By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Patrice Motsepe has been confirmed as the first South African president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Motsepe, whose candidacy was announced by the SA Football Association (Safa) in November, stood unopposed at Caf’s 43rd General Assembly in Rabat, Morocco, on Friday. He will serve a four-year term until the next elective congress in 2025.
This came after a deal was concluded over the past month that saw Motsepe’s rivals – Senegal’s Augustin Senghor‚ Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya and Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast – withdraw their candidacies in exchange for leadership and executive positions. Senghor and Yahya have been offered vice-presidencies‚ and Anouma an advisory role.
Motsepe appeared to have the backing as a block of 13 of the 14 Cosafa (Council of Southern Africa Football Associations) member associations, much of Cecafa (Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations), and West Africa was seemingly split.
That would have been enough to push him past the 27-vote threshold of Caf’s 54 member associations. This led to the deal with Senghor, Yahya and Anouma.
Motsepe will step down as president of Mamelodi Sudowns for the duration of his Caf presidency. He has indicated that oldest son Tlhopie Motsepe will become chairman in his father’s absence.
Motsepe will be the first South African to lead CAF, following in the footsteps of two Egyptians, a Sudanese, an Ethiopian, a Cameroonian and a Malagasy.
Unlike previous African football leaders, who came from national association backgrounds, his connection with the sport stems from owning record 2016 African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Until a recent rule change, the supporter of Spanish giants Barcelona would not have been eligible to become president as candidates had to be CAF executive committee members.
The 59-year-old began his working life as a lawyer, switched to mining, and is now involved in many businesses. Forbes magazine estimates his personal wealth at $2.9 billion (2.4 billion euros).