Cyril Ramaphosa

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African political leader, former trade-union leader and business figure who has served as President of South Africa since 2018 and was elected by the National Assembly for a further term in 2024. He is also president of the African National Congress and, as of 22 August 2026, Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community.

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About Cyril Ramaphosa

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

South Africa · Political leader, Trade-union leader, Business executive · 4 affiliations

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Known for: South African national politics; Trade-union organizing; South Africa's constitutional negotiations and democratic transition; Southern African regional integration
Country: South Africa

Political leader
Trade-union leader
Business executive

At a glance

Ramaphosa is President of South Africa, president of the African National Congress and, as of 22 August 2026, Chairperson of SADC.
He helped found the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982 and became its first General Secretary.
As ANC Secretary General, he led the party's negotiating team in constitutional talks and later chaired the Constitutional Assembly.
The seventh National Assembly elected him President on 14 June 2024 by 283 votes to 44.

National and party leadership

Ramaphosa became Deputy President of South Africa in 2014, was elected president of the African National Congress in December 2017 and was sworn in as national President on 15 February 2018 following Jacob Zuma's resignation. On 14 June 2024, the seventh National Assembly elected him President by 283 votes to Julius Malema's 44. The ANC's National Executive Committee page also lists him as the party's president for the leadership elected at its December 2022 national conference.

Activism, labour organizing and democratic transition

While studying law, Ramaphosa participated in student politics through the South African Student Organization and Black People's Convention and was detained in 1974 and 1976 under apartheid-era security laws. He helped found the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982 and became its first General Secretary. Elected ANC Secretary General in 1991, he led the ANC negotiating team at CODESA and subsequent multiparty talks. After the 1994 democratic election, he became a Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly, overseeing the process of drafting South Africa's democratic Constitution.

Education and business career

Ramaphosa obtained a B. Proc degree from the University of South Africa in 1981. After the constitutional drafting process, he entered business; the Presidency records that he established Shanduka Group in 2001 and the Shanduka Foundation in 2004.

Southern African regional leadership

Ramaphosa formally assumed the SADC Chairpersonship at the organization's 46th summit in Durban on 17 August 2026. A later official summit report supports his current status, although a separate SADC leadership-profile page retained apparently outdated metadata describing him as the incoming chairperson.

Phala Phala proceedings

On 8 May 2026, the Constitutional Court set aside National Assembly rule 129I and the Assembly's December 2022 decision not to refer the Phala Phala independent-panel report for further examination, and referred the report to the Impeachment Committee. Following a Western Cape High Court ruling on 24 July 2026, related impeachment proceedings were temporarily halted while Ramaphosa's review challenge continued, although the order did not prevent all preparatory committee work. This was a procedural status and not a finding on the allegations or Ramaphosa's personal culpability; the supplied evidence does not establish the process's final disposition.

Affiliations

Republic of South Africa President 2024-06-14–present
African National Congress President 2022-12–present
Southern African Development Community Chairperson 2026-08-17–present
National Union of Mineworkers Founding General Secretary 1982

Timeline

1952-11-17 Born in Johannesburg, South Africa.
1981 Obtained a B. Proc degree from the University of South Africa.
1982 Helped found the National Union of Mineworkers and became its first General Secretary.
1991 Elected ANC Secretary General and led the ANC negotiating team in constitutional talks.
1994-04-27 Following South Africa's first democratic election, became a Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly.
2014-05-25 Appointed Deputy President of South Africa.
2017-12 Elected president of the African National Congress.
2018-02-15 Sworn in as President of South Africa following Jacob Zuma's resignation.
2024-06-14 Elected President by the seventh National Assembly, receiving 283 votes to Julius Malema's 44.
2026-08-17 Assumed the SADC Chairpersonship at the 46th SADC Summit in Durban.

Additional verified details

Current context

Ramaphosa is President of the Republic of South Africa. Current-office status is supported by the Presidency's officeholder page and the National Assembly's 2024 presidential-election minutes.
The African National Congress's National Executive Committee page lists Cyril Ramaphosa as party president. The cited ANC page identifies the committee as elected at the party's December 2022 national conference.
Ramaphosa is Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community. SADC's 18 August 2026 summit report states that he formally assumed the role on 17 August 2026. It is preferred over a separate SADC leadership-profile page with apparently outdated status metadata.
Following a 24 July 2026 Western Cape High Court ruling, impeachment proceedings connected to the Phala Phala panel report were temporarily halted while Ramaphosa's review challenge continued; the order did not prevent all committee preparatory work. This was a reported procedural status, not a finding on the allegations or Ramaphosa's personal culpability, and requires verification after the stated as-of date.

Biographical facts

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa was born on 17 November 1952 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He obtained a B. Proc degree from the University of South Africa in 1981.
While studying law, he participated in student politics through the South African Student Organization and Black People's Convention; the Presidency records that he was detained in 1974 and 1976 under apartheid-era security laws.
Ramaphosa was elected ANC Secretary General in 1991 and led the ANC negotiating team at CODESA and subsequent multiparty talks.
After the 1994 democratic election, he became a Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly, overseeing the process of drafting South Africa's democratic Constitution.
After the constitutional drafting process, Ramaphosa entered business; the Presidency states that he established Shanduka Group in 2001 and the Shanduka Foundation in 2004.
On 8 May 2026, the Constitutional Court set aside National Assembly rule 129I and the Assembly's December 2022 decision not to refer the Phala Phala independent-panel report for further examination, and referred the report to the Impeachment Committee.