Only two South Africans have been recognised in King Charles III’s New Year Honours List, with David Green and Professor Robert Wilkinson receiving the “Order of the British Empire” for their extraordinary contributions to tourism, culture, and global health, showcasing South Africa’s impact on the world stage.
Western Cape, South Africa (02 January 2025) – In a moment of pride for South Africa, David Green and Professor Robert Wilkinson have been named in King Charles III’s New Year Honours List, each receiving the prestigious Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
These awards recognise their exceptional contributions in their respective fields, shining a global spotlight on South Africa’s talent and impact.
David Green, CEO of Cape Town’s iconic V&A Waterfront and Chairman of the Zeitz MOCAA Museum, has been celebrated for his role in fostering stronger ties between South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Under his visionary leadership, the V&A Waterfront has become one of Africa’s most visited destinations, blending heritage, culture, and innovation to attract millions of visitors each year. The Zeitz MOCAA Museum, meanwhile, has gained worldwide acclaim as a premier institution for African contemporary art.
Green expressed his gratitude for the honour: “I am deeply humbled to receive this recognition; it reflects the incredible work of the entire V&A Waterfront and Zeitz MOCAA teams. Tourism is a vital bridge between nations, and I am proud to contribute to the strong relationship between South Africa and the UK. Cape Town is a remarkable city, and I am honoured to play a part in its ongoing success as a premier global destination.”
Professor Robert Wilkinson, a leading figure in infectious disease research, was also recognised for his outstanding contributions to global health. Based at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Africa and the Francis Crick Institute in London, Wilkinson has dedicated his career to advancing our understanding of diseases like tuberculosis and HIV. His work has not only improved health outcomes in South Africa but has also driven global collaboration in medical research.
Wilkinson’s groundbreaking research continues to tackle some of the world’s most pressing health challenges, cementing South Africa’s position as a leader in scientific innovation and public health. His work bridges the gap between the UK and South Africa’s scientific communities, fostering partnerships that benefit vulnerable populations worldwide.
The inclusion of Green and Wilkinson in the King’s New Year Honours List is a proud moment for South Africa, celebrating excellence in tourism, culture, and global health. Their achievements demonstrate the transformative power of leadership, innovation, and collaboration, reminding us of South Africa’s ability to shape a better world.
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Still seeking approval from imperialists, I see. It’s time we looked elsewhere for awards & recognition. While anyone can appreciate the importance of a thriving tourist industry has for any country’s economy, it can only really make a difference if enough visitors pass through the gates in significant numbers & show up throughout the country. At present only one city truly benefits at all significantly from tourist-generated income & to be able to use that income to improve most of its infrastructure & housing demands of ordinary working class folk. So far, not even Durban, with its year-round & similar climate that lures tourists, globally, to south east Asian hotspots, in droves, has not advanced at all since the ANC took over in 1994. Safety & bodily integrity, along with the freedom to move in any direction of their choosing, is what tourists want more than a drink at a bar. Until all of SA’s traditional & evolving beauty spots can attract foreign tourists to the degree that Cape Town & decreasing options along the Garden Route & some game reserves do, I’m not certain that we should get too excited by an award, given by a bloke that misses his mom & takes every opportunity to honour her memory & love for a very different country from the one she encountered in 1952. We’ve visited a town on the Eastern Cape coast for 15 years now and along with the huge & sprawling holiday homes that have sprouted like mushrooms in that time, turning a rather charming “fishing village” into a suburb of CT or Jhb, the informal settlements around it have grown too, but not in the way that anyone with a conscience & a memory of the inequalities experienced under Apartheid would have hoped for. That people here who have, evidently, eye-watering amounts of wealth to be able to build homes with a minimum of 4 beds & 3 “entertainment” zones, bespoke interior decor, along with the latest water sports equipment parked at private jetties – can drive past these settlements without even a cursory glance as they head to “the rocks” ten kms away, to watch a sunset on NYE, is extraordinary. So is thinking that that attirude is more than okay, just because democracy now prevails & you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps, without anyone else’s help, is rather delusionary in a country where Whites can still access private & university education, more easily, having grown up in clean, comfortable homes with everything that opens, shuts. blinks & beeps. That’s still not the case for far too many “underpriviliged” Blacks, for whom nowhere enough changed to help them get their kids educated or living in a clean, dry home with running water & a library nearby, under years of ANC rule. Nothing to be proud of at all.