Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African politician, businessman, anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and philanthropist. He is the incumbent president of the Republic of South Africa. Additionally, he is the President of the African National Congress and the Chairperson of the African Union.
Similarly, Cyril served as the Deputy President of South Africa from 2014 to 2018. Also, he was the former Chairman of the National Planning Commission responsible for strategic planning for the future of South Africa
Altogether, Cyril is one of the prominent men in South Africa. He was a businessman whose net worth was $450 million as at 2015 according to Forbes Africa’s Richest Men ranking.
Cyril Ramaphosa Background
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa was born November 17, 1952, in Soweto, Johannesburg, SA. He is the second of three children, and was born to Samuel and Erdmuth Ramaphosa.
Cyril started his education at the Tshilidzi Primary School then moved to the Sekano Ntoane High School, Soweto. He also attended the Mphaphuli High School, Venda and headed the Christian Movement.
Subsequently, he attended the University of the North (Turfloop), Limpopo Province to study Law in 1972. At the university, Cyril joined student politics and organised rallies which later got him convicted for Terrorism Act, twice.
Thereafter, he worked as a law clerk for Jo’burg firm of Attorneys while he continued with his legal studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA), where he obtained the B.proc. Degree in 1981.
Personal Life
Cyril was previously married to Hope Ramaphosa (1978 – 1989). Then, between 1991 – 1993, he got married to a business woman, Nomazizi Mitshotshisa, who is now late.
Currently, he is married to Tshepo Motsepe, a medical doctor and the sister of the South African mining billionaire Patrice Motsepe.
Altogether, he has five known children. Also, he is a polyglot, known for including variety of South African languages in his speeches.
Cyril Ramaphosa Early Career
After the completion of his education for law degrees, he joined the Council of Unions of South Africa (CUSA) and served as a Legal Advisor. In 1982, he began the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) based on the request of the Council, CUSA.
Also, he became the first General Secretary of the group and was instrumental in establishing the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).
Aside that, he also served as the chairperson of the National Reception Committee, and coordinated the release of Nelson Mandela. Then, he was the ANC Secretary General and he became the head of the ANC’s negotiation team at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) and other multi-party talks.
Also, in 1994, in SA’s first democratic elections, he was the Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly and oversaw the drafting of the South African constitution.
Political Position
Cyril was appointed the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa by former President Jacob Zuma on May 25, 2014. He was also made leader of the Government Business in the National Assembly in accordance to the constitution.
After Jacob Zuma’s resignation, Cyril was elected unopposed as the President of the Republic of South Africa in February 2018, a position he holds to date.
Amongst other notable achievements, at the 2020 African Union Summit, President Cyril pledged his support for the African Continental Free Trade Area. Also, he declared his support to ensure gender equality in South Africa.
Aside that, he has also made land reformation and the economy his main priorities, as well as dealing with the outbreak of Listeriosis which has claimed the lives of over 100 people in South Africa as at March 2018.
Subsequently, he launched the Youth Employment Serves (YES), an initiative to employ youths and give them experience in the working field. He also launched the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE), an initiative to respond to the sanitary challenge facing the poorest schools in SA.
Notable Positions
Cyril is a skilled negotiator and strategist. He acted as the ANC’s Chief Negotiator during South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994. Also, he built up National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the biggest and most powerful trade union in South Africa.
Aside that, he has also led in the following capacities;
- First Deputy Chairman of the Commonwealth Business Council.
- The Vice Chairman of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDs.
- Deputy Chairperson of the National Planning Commission in 2010
- Former Chair of the Board, MTN
- Former Member of the Board, Lonmin
- Elected Deputy President of the African National Congress, 2012
- Elected President of the African National Congress, 2017
- Co-Chair, 28 member Commission on the Future of Work Set up by the International Labour Organisation.
- Elected President of the National Assembly, 2020
- Chairperson of the African Union, 2020