Cyril Ramaphosa
A former union boss and key architect of South Africa's democracy who now shoulders the immense task of steering its troubled, hopeful future.
Born 1952 (age 74)·President of South Africa since 2018·Birthday: November 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cyril Ramaphosa's story is woven into the fabric of modern South Africa. He cut his teeth as a fierce trade unionist, founding the National Union of Mineworkers, which became a formidable force against apartheid. His sharp legal mind and negotiating skills made him an essential figure in the transition to democracy, leading the ANC's team in the tense talks that ended white minority rule. Many saw him as Nelson Mandela's natural successor, but he was passed over, turning instead to business where he amassed considerable wealth—a point of later controversy. His return to politics culminated in his 2018 ascension to the presidency, a role demanding he battle the 'state capture' corruption of the Zuma era while trying to revive a struggling economy and unite a fractured party. His tenure is a constant balancing act between his reformist instincts and the entrenched interests within the ANC.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cyril was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cyril Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Cyril's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1982, building it into a powerful anti-apartheid force.
- Served as the key negotiator for the African National Congress during the talks that ended apartheid and created a new constitution.
- Elected President of South Africa in 2018 following the resignation of Jacob Zuma.
- Previously served as the Deputy President of South Africa from 2014 to 2018.
Did You Know?
He was a recipient of the Olof Palme Prize in 1998 for his work on democracy and human rights.
He is a known wildlife enthusiast and owns a famous herd of Ankole cattle.
During his union days, he was detained several times by the apartheid government.
He was the first black partner in a major South African law firm.
“We are going to turn the tide of corruption in our public institutions.”
