Real Name/Full Name | Metamela Cyril Ramaphosa |
Nick Name/Celebrated Name: | Cyril Ramaphosa |
Birth Place: | Soweto, Transvaal Province, Union of South Africa |
Date Of Birth/Birthday: | 17 November 1952 |
Age/How Old: | 71 years old |
Height/How Tall: | In Centimetres – 178 cm In Feet and Inches – 5′ 8″ |
Weight: | In Kilograms – 80 Kg In Pounds – 176 lbs |
Eye Color: | Brown |
Hair Color: | Black |
Parents Name: | Father – Samuel Ramaphosa Mother – Erdmuth Ramaphosa |
Siblings: | Unknown |
School: | Mphaphuli High School |
College: | University of Limpopo |
Religion: | Christian |
Nationality: | South African |
Zodiac Sign: | Scorpio |
Gender: | Male |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Marital Status: | Married |
Girlfriend: | N/A |
Wife/Spouse Name: | Hope Ramaphosa (m. 1978, div. 1989) Nomazizi Mtshotshisa (m. 1991, div. 1993) Tshepo Motsepe (m. 1996) |
Kids/Children Name: | Yes (five) |
Profession: | Politician (President of South Africa) |
Net Worth: | $450 million |
Last Updated: | September 2024 |
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African politician who is currently serving as the President of South Africa since 2018. He has also been the leader of the African National Congress (ANC) starting in 2017. He had previously served as the Secretary-General of ANC to the former president, Nelson Mandela. During the reign of Jacob Zuma, he served as the Deputy President and had been the chairman of the National Planning Commission from 2014 to 2018.
Biography and Early Life
Cyril Ramaphosa was born on 17 November 1952 in Soweto, South Africa. He is the second born in a family of the three children of a retired policeman, Samuel Ramaphosa, his father, and Erdmuth Ramaphosa, his mother.
Education
Ramaphosa studied at Tshilidzi Primary School before joining Sekano High School in Soweto. He did not graduate from here as he was transferred to Mphaphuli High School, where he graduated in 1971. While here, he was the leader of the Student Christian Movement.
In 1972, he registered to study law at the University of the North (Turfloop) which is in Limpopo Province. He was involved in students’ politics while in University and even joined South African Students Organisation (SASO) and Black People’s Convention (BPC) while in university. In 1974, he was detained for 11 months under section 6 of the Terrorism Act for organizing pro-Frelimo rallies. He was detained again in 1976 for six months at John Vorster Square again under Terrorism Act. Subsequently, he became the law clerk of a Johannesburg firm of attorneys. He continued with his studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA), and in 1981, he obtained B. Proc. Degree.
Personal Life: Wives, Wife, Divorce, Kids, Sons, Daughters, etc.
Ramaphosa has been married three times and has five children who are known to the public. However, he is very secretive about matters pertaining to his personal life; thus, very little is known about his marriage life. He was married to Hope Ramaphosa from 1978 to 1989. They had a son together.
After their divorce, he married the late Nomazizi Mtshotshisa, a businesswoman, in 1991 but divorced her in 1993. He is currently married to Tshepo Motsepe since 1996. Tshepo is a medical doctor and a sister to the mining billionaire Patrice Motsepe.
Is Cyril Ramaphosa Gay?
No. Ramaphosa is straight as far as sexual orientation is concerned. He has never had any rumors of being either gay or bisexual. He is a married man and has five known children.
Professional Career
Ramaphosa began his political career after obtaining his degree when he joined the Council of Unions of South Africa (CUSA) as an advisor of the department. He was requested by CUSA to launch a union for mineworkers, which was named the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
In 1991, he was elected as the secretary-general of the African National Congress (ANC). He lost the chance to become the President of South Africa to Thabo Mbeki, and this led him to resign from his political position in January 1997. He became the director of New Africa Investments Limited. The media continually speculated about him vying for the presidency of the ANC just before the 2009 election, but he declined. He entered the race of becoming the deputy president on 17 December 2012, backing the Zuma camp.
He was appointed Deputy President by President Jacob Zuma on 25 May 2014 before being sworn in the following day by Mogoeng Mpgoeng. He was appointed by Zuma as chairman of the National Planning Commission on 3 June 2014.
After the resignation of President Jacob Zuma in February 2018, Ramaphosa was elected unopposed as the President of South Africa. He has been the serving president to date.
Other than his political career, Ramaphosa is also a businessman. He is the executive chairman of Shanduka Group, as well as the founder. He is also into farming and has over 100 breeds of Ankole cows from Uganda. The cows are reared at his Ntaba Nyoni farm in Mpumalanga. He co-wrote “Cattle of Ages, Stories, and Portraits of the Ankole Cattle of South Africa” in 2017.
Awards and Achievements
Ramaphosa has received various awards and recognitions from his career. he has received various honorary doctorates from institutions like the University of Natal, the University of Cape Town, the University of Port Elizabeth, University of the North, University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of Pennsylvania among many others.
In October 1987, he was awarded the Olof Palme Prize. He was listed in the Top 100 Great South African at position 34 in 2004. In 2019, he was named among the 100 Most Influential People of the year by Times Magazine.
Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Cyril Ramaphosa in 2024
Ramaphosa has time and again been listed among the wealthiest persons not only in South Africa but also in the world. He has an estimated net worth of $450 million which is approximately R6.4 billion. He has acquired this great fortune from his political career, business dealing, and also cattle farming.
Some Interesting Facts You Need To Know
- He is a member of the Coca-Cola Company International Advisory Board and Unilever Africa Advisory Council.
- He is known to be a polyglot and includes a variety of South African languages when delivering his speeches. He is the founder of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation.
- He owns a luxurious mansion located in Cape Town
Cyril Ramaphosa is one of the most popular persons in South Africa. He is involved in various sectors in South Africa, including politics and business. He has been involved in a number of controversies and also on the wrong side of the law, but this has not hindered him from becoming popular.