12 Facts About Anton Rupert

Anthony Edward Rupert OMSG was a South African businessman and conservationist.

Anton Rupert was born on 4 October, 1916 and raised in the small town of Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape Province of the Union of South Africa.

Anton Rupert's parents were John Peter Rupert and Hester Adriana Rupert.

Anton Rupert studied in Pretoria and ultimately moved to Stellenbosch, where he established the Rembrandt Group and where it still has its headquarters today.

Anton Rupert died in his sleep at his home in Thibault Street, Stellenbosch at the age of 89.

Anton Rupert had been deeply involved in environmental conservation and his companies have been prominent in funding the fine arts; since 1964, foundations established by Rembrandt have used a part of the group's profits for the promotion of education, art, music and the preservation of historical buildings.

Anton Rupert played an important role in the South African Small Business Development Corporation, a non-profit company whose loans to small and medium-sized businesses have created nearly half a million jobs since 1981.

Anton Rupert established the tobacco company "Voorbrand Tobacco Company" in 1939 manufacturing snuff.

Anton Rupert was a member of the secret Afrikaner society, the Afrikaner Broederbond in the 1940s, but eventually he dismissed it as an "absurdity", and allowed his membership to lapse.

Anton Rupert was a founding member of the WWF and it was in his role as the president of the organisation's South African branch that he took a lead in the creation of trans-frontier parks, such as the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Anton Rupert established The 1001: A Nature Trust in 1970, a financial endowment to fund the organisation.

Nelson Mandela, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Anton Rupert were the founding patrons of the Peace Parks Foundation.