President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Ankole Heifer Sets R6.4m Cattle Auction Record, SA Debates the Price Tag
- A pregnant Ankole heifer named Queen Arusha was sold for R6.4 million at an auction, setting a new South African record
- The Ankole heifer was sold through President Cyril Ramaphosa's Ntaba Nyoni Ankole enterprise on 4 October 2026
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the sale, questioning the price and joking about where Ramaphosa would hide the money
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: UGC
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
SOUTH AFRICA — A pregnant Ankole heifer sold by President Cyril Ramaphosa's cattle breeding company has fetched R6.4 million at auction, setting a new South African record for a female animal across all cattle breeds.
The cow, named Queen Arusha, was sold through Ramaphosa's Ntaba Nyoni Ankole enterprise on 4 October 2026. Ntaba Nyoni Ankole operates from Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm, situated near Bela-Bela in Limpopo.
JP Smith, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Veilingswinkel, confirmed that the sale established a national record for any female animal regardless of breed.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Queen Arusha's buyer is unknown
The winning bid of R6.4 million was placed either online or on-site, according to the auction house. The buyer has not been identified, having elected to keep their name private.
Queen Arusha is a stud female, meaning her value lies primarily in her breeding potential and elite genetics rather than commercial farming use.
This is not the first time Ramaphosa's Ankole herd has commanded significant sums at auction. In 2022, a heifer named Fafa was sold for R2.1 million to businessman Patrice Motsepe, who is also his brother-in-law. The president is believed to own in excess of 100 Ankole cattle, a breed indigenous to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and parts of Tanzania.
South Africans weigh in on the auction
The auction drew considerable attention on social media, with users offering a range of reactions to the headline figure.
Charles Bernard Vorster said:
"For a cow? I think the days of paying labola with cows have come to an end. Or BEE is paying off way better than people have expected."
Elaine West Kloppers quipped:
"Was it cash? Check the couch, people."
Smangaliso Ka Mvuseni wrote:
"Being president is really just a side hustle for Cupcake."
Siyabonga Nxumalo added:
"I've never wanted to be a sofa so much in my life."
Warren Whitfield commented:
"Sounds like a money laundering scheme to me."
Anthony HijaMuhupua Hambira asked:
"Question is, who bought the cow, and where did he/she source the funds from?"
Ramaphosa splurges on record-breaking bid
Briefly News reported in 2023 that President Ramaphosa dropped some serious coin to get his hands on a prized Boran bull.
SA's Commander-in-Chief spent R3.5 million at a livestock auction, the highest price paid for the breed to date.
South Africans criticised the purchase, claiming that Ramaphosa should be focusing on running the country, not his businesses.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
