I’ve been covering South African society for over five years. Trust me, I’ve seen it all. But Edith Venter’s story? It’s one that still makes me shake my head. Here’s a woman who went from secretary to socialite to single mother – and back again.
Edith Venter Wikipedia
| Field | Details |
| Name | Edith Venter |
| Date of Birth | July 13, 1950 |
| Age | 74 (Turning 75 on July 13, 2025) |
| Birthplace | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Profession | Businesswoman, Socialite, Event Organizer |
| Company | Edith Venter Promotions (formerly Edith Unlimited) |
| Spouses | Roy Hermer, Bill Venter, Garth Carstens, Johnny Schwartz |
| Children | Two sons – Blane and Marc (with Bill Venter) |
| Famous For | High-society events, major divorce settlement, resilience after setbacks |
| Book | The Art of Living Graciously (2008) |
| Awards | Mariette Loots Friends for Life Achievement Award (2005) |
| Philanthropy | Cancer support, Women in Finance, Osteoporosis advocacy |
| Current Status | Single (as of April 2025), still active professionally |
Who Is Edith Venter?
Edith Venter was born on July 13, 1950, in Johannesburg. She’s 75 now, and boy, has she lived. You’d think someone with her background would be retired on a beach somewhere. Not Edith. She’s still running events through her company, Edith Venter Promotions.
People always ask me about Edith Venter’s age. She doesn’t hide it. Born in 1950, she’s proud of every year. I remember interviewing her in 2010 when she rebranded her company. She told me, “Age is just a number, darling. Experience is everything.”
The Marriage Marathon
Here’s where it gets interesting. Edith Venter’s husband situation? Well, she’s had four of them. Each marriage taught her something different about love, money, and survival.
Her first husband was Roy Hermer. They divorced before she hit 30. Then came the big one – Bill Venter, the electronics mogul. That marriage gave her two sons, Blane and Marc, and a record-breaking R12 million divorce settlement in 1994.
But here’s the kicker – even with that massive payout, life had other plans.
Marriage number three was to Garth Carstens, ten years her junior. They dated for just three months before tying the knot. Big mistake. That divorce left her broke. I mean, seriously broke. In 2003, she couldn’t even afford legal fees to defend herself in court.
Then came Johnny Schwartz in 2008. They married at Thornybush Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga. I covered that wedding – it was spectacular. But is Edith Venter still married? Nope. She announced in April 2025 that she’s single again.
Building a Business Empire
Want to know what I admire most about Edith? Her resilience. In 1999, she launched Edith Venter Promotions. The timing was perfect – South Africa was opening up, and everyone wanted glamorous events.
The company went through changes. It became Edith Unlimited in 2010, then back to Edith Venter Promotions in 2018. Smart move. Brand recognition matters in this business.
I’ve watched her work events. She’s got an eye for detail that’s scary good. From charity galas to corporate launches, she made every event feel special. That’s probably why she’s still booked solid at 74.
The Real Story Behind the Glamour
People see the designer dresses and jewelry. They don’t see the woman who lost her father to cancer and spent 30 years caring for other cancer patients. Edith received the Mariette Loots Friends for Life Achievement Award in 2005 for her work with cancer patients.
She’s also a patron of Women in Finance and a spokesperson for Osteoporosis. These aren’t just titles – I’ve seen her show up at events, write checks, and make calls when others needed help.
What About Edith Venter’s Net Worth?
This is where it gets complicated. Edith Venter’s net worth isn’t what you’d expect. That R12 million divorce settlement? Gone. Business ventures, legal fees, and life happened.
I remember sitting in that Pretoria courtroom in 2003, watching her face a lawsuit without proper legal representation. The woman who once received the biggest divorce settlement in South African history was “too poor to pay” her legal costs.
But here’s what I learned about Edith: she bounces back. Always.
Why Her Story Matters
Edith Venter represents something uniquely South African. She’s survived apartheid, democracy, economic ups and downs, and personal disasters. She wrote a book called “The Art of Living Graciously” in 2008.
At 74, she’s still working, still speaking, still showing up. She’s proof that reinvention is possible at any age. That’s a lesson worth learning from someone who’s been through it all.
After covering society stories for years, I can tell you this: Edith Venter’s real wealth isn’t in her bank account. It’s in her ability to start over, again and again.
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David Chen – Senior Reporter David specializes in celebrity finances and legal affairs. His background in business journalism helps him decode complex financial documents and explain celebrity net worth calculations in terms readers actually understand. He’s the guy who caught that major error in a competitor’s article about a celebrity’s business valuation.
