Mamphela Ramphele

Dr Mamphela Ramphele has been a student activist, a medical doctor, a community development activist, a researcher, a university executive, a global public servant and is now an active citizen in both the public and private sectors.  Following the Soweto uprising in 1976, she was detained without trial, released after five months and soon afterwards served with an apartheid banning order.  She studied Medicine at the then University of Natal, has a B Comm degree, a Diploma in Tropical Hygiene, a Diploma in Public Health and a PhD in Social Anthropology.  She went on to become Vice-Chancellor of UCT, then one of four Managing Directors of the World Bank, based in Washington, DC. Dr Ramphele has served as chairperson of Gold Fields, Circle Capital Ventures [Pty] Limited, Technology Innovation Agency [TIA], as a director of Medi-Clinic Corporation Limited and Remgro Limited and is currently a trustee of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.  She was the founder of the Open Society Foundation for South Africa, the Citizens Movement, Indoni Academy and ReimagineSA.  In January 2013, Dr Ramphele became the Leader of Agang SA, a party for all South Africans which won two seats in the national elections held in May 2014. Post elections Dr Ramphele retired from Party Politics to return to her role as an active citizen. Dr Ramphele is the author of several books and publications on socio-economic issues in South Africa. She has received numerous national and international awards acknowledging her scholarship and leading role in spearheading projects for disadvantaged people in South Africa and elsewhere.