The number of billionaires worldwide has doubled in recent years, with their combined wealth also increasing two-fold to reach an eye-watering £12 trillion. In a 10-year period between 2014 and 2024, there was a 50% increase in billionaires, from 1,757 to 2,682 – according to a UBS report.

Leading the way are the tech entrepreneurs, with industrial magnates following hard on their heels. Africa has four countries with billionaires, according to a list compiled by Henley and Partners. Top of the rich list is South Africa, with six US dollar billionaires whose combined wealth comes to $27.9 billion (£23bn).

The South African tycoons are made up of luxury goods magnate and Remgro chair Johann Rupert, diamond and mining giant Nicky Oppenheimer and his family, Capitec founder Michiel Le Roux, Naspers chair Koos Bekker, and business people Patrice Motsepe and Christo Wiese.

However, the wealthiest South African billionaire is, naturally, Elon Musk, whose overall wealth is estimated to be in the order of $416 billion.

This is 14 times more than the net worth of South Africa’s six billionaires combined.

South Africa is an incredibly popular travel destination, welcoming 8.92 million tourists last year.

As many as 43,000 Brits visited the country in February 2024, the largest single contingent of European visitors.

The country is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and cultural diversity, as well as its delicious wines, to name but a few of its attractions.

Many come to see the wildlife and join safaris to the world-famous Kruger National Park.

Among the wildlife are the so-called Big Five – lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and African buffaloes.

South Africa’s natural scenery is breathtaking and includes stunning coastlines, dramatic mountain scapes, huge areas of untamed bushveld, starkly beautiful semi-deserts, lakes, waterfalls, spectacular canyons, forests and wide plains.

It also boasts some of the world’s finest beaches, such as those in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

South Africa is a paradise for wine connoisseurs, with some of the world’s finest vintages produced in Cape Winelands.