Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African politician, businessman, and anti-apartheid activist who has served as the President of the Republic of South Africa and President of the African National Congress (ANC). Born in Johannesburg in 1952, Ramaphosa’s rise to prominence began in the 1970s and 80s as a legal advisor and student activist. He famously founded the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1982, building it into one of the most powerful trade unions in the country and playing a pivotal role in the struggle against the apartheid regime.
Widely recognized as a master negotiator, Ramaphosa was the chief negotiator for the ANC during South Africa’s transition to democracy in the early 1990s. He served as the Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly, where he was instrumental in the drafting of the nation’s first democratic Constitution, a document globally acclaimed for its protection of human rights. After a period in the private sector where he founded the Shanduka Group and became a significant figure in South African business, he returned to frontline politics, serving as Deputy President before assuming the Presidency.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says African countries must work together to address rising tensions linked to foreign nationals living in South Africa.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is wrapping up a two-day diplomatic visit to Brazil on March 10, aimed at strengthening trade ties and cooperation between the two major emerging economies.
