CAF president Patrice Motsepe being positioned as South Africa’s ANC presidential candidate at its pivotal 2027 national conference

* Behind closed doors, a coalition of politicians, business leaders and professionals is mobilising a meticulously organised campaign

* The reforms he introduced at CAF saw its financial standing, governance and competitiveness improve to become number three in continental confederations of FIFA

* These credentials set Motsepe apart from other candidates — and besides, Motsepe does not enter a race if he is not going to win

* His rise to the CAF presidency as a Southern Africa candidate bears testimony — if Patrice can win CAF, what could be more difficult?

By Duncan Mlanjira

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Patrice Motsepe, is reportedly being positioned as South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) presidential candidate at its pivotal 2027 national conference to lead the party – and potentially the nation – taking over from President Cyril Ramaphosa.

South African media is awash with speculation of Motsepe’s interest and one  publication indicate that the billionaire “sidestepped questions from The Africa Report about his presidential ambitions when approached on the sidelines of the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles” — an event he funded with US$1 million.

“With deputy president, Paul Mashatile and ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula openly campaigning for the presidency, business tycoon Patrice Motsepe is emerging as a ‘third option’ contender to succeed President Cyril Ramaphosa — and he’s not denying it,” wrote The Africa Report, adding that Motsepe only replied: “Let’s focus on this exciting announcement.”

South Africa’s Sunday World reported last week that the billionaire businessman and CAF president is enjoying the support of a formidable lobby group inside the ANC — a coalition of politicians, business leaders and professionals.

“Operating in secrecy due to the ANC’s gag order on succession debates, Motsepe’s lobbyists, who spoke anonymously to Sunday World during an interview this week, are confident their campaign is unstoppable.

“ANC national leaders we spoke to appear nonchalant, but Motsepe’s lobbyists are adamant that their man has agreed to run but will not come out publicly until the ANC succession debate is officially open.

“The campaign is full throttle on social media platforms and in ANC structures across the country, they say, and it has the blessings of serving ANC NEC members and ministers, who themselves are scared of coming out publicly to endorse Motsepe,” wrote the Sunday World.

Eye Witness News reported that Motsepe donated R10 million to the ANC, quoting the party’s third quarterly report for political donations published by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

The report indicated that since the country’s Political Party Funding Act came into law in April 2018, parties are required to disclose any donations they receive above R100,000 to the IEC.

Meanwhile, the Sunday World added that Eastern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng “have been identified as provinces of interest to use as [Motsepe’s] launching pads”.  

“The campaign is centred on selling Motsepe as an effective ‘Mr Fix It’ in everything he touches. In this regard, his credentials as Mamelodi Sundowns FC president, businessman and CAF president will be flooding the debate on the succession and, ultimately, on the question of who must take the country forward as head of state in 2029.”

The report further says Motsepe will be packaged in the campaign for the 2029 national and provincial elections “as the man who will unite ANC factions and turn around the dwindling electoral fortunes of the party”. 

“The campaign will also capitalise on the relations Motsepe has forged with traditional leaders in mining communities where he does business as well as with religious groups. 

“In the law of influence, Dr Motsepe has relationships that he has made over time. For instance, in mining one has to speak to royal families that are disagreeing with the government over land; he has been there and done that.

“With many stakeholders, he comes out very well. Patrice can speak with Contralesa; Patrice can speak with the ZCC; Patrice can speak with the Shembe Church, alone. Patrice can speak with the Zulu Kingdom alone. He is not in the shadow of the president.”

On his role in football — from being Mamelodi Sundowns FC president to being elected CAF boss and being the deputy president at world football governing body, FIFA — the South Africans believe these leverage Motsepe more than other contenders.

The reforms he introduced at CAF saw its financial standing, governance and competitiveness improve to become number three in continental confederations of FIFA,” observes Sunday World.

“These credentials, the lobbyists believe, set Motsepe apart from other candidates. And besides, Motsepe does not enter a race if he is not going to win. To support this, they say his rise to the CAF presidency as a Southern Africa candidate bears testimony. 

“If Patrice can win CAF, what could be more difficult? They wanted Samuel Eto’o in the recent CAF elections [but] Patrice won the second term uncontested. His second term as CAF president ends in March 2028 – three months after he has been sworn in as ANC president.”

Motsepe became billionaire following his business acumen in mining, finance, renewable energy investment and sport.

In sports, Motsepe purchased 51% of Mamelodi Sundowns in 2003, before concluding the remaining 49% in 2004 and since then Sundowns have dominated South African football as of 2025, they have won the Premiership every year since 2017-18 season.

In November 2020, Motsepe announced that he would become a candidate to become CAF, which his opponents observed that he was being supported by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who would seek to obtain the votes of Africa for future re-election.

Motsepe was elected on March 12, 2021 after that all four other candidates had withdrawn their candidacies while son Thlopie Motsepe took over as Mamelodi Sundowns new chairman.

On March 12, 2025, Motsepe was re-elected CAF president unopposed and CAFonline reported then that his re-election came after a first term widely praised for stabilising CAF’s finances and boosting its global profile.

“Under his leadership, CAF set several new records at the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) Cote d’Ivoire 2023 — attracting a record 1.4 billion viewers worldwide,” reported CAFonline.

“Prize money for major tournaments, including the CAF Champions League and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, has also increased significantly, alongside enhanced financial support for Member Associations.

“The 63-year-old faced no opposition after the nomination deadline passed in November 2024 and his decision to run again followed requests from Member Association presidents and key stakeholders.

“Being ushered in unopposed reflects both confidence in Motsepe’s leadership and the desire to see him elevate African football to new heights.”

He is quoted as saying by CAFonline: “The goal remains making African football globally competitive, stabilising finances and investing in infrastructure.”

The founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, Motsepe became a billionaire in 2008 — the first black African according to Forbes list, which adds that in 2016, he launched a private equity firm, African Rainbow Capital, focused on investing in Africa.

In 1994, he became the first black partner at law firm Bowman Gilfillan in Johannesburg, and then started a mining services contracting business.

He bought low-producing gold mine shafts in 1997, and later turned them profitable. He also has a stake in Sanlam, a listed financial services firm.

Born on January 28, 1962, Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe serves on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum and in 2013, he joined The Giving Pledge, committing to give half of his wealth to charitable causes.

In January 2024, Motsepe was named by CNBC Africa as Africa’s 9th richest man and South Africa’s 3rd richest man after Johan Rupert and Nicky Oppenheimer alongside Koos Bekker, with an estimated net worth of US$2.7 billion.

In May 2024, Motsepe was ranked as the 1,175th-wealthiest person in the world by Forbes, with a reported fortune of US$2.9 billion.—Content from The Africa Report, Sunday World, Eye Witness News, CAFonline, Forbes, Wikipedia & Maravi Express archives