2020 billionaires list … which has shrunk

As of March 18, Forbes counted 2,095 billionaires - 58 fewer than a year ago and 226 fewer than 12 days earlier.

Cosafa backs Patrice Motsepe for Caf presidency (Pic: Moneyweb)

Forbes Magazine has released its 2020 list of the world’s richest people and four South Africans have been featured.

Nicky Oppenheimer and his family’s wealth has been left nearly untouched after they donated R2 billion towards Covid-19 relief, as he remains South Africa’s richest, with a net worth of $7.4 billion (just over R135 billion).

Fashion and retail mogul Johann Rupert and family are South Africa’s second-richest, with a net worth of $4.6 billion. Media and entertainment mogul Koos Bekker comes third with a net worth of $2 billion, and Patrice Motsepe is in fourth place with a net worth of $1.4 billion.

In world rankings, Oppenheimer came 196th, Rupert was at 375, Bekker at 1,063 and Motsepe at 1,513 out of 2,095 billionaires who made the list.

These are the only four South Africans who made the list, with Isabel dos Santos of Angola remaining Africa’s richest woman, with a net worth of $1.4 billion.

Other Africans on the list are:

Zimbabwe’s only dollar billionaire Strive Masiyiwa with a net worth of $1.1 billion;
Tanzania’s only dollar billionaire Mohammed Dewji, with a net worth of $1.6 billion;
Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote ($8.3 billion), Mike Adenoma ($5.6 billion) and Abdulsamad Rabiu ($2.9 billion).
Egypt’s six dollar billionaires Nassef Sawiris ($5 billion), Mohamed Mansour ($3.3 billion), Naguib Sawiris ($3 billion), Yasseen Mansour ($2.2 billion) and Youssef Mansour ($1.9)
Algeria’s Issad Rebrab and family ($4.2 billion)

The youngest rich people in the world are fashion and retail giant Kylie Jenner, with a net worth of $1 billion and Alexandra Andresen, with a net worth of $1.1 billion.

As of March 18, Forbes counted 2,095 billionaires – 58 fewer than a year ago and 226 fewer than 12 days earlier.

According to the magazine, of the billionaires who remain, 51% are poorer than they were last year; 267 people who made last year’s list have dropped off as businesses failed and another 21 people died, said the business magazine.

“Still, Forbes found 178 newcomers hailing from 20 countries, including some, like Zoom Video Communications’ founder and CEO Eric Yuan, whose service is booming amid our current shelter-in-place reality. The US remains the country with the most billionaires, with 614, followed by greater China (including Hong Kong and Macao), with 456,” it said.

These are the top 10 richest people in the world: