Ramadan Suleman was born in Durban, South Africa and graduated from the London Film School.

Besides acting in pays, Suleman also helped to found the first black theater in South Africa, the Dhlomo Theater in 1981.

In 1986 he participated on the shoot of Souleymane Cissé's Yeleen.

In addition to his many television documentaries, he directed the short film The Devil's Children (1990), which won several international awards.

His first feature film as writer-director, Fools (1997), was co-written by Bhekizizwe Peterson; the two collaborated again on Zulu Love Letter (2004), Suleman's second feature.