S.Africa’s Ramaphosa quits Lonmin, Mondi: company

South African millionaire Cyril Ramaphosa is resigning from the board of strike-tainted Lonmin, just a month after he became deputy leader of the ruling ANC party, the platinum giant announced on Wednesday.

Ramaphosa, 60, who was elected deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) at its leadership conference last month, will not stand for re-election as a non-executive director at the companys annual meeting on January 31, Lonmin said in a statement.

Lonmins chairman, Roger Phillimore, thanked Ramaphosa for his commitment to the company during a “demanding period.”

“The wisdom of his contributions has been invaluable to the company, and we will miss his measured but forceful participation in our affairs” he said.

Ramaphosa came under fire last year for reportedly encouraging police violence at the firm’s Marikana mine northwest of Johannesburg where police – in a chilling scene reminiscent of apartheid brutality – shot dead 34 miners during a wildcat strike.

Before the shooting Ramaphosa had sent emails to Lonmin management and government officials encouraging action against strikers.

The multimillionaire is also set to step down from the paper and packaging giant Mondi where he was co-chairman.

Mondi said in a statement that Ramaphosa, will resign as chairman and non-executive director at its annual general meeting in May.

An anti-apartheid heavyweight, Ramaphosa became one of the country’s richest men through deals under the country’s black economic empowerment laws, which require investors to partner with non-white shareholders.

He also sits on the board of the telecommunications giant MTN and owns the McDonalds franchise in South Africa.