Businessman and MTN chairman Cyril Ramaphosa has been elected deputy chairman of the ruling African National Congress' National Executive Committee, putting him in line to be the country's next deputy president if the party wins the next elections in 2014.
Ramaphosa, who was born in 1952 in Soweto, has been a union leader, activist, politician and is currently a businessman.
Ramaphosa is best known for building up the biggest and most powerful trade union in South Africa - the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which is affiliated to SA's largest trade union federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions.
After the news of Ramaphosa's election, Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi tweeted: "If a leader is elected already in business, s/he must declare interest & place them in the trust that can't be active whilst in office."
Vavi also noted via Twitter that Cosatu "policy says leadership must choose between being in business or servants of the people and leave within the means provided by office".
Ramaphosa has been MTN's non executive chairman since 2002 and also sits on board committees for nomination, remuneration and human resources. MTN's group HR and corporate affairs officer Paul Normal says the board will consider Ramaphosa's election, in consultation with him, "in due course".
Ramaphosa, is also the founder and chairman of the Shanduka Group, headed by Phuti Mahanyele, which recently bought a $335 million (about R3 billion) minority stake in MTN Nigeria, the cellular company's biggest unit.
Shanduka has investments in varied sectors from mining, energy, real estate and financial services. It also operates the local franchise of fast food chain McDonald's. The China Investment Corporation paid $226 million for a quarter of Shanduka last year, valuing the company at just shy of $1 billion.
Ramaphosa's net worth was estimated at $275 million by Forbes magazine in 2011, making him the 36th richest person in Africa. He is married to Tshepo Motsepe and he has four children (two with his current wife).
The businessman is also known for the role he played, with Roelf Meyer of the National Party, during the negotiations to bring about a peaceful end to apartheid and steer the country towards its first democratic elections in April 1994.
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