A campaign has emerged within South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) advocating for Patrice Motsepe, the mining billionaire and president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), to take on the party’s leadership role. Although Motsepe has stated he is not seeking political office and prefers to contribute outside of politics, supporters argue his track record in business and sports administration could help revive the ANC ahead of upcoming elections.
Motsepe, 64, has become a prominent figure through his success in transforming both a football club and a continental sports organisation. He acquired the Mamelodi Sundowns football club from the Mamelodi township near Pretoria in 2004, when it had not won a trophy for six years. Under his ownership, the club became a dominant force in South African football, securing 15 league titles and twice winning the African Champions League. In 2021, Motsepe took over the leadership of CAF after the previous president was banned due to ethics violations. He is credited with restoring the organisation’s financial stability and attracting sponsorships amid previous infighting and debt.
Despite his limited direct political involvement, Motsepe maintains close ties to the ANC. One of his sisters, Tshepo Motsepe, is married to President Cyril Ramaphosa, and another sister, Bridgette Radebe, is married to a former cabinet minister, Jeff Radebe. Motsepe himself has prospered through South Africa’s black economic empowerment policies, which promote ownership and employment opportunities for black South Africans.
The campaign supporting Motsepe features offices and teams across all nine provinces, with promotional materials describing him as a “credible, unifying and visionary leader.” Organisers, however, emphasize that Motsepe is not personally involved and that their immediate focus is to strengthen the ANC ahead of local elections scheduled for next month. These elections have taken on heightened significance as the party faces the prospect of losing control in several towns and cities. In the 2024 general election, the ANC won just 40% of the vote, compelling Ramaphosa to form a coalition government with nine other parties, including the main opposition, the Democratic Alliance.
Motsepe’s potential candidacy is viewed by some within the ANC as a unifying option capable of bridging factional divides. Other leading contenders for the party leadership, which becomes vacant when Ramaphosa’s term ends in December 2027, include Deputy President Paul Mashatile and ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula. Both have faced criticisms—Mashatile has been accused of corruption, which he denies, and Mbalula has come under scrutiny following the party’s failure to submit candidate lists on time for the upcoming elections.
Political analysts note that the internal contest for the ANC leadership is expected to be highly contentious. William Gumede, an associate professor at the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Governance, described it as potentially “the dirtiest campaign the ANC has ever seen.” He also suggested that if the ANC cannot reverse its recent electoral decline, Ramaphosa could be the last party leader to serve as South Africa’s president, given the ANC’s dominance in parliament over the past three decades.
Supporters of Motsepe argue that his outsider status and business credentials provide the party with a fresh option to rebuild credibility and regain voter trust. Gumede believes that Ramaphosa’s allies may be backing Motsepe as a stabilising figure to lead the ANC after the president steps down, describing the need for someone with national recognition who can “change the game for the party.”
As the ANC approaches critical local elections and looks ahead to the 2029 general election, the question of its leadership will shape South Africa’s political landscape in the coming years. Whether Motsepe chooses to enter politics or continues his current path outside the political sphere remains unresolved.