Cyril Ramaphosa is South Africa’s current president, first sworn in on 15 February 2018 and re-elected for a second term in June 2024. A former anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and billionaire businessman, he also serves as president of the ANC.
Before Fame
Cyril Ramaphosa was born on 17 November 1952 in Johannesburg and grew up in Soweto. He studied law at the University of the North, where he became a student activist and was detained for 11 months in 1974. He later completed his law degree through UNISA in 1981.
Career
In 1982, he co-founded the National Union of Mineworkers and became its first general secretary. He later served as ANC secretary-general and was a key negotiator in ending apartheid. He founded Shanduka Group in 2001, building major investments in mining, telecoms, and banking.
He became ANC deputy president in 2012, Deputy President of South Africa in 2014, and President of South Africa in 2018. He was re-elected in 2024 after the ANC formed a coalition government.
Trivia
- Nicknamed “CR” for his calm, conciliatory style
- Served as Chair of the African Union in 2020
- Runs the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, supporting education and small businesses
Family Life
He is the son of a retired policeman and has been married twice. His first marriage to Nomazizi Mtshotshisa produced one daughter before they divorced in 2008. He later married Dr Tshepo Motsepe, a physician, and they have four children together.
Net Worth
Cyril Ramaphosa is one of Africa’s wealthiest heads of state, with an estimated net worth of over R6.4 billion from his Shanduka Group investments.