Dr Tshepo Motsepe: A look at the life of President Cyril Ramaphosa's wife

Tshepo Motsepe is known as the wife of President Cyril Ramaphosa. However, the SA first lady is definitely not just a trophy wife. Tshepo, who is the sister of local billionaire Patrice Motsepe, is a doctor and businesswoman.

The mother of four, who turns 72 on June 17, proves that behind every successful man is a strong, accomplished woman.

Briefly News took a detailed look at the life of the SA first lady.

From village to villas, Dr Tshepo's rise from humble beginnings

President Ramaphosa's missus was born on 17 June, 1953, in Soweto. According to the South African government, she grew up in the rural villages of Mathibestad near Hammanskraal.

The physician is the eldest of seven children, including billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe and Bridgette Radebe, the wife of former Minister of Energy, Jeff Radebe.

Not just the first lady

Dr Tshepo Motsepe is a well-educated woman, and her success in her chosen profession is not overshadowed by her marital status to the SA head of state.

The 57-year-old obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She also holds a Master of Public Health in Maternal Child Health and Ageing, which she obtained from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr Tshepo also completed a Social Entrepreneurship Certificate Programme at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), according to her profile on the presidency's website.

Even though she is married to a successful businessman and politician, Dr Tshepo wanted to succeed on her own. She worked as a medical doctor in hospitals, including amongst them, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in South Africa and Parirenyatwa Hospital in Zimbabwe - both of which are the largest in their respective countries.

Dr Tshepo also has experience in private practice and she has done humanitarian work with her husband and their foundation.

Some of her projects have shown that Dr Tshepo's focus is on bettering the lives of women and children. Amongst others, Dr Tshepo is part of the South African Civil Society for Women’s, Adolescents’ and Children’s Health (SACSoWACH), as well as the Early Care Foundation.

Mr and Mrs Ramaphosa - a love story spanning over two decades

President Cyril Ramaphosa and Dr Tshepo Motsepe have been married for 25 years. It appears that President Ramaphosa and his wife prefer to keep the details about their relationship private. Although it is known that they were married in 1996, there is no information available on how they met.

Third time's the charm

While President Cyril Ramaphosa and his wife, Dr Tshepo Motsepe, have a long-standing marriage, she is his third wife. The President was married twice before their union.

His first marriage was to Hope Ramaphosa in 1978. They have a son, Andile, and their marriage ended in divorce in 1989. In 1991, Mr Ramaphosa married his second wife, Nomazizi Mtshotshisa. They had a daughter, Tulisa, before divorcing in 1993.

President Ramaphosa married his current wife, Dr Tshepo Motsepe, in 1996. They have four children together and have been married for over two decades.

A supportive wife, even after Ramaphosa cheated

Dr Tshepo has been the picture of a devoted and supportive wife, even after news broke that President Ramaphosa has been unfaithful.

According to News24, Dr Tshepo reacted to the reports by assuring Mzansi that she and her hubby were happily married despite his past infidelity.

In 2017, news outlets reported on Ramaphosa's alleged extramarital affairs after several students accused him of giving them money in return for sexual favours.

Ramaphosa denied being a blesser, adding it was troubling that these young ladies accused him of wanting to be intimate in exchange for money, especially since he and his wife were offering financial assistance to over 50 students at the time.

He said:

“I do feel compelled, however, to respond to deeply disturbing suggestions that I paid money to several young women with whom I was supposedly in relationships. There are 54 young students – both men and women – that my wife and I provide financial assistance to on a monthly basis and have done so for several years.

“It is unfortunate that evidence of these bank transfers have been used to make scandalous allegations against me and, worse, to make public the names of some of the people assisted. We find it disturbing that the privacy of these young women has been violated through the publication of their names and pictures on social media. It shows a callous disregard for the rights of the individual."

However, whilst denying the particular rumours, Ramaphosa did acknowledge he had been unfaithful to Dr Tshepo in the past. The then-deputy president revealed he had an affair in 2009, adding that he had confessed to his wife and ended the relationship. The couple have managed to put it behind them and their relationship has been strong ever since.

Living life large even before becoming the country's first family

It is no secret that Ramaphosa was successful even before becoming South Africa's president. In fact, in some ways, he could be seen as Mzansi's version of Donald Trump - a billionaire who becomes the most powerful man in the country. The SA head of state is said to be worth a whopping R6.4 billion and although they don't live flashy lifestyles, the Ramaphosas are surely enjoying life.

The couple shares a home, which Ramaphosa built on two plots of prime land under Lion's Head, that he bought in 2010 for a staggering R30 million.

Source: Briefly News