With an estimated net worth of over R6 billion, Cyril Ramaphosa is obviously one of the richest people in South Africa. He is a renowned businessman with an impressive portfolio in different sectors of the financial world. Ramaphosa founded Shanduka Group, which he later gave up to serve his country, and he once owned the rights to 145 McDonald’s restaurant outlets in South Africa, among other business ventures. The fortune he has acquired from his different endeavors has no doubt afforded him the luxury of living in mansions and driving state-of-the-art automobiles.
Beyond the foregoing, Cyril is a top South African politician, in fact, he is the current president of the country, having won the 2019 general election. Prior to taking the top job as the number one man in the country, Ramaphosa first assumed different positions, including anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, Secretary-General to President Nelson Mandela, Deputy to President Jacob Zuma, and Chairman of the National Planning Commission. Through his job as the Deputy President, he occupied the office of the president when Jacob Zuma resigned in 2018. The next year, he went on to win the general election, retaining his seat as president. This means Cyril has had Mahlamba Ndlopfu as his home since 2018. Mahlamba Ndlopfu is the official dwelling of whoever is occupying the seat of the President of South Africa.
Mahlamba Ndlopfu Is Located In The Capital City Of Pretoria
Since 1940, the official residence of the sitting President of South Africa has been the Mahlamba Ndlopfu. The residence is located in the Bryntirion Estate in Pretoria, South Africa, and though renovations must have been carried out on the estate, this has been the location since it was first constructed in 1940. The current occupants of Mahlamba Ndlopfu as of 2021, are President Cyril Ramaphosa, his family, and aides.
Also built on Bryntirion Estate is the Oliver Tambo House where the deputy president resides with his family. The current occupant of the Oliver Tambo House is Ramaphosa’s deputy, David Mabuza. As expected, the estate is heavily guarded with about 202 surveillance cameras covering the area. There are equally four gatehouse and motion detection fences installed in 2007 to beef up the security system. The estimated cost of the fences is R90 million.
Built on 107 hectares (264 acres), the estate is made up of 28 properties known as erfs which all belong to the nation, with the exception of one. Some of the structures on the property include residences for some of the cabinet ministers and guesthouses used by the president. Other features of Mahlamba Ndlopfu include recreational facilities like 15 tennis courts, a golf course with 9 holes, swimming pools, and more. The residence also has a helipad for easy transportation.
Mahlamba Ndlopfu Was Contructed By Gerard Moerdijk
Known for his work on the University of Pretoria and the Voortrekker Monument, which he designed, Gerard Moerdijk was able to leave a good impression on the Jury appointed by the Department of Public Works to select a capable hand to manage the construction of the estate. The idea came up in the late 1930s during the time of Prime Minister Jan Smuts.
Having won the national competition aimed at searching for the best architect for the job, Moerdijk mixed different ideas and styles to construct an estate that best portrays the strong union of South Africa. He adopted the Cape Dutch style and added a touch of luxury to it and the result was spectacular.
Mahlamba Ndlopfu is Not The Original Name Of The Residence
Interestingly, Mahlamba Ndlopfu is not the name given to this home of the president when it was constructed. It was formerly named Libertas (Latin name for freedom) by the pioneers of the estate. The name was used for more than six decades until the first black president of the country, Nelson Mandela, thought it deserved a pseudonym that best represents the culture of the people.
Elected as President of the Republic of South Africa in 1994, Nelson Mandela brought his love for African symbols with him and made several moves to bring back the African flavor in a country where the White minority ruled for decades. One of the moves he made to re-Africanize the country is renaming Libertas as Mahlamba Ndlopfu. The new name is a word from the Tsonga language and it means ‘New Dawn’, it was given to the presidential residence in 1995.
Jan Smuts Was The First South African Head of State To Live in Mahlamba Ndlopfu
Mahlamba Ndlopfu has served as the residence of South African leaders since the ’40s. So far, there is nothing to indicate that any president lived outside the residence, though they had their personal homes, like Jacob Zuma’s controversial Nkandla property. Jan Smuts was the first head of state to occupy the presidential estate and it was also his idea to build it.
Now serving as the home of current president Cyril Ramaphosa, Mahlamba Ndlopfu has hosted foreign presidents on official visits to South Africa. The former American President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of the Government of National Accord of the State of Libya, and the French President François Mitterrand are some of the high profile personnel to visit Mahlamba Ndlopfu.
Since he assumed the office of the President of the Republic of South Africa on February 14, 2018, Ramaphosa has been the occupant of Mahlamba Ndlopfu. Other presidents who resided in the estate before him are:
- Jan Smut – First occupant – 1948
- F. W. de Klerk – 15 March 1989 – 10 May 1994
- P. W. Botha – 3 September 1984 – 14 September 1984
- Nelson Mandela – 10 May 1994 – 14 June 1999
- Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki – June 16, 1999 – September 24, 2008
- Kgalema Motlanthe – September 25, 2008 – May 9, 2009
- Jacob Zuma – May 9, 2009 – February 14, 2018
Highlights Of The Features Of Mahlamba Ndlopfu
- 28 structures
- Several swimming pools
- Helipad
- Presidential guest house
- 15 tennis courts
- 9-hole golf course
- 202 surveillance cameras
- 4 massive gatehouse
- Anti-climb detection fences
A Look AT Cyril Ramaphosa’s House Outside the Presidential Residence
When you are among the richest people in a country like South Africa, where luxury is appreciated, a lot is expected from you in terms of owing expensive properties in different places. Ramaphosa has not disappointed in that regard as he owns real estate properties in different cities in the country, including Fresnaye, Cape Town, and more. Notably, some of these properties are rented out to people, especially since he can’t use them often because of his current position and residence.
Again, most of the assets he has are not known publicly because he likes to keep his personal matter private, especially since he became president. However, considering the fact that Ramaphosa was an established business mogul before he became president, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he owns a lot of properties in different places in the country.
Ramaphosa Has a Luxury Mansion Located at the Foot of Lion’s Head in Cape Town
Lion’s Head, the world’s most hiked mountain is home to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s private home, a mansion that has turned many heads. The luxury mansion located under Lion’s Head in Cape Town has been likened to former president Jacob Zuma’s extravagant Nkandla mansion that raised a lot of dust.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s Lion’s Head mansion was built on a massive area of land he acquired for a whopping R30 million as far back as 2010. The residence is located in one of the most expensive suburbs in Cape Town found between Signal Hill and Sea Point. The home is positioned to capture a good view of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the towering Lion’s Head.
While he acquired the land and even commenced building long before he became president, it is worthy of note that when Ramaphosa was made president of South Africa, the Fresnaye mansion was still under construction. He continued building the mansion, even though he’s residing in the official State House in Pretoria.
Attractions That Come With Ramaphosa’s Fresnaye Mansion
- Massive view of the Atlantic Ocean
- View of the towering Lion’s Head
- View of Robben Island
- Built on 2 plots of land worth $30 million
- Occupies 1,423 square meters
The Fresnaye Mansion is Up For Rent
One of the completed structures in the Freysnaye mansion owned by Ramaphosa has been marked for rent. The notice emerged in December 2020, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The seaside mansion was said to be available for rent for the price of R175,000 per month. For those who can afford such luxury, the idea is to have a serene environment to let off steam after a stressful year.
In addition to enjoying the exquisite views and breathe of fresh air that comes with the environment, the mansion is located close to the one Ramaphosa uses as his private home. Thus, if you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the number one citizen of the country. Demand for the mansion is expected to be high, considering the travel restrictions used by many countries to curb the spread of Covid-19. As a result, many who wanted to travel for vacation in 2020 could not do so and the Fresnaye mansion is offering a good spot to soak in the goodness of nature and have a swell time.
Ramaphosa’s Fresnaye Residence Has Courted Controversies
The mountainside mansion has grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons and raised dust on social media platforms. This follows speculations that the president may have funded the construction of his private residence with public resources. In August 2019, reports emerged that funds were transferred into Ramaphosa’s family trust, Tshivhase Trust, from a campaign account. The sum of R21 million was reportedly moved into the Tshivhase Trust in March 2018 and around the same time, renovations were carried out at the Lion’s Head residence.
Traceable transfer of funds that entered the family trust account was linked to the NASREC-connected and Linked Environmental Services FNB account. Through these accounts, R18 million was paid into Tshivhase Trust on the 8th of March 2018, and on the 13th in the same month, R2.5 million was moved into the trust while R500 000 was paid into the same trust the next day.
Notably, almost all the private properties linked to the president’s name are managed by Tshivhase Trust, thus, when it came to light that donations made during his campaign were moved into the trust, it raised a lot of eyebrows as people wondered if this was going to be the remix of former president Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead that was practically built with taxpayers money.
While he initially refused to comment on the leaked statement of account, Ramaphosa later addressed the parliament, saying supporters of the presidential campaign should not be questioned for their donations. He further explained that he personally made a donation of R6 million to the campaign and also loaned the campaign R31 million from his personal account. Only R21.5 million out of the R31 million has been paid back at the time.
How Many Cars Are In Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Motorcade?
As the president of one of the richest countries in Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa has a remarkable fleet that follows him everywhere. However, the exact number of cars in his presidential fleet is not confirmed but one thing is certain, there are a lot of cars that accompany the president on official duties, including police escorts.
Some of the automobile brands in his presidential fleet include Mercedez Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Jeep Grand Cherokees, Golf, and more. Overall, the presidential fleet is laden with luxury. Though Ramaphosa would always say he didn’t go into politics for the money, he is enjoying the luxury that comes with his position in the country. Notwithstanding, he has always encouraged less use of expensive cars by government officials in order to cut costs.
Some of the Cars in Ramaphosa’s Presidential Fleet and Their Features
BMW 7 Series
- Power Steering
- Power Windows Front
- Anti Lock Braking System
- Alloy Wheels
- Multi-function Steering Wheel
Mercedez-Benz S-Class
- Fog Lights – Front
- Alloy Wheels
- Multi-function Steering Wheel
- Power Steering
- Power Windows Front
- Anti Lock Braking System
- Air Conditioner
- Driver Airbag
- Passenger Airbag
Golfs
- Expansive cargo hold
- Composed handling
- High-end cabin
- Roomy back seat
- Great fuel economy with manual transmission
Jeep Grand Cherokees
- Transmission – 8-speed automatic
- EPA Mileage Est. (Cty/Hwy) – 18/25 mpg
- Horsepower – 293 hp @ 6400 rpm
- Combined MPG 21
BMW 3 Series
- Power Steering
- Passenger Airbag
- Fog Lights – Front
- Alloy Wheels
- Multi-function Steering Wheel
Mercedes-Benz ML-Class
- Power Steering
- Power Windows Front
- Anti Lock Braking System
- Air Conditioner
- Driver Airbag
- Passenger Airbag
- Automatic Climate Control
- Fog Lights – Front
Ramaphosa’s Personal Cars
The president has never been a fan of luxury cars even before he got the top job. He once debunked rumors of him acquiring a Maybach 62 which costs a fortune, maintaining that his regular BMW is still serving him well.
Due to his privacy policy, Ramaphosa is not one to flaunt his wealth on social media or the likes. For this reason, the number of cars in his personal garage is not known but there is no doubt he has some quality automobiles to drive around.