Rudie van Rensburg is a South African author, artist, painter, and playwright, best known for his crime fiction novels. He was born in Bloemfontein in 1951 and attended Central High School in the city. After completing his high school education, Van Rensburg pursued higher education, obtaining a degree in communication science from Unisa and later earning a bachelor's degree from the University of the Free State.
Van Rensburg began his career in journalism, joining Die Volksblad as a journalist in the 1970s. However, he soon transitioned to entrepreneurship, co-founding and becoming a publisher of Bloemnuus, a pioneering free weekly paper in the Free State. Although the publication eventually ceased operations, it left a significant mark on the local media landscape. In addition to his work in journalism and publishing, Van Rensburg has also been involved in academia, working at the University of the Free State's communications department before moving to Cape Town and joining Sanlam in 1987. During his time at Sanlam, he held various positions, including senior manager of advertising, publisher of the client magazine Sanlamklub, and head of marketing and promotions.
In addition to his career in journalism, publishing, and business, Van Rensburg is also an accomplished artist and playwright. His plays have been performed at major Afrikaans arts festivals, including the KKNK, where his comedy "Die Begrafnis" won the Sanlam Prize for Afrikaans Theatre (best dramaturgy) in 2008. The play was also published in book form by Genugtig! Uitgewers. In 2009, Van Rensburg published "Die Doempies van Tafelberg," a children's book. His debut novel, "Slagyster," was a finalist for the Jan Rabie-Rapport Prize for Afrikaans debut fiction in 2013 and was also a finalist for the ATKV-Woordveertjies Prize for Thriller Writing. Van Rensburg has also been painting for the past 26 years and has exhibited his work in several galleries in South Africa and abroad. His works are part of several collections in South Africa, the USA, Germany, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Van Rensburg is married to Lize and has three children, MC, Neil, and Amieke.