South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa: Key Dates

Faizan Hashmi Published February 16, 2018 | 09:44 PM

Key dates in the life of South Africa's new president, Cyril Ramaphosa: - November 17, 1952: Born in Soweto township west of Johannesburg to a policeman and a domestic worker. - 1974: Ramaphosa, a law student, is arrested for anti-apartheid activism. Spends 11 months in solitary confinement

Johannesburg, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Feb, 2018 ) :Key dates in the life of South Africa's new president, Cyril Ramaphosa: - November 17, 1952: Born in Soweto township west of Johannesburg to a policeman and a domestic worker.

- 1974: Ramaphosa, a law student, is arrested for anti-apartheid activism. Spends 11 months in solitary confinement. - 1982: Founds the powerful National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). - 1990: Anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela is released after 27 years in prison.

Ramaphosa becomes key part of taskforce that steers transition to democracy, helps craft new constitution. - April 1994: As secretary general of the African National Congress (ANC), helps lead country towards first multi-racial elections.

Afterwards is appointed president of Constitutional Assembly. - 1999: Fails in bid to succeed Mandela as ANC leader, moves into business. - 2012: As a director of mining group Lonmin, Ramaphosa calls on security forces to intervene against striking miners.

When 34 are later killed, his popularity is shaken. - December 2012: Elected ANC vice president. - May 2014: Becomes South Africa's deputy president. - December 2017: Elected ANC president. - February 15, 2018: Becomes president of South Africa, replacing scandal-tainted Jacob Zuma.