David Paterson on Sunday became the first South African to win a million rand on the M-Net television programme "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?".
The show's producer Anant Singh said Paterson, a property developer, answered 15 correct answers and used two of his three life lines.
The previous South African record was R250 000.
Paterson is the third individual in the world to win a million rand on the international game show.
The show was conceived in Britain and the other two millionaires won in the United States.
"We are happy to be the second country to have produced a millionaire," said M-Net's MagicWorks chief executive Carl Fischer.
"Paterson was brilliant. Some of the questions were really not easy, but he never lost his cool."
Paterson said he saw the show as more of a mental challenge than a means to quickly earn money.
He said that he did not easily get fazed and had an ability to focus.
Paterson said he was not yet sure what he would do with his winnings.
"I'll give it some serious thought before I decide."
There was a special event webcast of the show on Sunday night.
Singh said the webcast was the first of the show in the world. - Sapa