Graham Jenneker who won with the most votes from fellow tribemates, made it to the finale with fellow contestants Sivu Xabanisa and Buhle Madlala who were contenders for the prize.
The financial manager from Bellville in Cape Town won the R1 million prize after securing 5 votes with Buhle Madlala getting 3 votes and Sivu Zabanisa 2 votes after the final Tribal Council.
Meanwhile the former Springbok rugby captain Corne Krige won the popular viewers' vote as favourite team captain.
Survivor South Africa: Champions concluded with a live finale and reunion show on M-Net on Sunday night, capping a season which not only successfully revived the format for South African television and M-Net, but which proved hugely successful for the pay-TV broadcaster and producer Endemol South South Africa.
The successful 5th season was largely thanks to excellent production values as well as an extremely well-chosen collection of contestants.
The esoteric collection of contestants for Survivor South Africa: Champions included an astrophysics student, a gay events planner not conforming to any stereotypes, a farrier who has never been married, a female member of the army, and two South African sports captains, Corne Krige and Mark Fish acting as lightning rods and absorbing the energy usually making any perceived leaders an instant threat on the reality show.
"There was so many challenges you encounter on the island - as anybody does in life. You know, you get knocked down not only once. You get knocked down hundreds of times - in the game and in life. It's how you pick yourself up that matters. That's the most important thing," says Graham Jenneker.
"A show like Survivor is much tougher and more than what people expect. And you must go there expecting the unexpected," says Corne Krige who said he would do it again or want to relive the experience.
"I expected it to be tough. But it was much tougher than what I ever expected".
"It's just amazing to go out there and to talk to people and they can't stop talking about Survivor South Africa. It's incredible," says Lani Lombard, head of publicity at M-Net.
The successful Survivor South Africa: Champions season has proven once again how adept M-Net has remained at creating buzz-worthy local South African television and appointment Sunday evening television that captures the imagination of South African television amidst an ongoing recession where South African broadcasters struggle to do the most with available budgets when it comes to commissioning local TV series.
