People of the Year 2023
This marks the third consecutive year of a collaborative effort between the Daily Maverick newsroom and our readers in picking the winners of our annual People of the Year special feature. The curated list, crafted by DM journalists and editors across 15 categories, received responses from almost 28,000 of you within a week to cast your votes, determining the worthy recipients of the 15 titles.
This marks the third consecutive year of a collaborative effort between the Daily Maverick newsroom and our readers in picking the winners of our annual People of the Year special feature. The curated list, crafted by DM journalists and editors across 15 categories, received responses from almost 28,000 of you within a week to cast your votes, determining the worthy recipients of the 15 titles.
Comedian of the Year
Comedian of the Year runners-up: Coconut Kelz and Tums the Narrator
Coconut Kelz has made us laugh – and then think – with her stinging political and social satire, while Tumi Mmope, AKA Tums the Narrator, narrated the complexities that come with living in a communal building.
Comedian of the Year: Schalk Bezuidenhout just wants to make people happy
Schalk Bezuidenhout’s comedy takes centre stage at a time when we crave humour to make us laugh despite the harsh realities we face.
Grinch of the Year
Those who have done their best to suck the cheer from our lives in 2023.
Grinch of the Year: MK Party, We Shall Not Be Screwed
The people see your dirty hands, uMkhonto Wesizwe party.
Kant of the Year (formerly known as Moegoe of the year)
Those whose behaviour perhaps falls short of “villain of the year”, but have in some way acted idiotically.
Kant of the Year runners-up: Matthew Lani and Tom Curry
Be careful what you say because words can trip you up.
Kant of the Year: Busisiwe Mkhwebane comes back to rock Parliament with her EFF studs
The EFF MP shines in her choice of the company she keeps.
Sports Team of the Year
A team that has stood out from the rest in 2021 either on or off the field of play.
Sports Team of the Year runners-up: Banyana Banyana and Proteas Women
Both the women’s senior soccer and cricket teams have achieved a lot to be proud of this year.
Sports Team of the Year: The Boks are the bold, gutsy conquerors of the world
A combination of innovation, tenacity and mental strength proved to be a winning formula for South Africa’s Springboks.
Sportsperson of the Year
A sportsperson whose positive impact has been felt either on or off the field of play.
Help shape the story — vote for Daily Maverick’s 2024 People of the Year
Now, it’s time to participate again and help decide who deserves the spotlight. From the Person of the Year, honouring a standout individual who has had a profound impact, to the Community Champion of the Year, celebrating heroes making a difference in their communities, each category represents a unique aspect of our collective story.
Sportsperson of the Year runners-up: Handré Pollard, Quinton de Kock, Kirsten Neuschäfer and Dricus du Plessis
The decorated Springbok flyhalf’s impact was monumental and leads the runners-up pack.
Businessperson of the Year
Not necessarily the person who made the biggest profit, but those whose influence went beyond the balance sheets.
Help shape the story — vote for Daily Maverick’s 2024 People of the Year
Now, it’s time to participate again and help decide who deserves the spotlight. From the Person of the Year, honouring a standout individual who has had a profound impact, to the Community Champion of the Year, celebrating heroes making a difference in their communities, each category represents a unique aspect of our collective story.
Businessperson of the Year runners-up: Neil Schreuder, Andy du Plessis and Stephen van Coller
Consumers benefit from business leaders’ innovation and forward thinking.
Community Champion of the Year
The people uplifting, defending and representing ordinary South Africans, often against all odds
Help shape the story — vote for Daily Maverick’s 2024 People of the Year
Now, it’s time to participate again and help decide who deserves the spotlight. From the Person of the Year, honouring a standout individual who has had a profound impact, to the Community Champion of the Year, celebrating heroes making a difference in their communities, each category represents a unique aspect of our collective story.
Community Champion of the Year runners-up: Thapelo Mohapi, Portia Marinana and Avril Andrews
The heroes who lead the way and go beyond the call of duty to uplift their communities.
Artist of the Year
Hitmakers whose musical or social influence has towered above others this year.
Artist of the Year runners-up: Tyla Seethal, Taylor Swift and Burna Boy
Influential entertainment stars to keep an eye on in the music industry.
Artist of the Year: Superb soprano Pretty Yende hits a high note
Pretty Yende is an artist at the height of her powers, crooning for no less than a king.
OBP Polluter of the year
Those individuals and entities who are hell bent on putting profits and pollution before people.
Polluter of the Year runners-up: Searcher Seismic and Standard Bank
Global oil and gas surveyor makes a grab for natural resources along South Africa’s diverse and sensitive coastline, and Standard Bank continues investment in fossil fuel exploration.
Polluter of the Year: Eskom’s coal-fired power stations spew toxic gases across the land
The air quality around the energy utility’s coal-fired power stations is dismal, falling way below national and international standards.
Our Burning Planet heroes of the year
The green warriors fighting for our planet’s survival.
Environmental Champ of the Year runners-up: Kumi Naidoo and Clean Creatives
Activist Kumi Naidoo, the former secretary-general of Amnesty International and executive director of Greenpeace, understands that climate justice and social justice are interlinked.
Environmental Champ of the Year: Civil justice activist Ferrial Adam
The executive manager of WaterCAN is turning the tide on water security in South Africa.
South African Institution of the year
Institutional strength is vital to build democracy and hold the forces of capture at bay.
SA Institution of the Year runners-up: The Constitutional Court and SA Revenue Service
The ConCourt has made significant human rights rulings and the quality of service from the taxman has improved significantly.
SA Institution of the Year: The Special Investigating Unit and its hardworking crime-busters
In 2022/23 alone, the Special Investigating Unit recovered more than R388-million in cash and/or assets, and prevented the state from losing more than R2.1-billion.
International villain of the year
This category is self-explanatory but if you insist, the Cambridge dictionary defines a villain as “a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime.
International Villain of the Year runner-up: Yoweri Museveni
Uganda’s bigot-in-chief, Yoweri Museveni, and his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba are a blight on their country.
International Villain of the Year: Benjamin Netanyahu and Mohammed Deif
Israel’s Prime Minister and the commander of the military arm of Hamas stand out in the rogues’ gallery for their blood-soaked acts of inhumanity.
International person of the year
A person who has had broad international impact or made an outstanding contribution this year.
International Person of the Year runners-up: Journalists across the world and Narges Mohammadi
We salute journalists from around the globe for standing up for truth, and Iranian human rights activist and Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi.
International Person of the Year: The civilian heroes in the Gaza firing line
The Gaza Strip has become one of the most dangerous places in the world to simply exist. We pay homage to the spirit of doctors, journalists, aid workers and Palestinian civilians.
South African villain of the year
As above, but drawn from foreign fields.
SA Villain of the Year runners-up: Mamokgethi Phakeng, Mashatile’s blue-light brigade and Zunaid Moti
From academics who threaten people and businessmen who intimidate journalists to violent goons acting on behalf of politicians, SA has a wondrous variety of rogues.
SA Villain of the Year: Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana
The couple wins this title because of their heinous crimes – and because of what their sorry tale says about the state and our broader society.
South African Person of the year
A person who has had the broadest or most significant positive impact on the country as a whole.
SA Person of the Year runners-up: Andy Mothibi, Simon’s Town active citizenry and civic campaigner Assad Gaffar
South African patriots and public champions want accountability from those in power.
SA Person of the Year: The humble Springboks captain Siya Kolisi
In some ways, the Bok skipper is the moral compass of South Africa.
These stories first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.
DM168 e-edition is available for free to Maverick Insiders.