Tokyo Sexwale Backs Paul Mashatile to Be Country’s Next President, South Africans Aren’t Convinced

• Tokyo Sexwale hopes that Paul Mashatile becomes the president of South Africa after the 2029 elections
• The African National Congress (ANC) veteran also called on the party to end what he called bloodletting
• South Africans don't believe the ANC will get the support to win the next general elections in 2029

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues. He spent 10 years working for a community newspaper before transitioning to online

GAUTENG – Who should be the next president of South Africa?

African National Congress (ANC) veteran Tokyo Sexwale believes that person should be Paul Mashatile, but not all South Africans agree.

Mashatile is currently the deputy president of the country, and the ANC, but that doesn’t guarantee he will be in charge of the country following the next general election in 2029.

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Sexwale throws support behind Mashatile

During an interview with Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh on 26 February 2025, Sexwale said he would be happy if Mashatile succeeded Ramaphosa as the next president of the country.

“I said the president is in the departure lounge. His suitcases are being packed every day. Mashatile is going to arrive. Will he be the president? I wish he would be. Do you know why? Because I saw what we did at Polokwane,” he said.”

What happened at Polokwane?

Polokwane was the venue for the 52nd National Conference of the ANC in December 2007. The conference is often considered the start of the factionalism era within the ANC. At the conference, Jacob Zuma was elected party leader, defeating Thabo Mbeki who was national and party president at the time. It was the first time since 1952 that the party presidency was contested.

The newly elected National Executive Committee (NEC), filled with pro-Zuma members, later removed Mbeki from his post as national president and replaced him with Kgalema Motlanthe, who was elected ANC Deputy President at Polokwane. Motlanthe served as interim President until the 2009 elections when the ANC won, and Zuma became the country’s president.

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Zuma himself was removed from the post without seeing out his full term. In February 2018, he resigned as president after the NEC threatened to support a motion of no confidence in him, and was replaced by his deputy president, Ramaphosa.

Sexwale doesn't want history repeating itself

With the ANC developing a reputation of removing the president to make way for the deputy, Sexwale said he didn’t want Ramaphosa to be just “driven out office.”

“I don’t want a repetition of this trend of, in South Africa, a president is ’kicked out’. So, if that happens, it just juxtaposes everything. Therefore, we are not learning from history. This bloodletting in the ANC must come to an end,” he added.

The ANC does not have a limit on how long one person can be president, but nationally, no person can serve more than two terms. Ramaphosa’s second term will come to an end in 2029, meaning that he could still be elected ANC president at the next elective conference in 2027, but would not be able to lead the country if the ANC won the next election. Ramaphosa was sworn in as president for his second term on 19 June 2024.

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You can watch Sexwale’s full interview here.

South Africans chime in on Sexwale’s support of Mashatile

The ANC veteran’s backing of Mashatile sparked mixed reactions online, with some suggesting that the ANC needed to bring younger blood, while others suggested that they may not even win the next elections.

Layo said:

“He thinks that will make ANC win again? They will never rule SA alone again. GNU all the way. All parties rule SA now.”

Simphiwe Winston suggested:

“Fellow South Africans, we are only left with Julius. The country is currently in a mess, and it needs someone who's bold and who's not afraid to take decisive decisions. This country needs a firm hand, and none are available in the ANC.”

Peter Tau Mohapi stated:

“Paul is too weak to be the president of this country.”

Pat Van added:

“The dinosaurs are hanging on to all the cadres. The ANC's top six keep a stranglehold on the ANC and refuse to let new blood into the party. All they are doing is seeing the demise of a once great honest forward-thinking party.”

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Mokhutši Maepa stated:

“I’m sure he meant President of the ANC because Cyril will be the last president of the country to come from the ANC.

Petrick Mzuzu Sibiya said:

“Paul is too weak for that seat.”

Wiseman Gcaba added:

“Ramaphosa should be the last President coming from the ANC. South Africa needs a new beginning.”

Sexwale wants drums-up support ahead of elections

Briefly News reported that Sexwale said the party was burning, and that the party's veterans have stepped up to douse the flames.

He made the comments in May 2024, during the finals weeks before the General Election held on 29 May.

The former leader said the ANC wants to reconstruct the country by putting people in power who understand the party's policies.

Source: Briefly News