Cyril Ramaphosa- DEMANDS Full Return of Stolen African Treasures

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician who has served as the President of South Africa since 2018. He is a former anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and current president of the African National Congress (ANC). Ramaphosa first gained national prominence as secretary general of the National Union of Mineworkers, the country’s largest and most influential trade union. In 1991, he became ANC secretary general under Nelson Mandela and later served as the ANC’s chief negotiator during the talks that brought an end to apartheid.

Following South Africa’s first fully democratic elections in 1994, Ramaphosa chaired the Constitutional Assembly. Although some believed he was Mandela’s preferred successor, he left politics in 1996 and entered the business world. During this period, he became a prominent businessman, holding positions such as owner of McDonald’s South Africa, chair of MTN, board member of Lonmin, and founder of the Shanduka Group.

Ramaphosa returned to political leadership in 2012, and from 2014 to 2018 he served as Deputy President of South Africa under Jacob Zuma. In December 2017, he was elected president of the ANC. After Zuma resigned in February 2018, the National Assembly elected Ramaphosa as President of South Africa. He secured his first full term following the ANC’s victory in the 2019 general election and later served as chairperson of the African Union from 2020 to 2021, also overseeing South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ramaphosa’s wealth, estimated at over R6.4 billion in 2018, has drawn attention and criticism, particularly regarding his business interests and his stance during the Marikana miners’ strike. Despite controversy, he was re-elected to a second term as ANC president in December 2022 and, in June 2024, was elected by the National Assembly to serve a second term as President of South Africa.