Inside Patrice Motsepe’s Quiet Campaign to Become ANC President in 2027

• Senior ANC members are reportedly lobbying CAF President and Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe to consider running for the party’s top leadership post ahead of the 2027 National Conference
• Motsepe's leadership in football, most notably at Mamelodi Sundowns and the Confederation of African Football, is being viewed as a sign of his executive ability
• The ANC's internal dynamics are heating up with other potential contenders, including Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Fikile Mbalula, facing scrutiny for early manoeuvring

There’s growing talk in ANC corridors of power that Confederation of African Football (CAF) President and Mamelodi Sundowns owner, Patrice Motsepe, could be the party’s next big political bet.

Sources within the ANC claim that senior members have been quietly urging the billionaire football mogul to enter the political arena, potentially positioning him as a contender for ANC president at the party’s next national conference in 2027.

Campaign material already exists

According to Rapport, campaign material already exists, mock flyers depicting Motsepe as ANC President, Senzo Mchunu as Deputy President, and Oscar Mabuyane as Secretary-General are said to be circulating behind closed doors.

A football visionary with political proximity

Motsepe’s name may raise eyebrows among traditional political loyalists, but to many South Africans, especially football fans, he’s a figure of integrity, efficiency, and success.

Beyond his mining fortune, the 62-year-old has become a household name through football. As owner of Mamelodi Sundowns, he’s overseen the club’s transformation into a continental powerhouse, both in the DStv Premiership and CAF Champions League.

His elevation to the CAF presidency in 2021 and re-election in 2025, marked a significant milestone for South African football, placing him at the helm of Africa’s biggest football governing body. Under his leadership, CAF has shown signs of renewal and financial stability, something the ANC might see as a symbolic and strategic advantage.

Motsepe also boasts deep ANC ties. He is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s brother-in-law and has long supported the party, albeit from the sidelines.

From township to tycoon

Born in Ga-Rankuwa during apartheid, Motsepe’s early exposure to business came through his father’s spaza shop, frequented by mineworkers.

To voters, Motsepe embodies upward mobility and success rooted in humble beginnings. Add to that his role in football, South Africa’s most-loved sport, and it’s clear why some in the ANC see him as a compelling candidate who could rejuvenate the party’s image.

Whether he accepts the call to lead remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: in a political landscape desperate for credibility and fresh vision, Patrice Motsepe’s name is no longer just associated with trophies, it’s now part of the ANC’s 2027 conversation.

A peek into billionaire Stellenbosch FC owner's luxury living

Briefly News previously reported that South Africa’s richest man, Johann Rupert, lives a life defined by generational wealth, global influence, and refined luxury, with multiple elite residences spanning Cape Town’s De Waterkant, Franschhoek’s wine estates, Mpumalanga’s Leopard Creek Golf Estate, and international bases in Switzerland and Luxembourg.

Source: Briefly News