Dr. Mamphela Aletta 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 Ph.D. 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, D.C.
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.
Dr. Ramphele has served as Chairperson of Gold Fields, Circle Capital Ventures (Pty) Limited, Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), and as a Director of Medi-Clinic Corporation Limited and Remgro Limited and is currently a Trustee of both the Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko Foundations. She was Founder of the Open Society Foundation for South Africa and the Citizens Movement. Most recently, Dr. Ramphele has founded a new political party, “Agang SA”, which means “Build SA” in Sesotho.
Photo credit: Nick Aldridge -Tafelberg Publishers