The Sun King of Sin City

There's never been a comprehensive biography of Sol Kerzner, and this one is long overdue. After journalist Allan Greenblo's book Kerzner Unauthorized was banned outright in 1997, writers and, of course, publishers, have been leery of the subject, even after he died in 2020.
He picked a fine time to die, did Kerzner, just as the pandemic got its hands around the world. It muffled the news of his death and the flamboyant genius quietly passed on with few obituaries.
Kerzner's longtime associate, confidant, and sometime enemy Peter Venison spins out his life story. It goes like the clappers, just like Kerzner's life did, from his childhood in Durban to the heights of private jets, mansions around the globe and marriage to a Miss World.
Venison doesn't shy away from the depths, too, the heavy drinking and womanising, the profanity, boardroom coups and the taint of corruption that stubbornly clung to him.
Solomon Kerzner's parents were poor Jews who fled Lithuania and first gained a foothold in Bez Valley, Johannesburg, selling fruit and vegetables, before moving to Durban, where they ran a kosher boarding house. Kerzner was beaten up so often at school as a 'bloody Jew' that he learned to box and eventually became a welterweight champion at varsity. The ingrained pugilism would drive him all his life.
With hospitality in his veins, he worked for a few short years as an accountant before diving into the hotel trade. He bought his first hotel, a rundown establishment called The Astra, and turned it around by introducing a dinner club and dances. But Kerzner, in his early 20s, had bigger ideas. After visiting the US, he ripped off the shape and style of a famous Miami hotel and built not on Durban's popular Golden Mile beach but in a village up the coast called uMhlanga Rocks. The Beverly Hills was the first five-star hotel in SA, the first with every room facing the sea, the first with a nightclub downstairs.
'Who needs a f**king view in a nightclub?' he said.
The bedrooms were relatively small because Kerzner wanted guests out and about in the hotel, lazing by the vast swimming pool and dancing the night away at the Copacabana Club. It quickly became the place to be seen and was a magnet for celebrities. With the heady success of the Beverly Hills, he rolled on down the coast to build the Elangeni and Maharani in Durban, and that was when the world sat up and started taking notice of the brazen, foul-mouthed hotelier.
It's these early chapters that are the most interesting in the book, compared to the later ones that curdle into deal after deal, manager after manager and paradise after paradise, all blurring in the reader's mind. We've become so used to lavish resorts — many that were built by him — that it is interesting to read how he imagined them in the first place, how daring and innovative he was.
Kerzner believed staying at a hotel should be an experience, rather than it only being a place to lay your head. Guests were to be blown away, he insisted, and staff had to go many an extra mile to satisfy his standard of service. For instance, since most guests ate breakfast in-house, he instructed his head chef to make it memorable. And, so, the interactive, laden buffet breakfast was born, with chefs cooking eggs the way you like it. It's a style that's become ubiquitous the world over.
He was renowned for using the word 'f**k' as a noun, a verb and an adjective, all in the same sentence
Ever the Vegas acolyte, Kerzner believed entertainment and celebrities were vital to the recipe. He understood what an influencer was before there were influencers.
Though he'd never had any architectural or construction training, he had an instinct for it, choosing the best sites for the best viewpoints, such as Beacon Island in Plett and Le Saint Géran in Mauritius.
Of course, no telling of Kerzner's story would be complete without Sun City and the Lost City, described by one commentator as a 'gaudy honeypot of fake beaches, fake jungles, fake everything' that ran on 'a high-octane fuel of gambling, alcohol, porn and girlie shows'. Despite the international cultural boycott of SA, with his deep pockets Kerzner signed up musical acts such as Queen and Rod Stewart.
He was riding high, the sultan of Sin City, and soon he was looking across the sea to new opportunities, to Mauritius, Comoros, Morocco, Dubai and the Bahamas.
Difficult, foul-mouthed and a workaholic — 'He was renowned for using the word 'f**k' as a noun, a verb and an adjective, all in the same sentence' — he was nevertheless a devoted father. The greatest tragedy of Kerzner's life was the death of his son Butch in a helicopter accident.
This is a terrific book by someone in the inner circle, who witnessed the chaos and the triumphs of the man said to have been one of the greatest visionaries and entrepreneurs the world has ever seen. The Sun King.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Citizen

5 days ago

• The Citizen

17-year-old Pearl Mathebula wins Miss Teen International in Peru

Mathebula participated in the international teen pageant after winning Miss Teenager South Africa in late 2024. Most South Africans were still mesmerised by the Protea Fire on Sunday, but 17-year-old Pearl Mathebula hoisted the flag as she was crowned Miss Teen International in Peru on the same day. Mathebula, who hails from Makotopong, in Limpopo, took the coveted crown ahead of Perú's Luciana Henriquez, who was the first runner-up, and Ángela García from Venezuela, who was the second runner-up. Miss Teen International is the brainchild of Marina Mora, its international director and organiser. Mathebula participated in the international teen pageant after winning the South African version of the teen crown in late 2024. ALSO READ: Miss World to crown new queen this weekend: Here's where and how to watch Mathebula's perseverance Mathebula won Miss Teenager South Africa in 2024 after being unsuccessful in the previous year, where she reached the top 10 of the 2023 edition. 'I'm very proud; it shows that my hard work has actually paid off at the end of the day,' said Mathebula in 2024 during an interview with Newzroom Afrika. The pageant-winning teen only started competing in pageantry competitions in 2022. 'Last year [2023] was my second pageant. I wasn't disappointed when I ended up [in the] top 10.' She got into pageantry from following her interest in her appearance from a young age. 'I loved modelling when I was very small. I always wore my mom's heals, I love dressing up, doing makeup, so I think that's how I knew modelling was meant for me. My mom said 'focus on school, and then when you're in high school, you can focus more on modelling',' she said. Mathebula is an advocate for body positivity. NOW READ: Miss World 2025 – Zoalize Jansen van Rensburg wins World Designer Award for Africa

The South African

6 days ago

• The South African

What is happening at Miss SA? CEO responds to rampant rumours

Miss South Africa – or Miss SA – has quelled rampant rumours that there is trouble brewing within the pageant. This comes months after the organisation – run by CEO Stephanie Weil – closed entries for the crowning of the incoming queen. Earlier this year, creative director Werner Wessels parted ways with the organisation to pursue other interests. On social media, pageant fan accounts have been speculating that something is amiss in the Miss SA organisation. For many, the following has been a big talking point. No news of the Top 30 announcement. The Miss SA closed its applications in April. Finalists are typically shortlisted in May, where the road to the finale begins. Pulling out of Miss Supranational. Last month, pageant organisers announced that the pageant had not renewed its licence to participate in the Miss Supranational. Instead, it had been bought by former queen Bokang Montjane, who will operate it independently of the national competition. Criticism surrounding Mia Le Roux. The pageant's first differently abled queen has kept a low profile after her exit from the Miss Universe finale last year due to health reasons. Werner Wessels's departure. The creative director was a driving force for many successful Miss SA titleholders who went on to win international pageants, like Zozibini Tunzi, Rolene Strauss, and Demi-Nel Tebow. Cutting ties from Miss Universe? Rumours are rampant that Miss SA will not renew its licence to participate in the Miss Universe pageant, as it has done with Supra and Miss World. Zozi Tunzi distancing herself as a former title winner. In 2023, Zozi quietly ended her working relationship with organisers over disputes about her work on the reality show, Crown Chasers . She has since removed 'Miss SA' from her Instagram bio. This week, Miss SA rubbished claims that the pageant is possibly facing delays and setbacks. CEO Stephanie Weil said in a statement: 'The new Miss SA will be chosen. Planning is well underway for the 67th competition. All details will be announced in the near future. Weil did not respond to comments about the Miss Universe licence. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.

IOL News

09-06-2025

• IOL News

Miss World 2025: South Africa's Zoalize Jansen van Rensburg remains upbeat after early exit

Despite showcasing the qualities of a well-rounded global ambassador, Jansen van Rensburg did not make it into the top 40. Despite falling short of expectations at the Miss World 2025 finale in India, South Africa's Zoalize Jansen van Rensburg has emerged with her head held high and her spirit unshaken. At just 19, the Pretoria-born model and youth advocate represented her country with poise and passion, winning hearts with her intelligence and purpose-driven vision, even if she didn't walk away with the crown. Jansen van Rensburg had been in India for nearly a month leading up to the 72nd Miss World pageant. Her advocacy platform, 'Never Too Young to Advocate', had impressed judges at the national level in South Africa, earning her the title of Miss World South Africa in October 2024. The digital project she leads is centred on empowering youth through education, representation, and activism. Its core pillars: educate, graduate, and advocate, aim to equip young people with tools to be heard and recognised in meaningful spaces. Her passion project was developed long before the Miss World pageant, and according to organisers, she remained actively involved in youth-centred charity work during her time in India. Despite showcasing the qualities of a well-rounded global ambassador, Jansen van Rensburg did not make it into the top 40. The Miss World title ultimately went to Opal Suchata from Thailand, a result that surprised some South African pageant fans who had closely followed Zoalize's journey. Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about her future. On an Instagram post she posted shortly after the finale she said; 'I can't wait to come back to our beautiful country. 'I see all your messages, I feel all your love, and I appreciate you all. We might not have gotten the result we expected, but never let this break our spirit.'