15 Things you don’t know about Mamphela Ramphele

1.  Full name Mamphela Aletta Ramphele

2.   Mamphela Ramphele was born 28 December 1947 in Kranspoort, near Pietersburg (now Polokwane), in what is now Limpopo province

3.  Mamphela Ramphele’s mother, Rangoato Rahab, and her father, Pitsi Eliphaz Ramphele were primary school teachers

4.  In 1955, Mamphela Ramphele witnessed a conflict between a racist Dominee and the people of the village of Kranspoort that also contributed to her political awakening

5.  Mamphela Ramphele attended the G. H. Frantz Secondary School but in January 1962 she left for Bethesda Normal School, a boarding school which was part of the Bethesda teachers training college. In 1964, she moved to Setotolwane High School for her matriculation where she was one of only two girls in her class

6.  Mamphela Ramphele won the 1968 South African Jewish Women’s Association Scholarship and the Sir Ernest Oppenheimer Bursary worth about R150 annually for the rest of her years at Medical School

7.  While at university Mamphela Ramphele had become increasingly involved in student politics and anti-apartheid activism and was one of the founders of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), along with Steve Biko

8.  Mamphela Ramphele worked with the South African Students Association (SASO), a breakaway from the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) that operated on English speaking white campuses. NUSAS had Black and White students as members. SASO was formed in 1969, under the leadership of Steve Biko

9.  Continuing her academic studies, Mamphela Ramphele received a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from the University of Cape Town, a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Administration from the University of South Africa as well as diplomas in Tropical Health & Hygiene and Public Health from the University of the Witwatersrand. Ramphele has also authored and edited a number of books.

10.  In 2000, Mamphela Ramphele became one of the four Managing Directors of the World Bank. She was tasked with overseeing the strategic positioning and operations of the World Bank Institute as well as the Vice-Presidency of External Affairs. She is the first South African to hold this position.

11.  Mamphela Ramphele has served as a trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, as the director of the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa (IDASA) and as a board member of the Anglo-American Corporation and Transnet.

12.  In 2013, Mamphela Ramphele expressed interest in returning to South African politics and resigned as the chairperson of Gold Fields. On 18 February 2013, she announced the formation of a new political party, named Agang (Sotho for “Build”), and intended to challenge the African National Congress.

13.   Mamphela Ramphele was made officer of the Legion of Honour, the highest decoration in France.

14.   Mamphela Ramphele was a Co-editor forThe Legacy of Steve Biko

15.   Mamphela Ramphele has received eighteen honorary degrees and numerous awards