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UPDATE – Cyril Ramaphosa: Who is the man to wear Zuma’s shoes?

The Deputy President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, narrowly defeats Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in the race for African National Congress (ANC) Presidential flag bearer.

The 65-year-old will become South Africa’s next President, should ANC win the general elections in 2019, a feat the party has always achieved since 1994, following the end of white minority rule.

The Man

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, Born November 17, 1952, to Erdmuth and Samuel Ramaphosa as the second child of three. He grew up in Southwestern township (Soweto) attending Tshilidzi Primary School and Sekano Ntoane High School.

In 1971 he matriculated from Mphaphuli High School in Sibasa Venda, where subsequently he registered to study law at the University of the North (Turfloop) in 1972.

The Activist and Politician

While studying, he became a member of South African Students’ Association and served as the branch leader.

He was detained a number of times for his activism and finally finished his law degree through correspondence through the University of South Africa.

In the 1980s, he also served as the General Secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers for nine years.

In 1991, he was elected General Secretary of the ANC, also acting as a key negotiator on behalf of the party during the country’s transition to democratic rule.

He became a member of parliament after the Country’s first democratic elections and assisted to write and the review the post-apartheid constitution.

Considered a potential deputy of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black President, a position he lost to Thabo Mbeki, who later became President in 1999.

The Businessman

Ramaphosa became involved with Black Economic Empowerment ventures in business, especially mining and farming, making him one of the country’s wealthiest person.

However, his reputation was questioned, following his involvement in the 2012 Marikana massacre, where 34 striking miners were shot dead by Police.

During this period, Ramaphosa, a shareholder, and Director at Lonmin, the company which owned the platinum mine, had called for stricter security measures against the miners.

Although a commission of inquiry cleared him, the accusations stuck, with activists and the Economic Freedom Fighters opposition party still blaming him for the massacre.

In May 2017, Ramaphosa apologized for his use of language at the time but maintained he had to intervene to help reduce tension.

He has been South Africa’s deputy President since 2014, under Jacob Zuma’s administration.

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