ANC presidential race: Who is Cyril Ramaphosa?

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has emerged as one of the frontrunners to succeed President Jacob Zuma – but who is he?

Most of Ramaphosa’s life has been one of political semblance, which is not surprising given his political influence and struggle credentials.

Ramaphosa was born in Soweto on 17 November 1952, four years after apartheid was officially institutionalised in South Africa.

The increasing turbulent political times saw him become politically active after he enrolled to study law at the University of the North (Turfloop) in 1972. During his time at university, he became a member of the South African Student Organisation (SASO) and the Black People’s Convention (BPC). 

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His political views and the plight to which black mine workers were subjected, led to him founding one of the largest mining unions for black people in 1982. The National Union of Mineworkers’ (NUM) subsequently became the largest affiliation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) – reportedly growing their membership numbers from 6000 in 1972 to 300 000 in 1992 during Ramaphosa’s time at the helm.

He served as the general secretary for NUM until 1991, after which he held the same position in the ANC. Ramaphosa role in the liberation struggle saw him appointed as the ANC’s chief negotiator in the 1990s. He was also one of the architects of the country’s constitution.

Professor Susan Booysen, from the University of Witswatersrand’s School of Governance, says despite Ramaphosa’s impressive political credentials, he has also been embroiled in a number of controversies.

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