Patrice Motsepe was elected by the Acclamation President of the African Football Confederation (CAF), on March 12 in Rabat, for the period 2021-2025. The first South African to hold this position succeeds billionaire Malagasy Ahmad, suspended for 2 years from all football-related activities.
Patrice Motsepe became the 7th elected president of the African Football Confederation (CAF) on March 12, 2021. The billionaire is the first South African and first English speaker to occupy this prestigious position on the continent. The businessman succeeds Ahmad, persona non grata during this 43rd CAF Elective General Meeting (EGM). Malagasy, who beat Cameroonian Issa Hayatou to everyone’s surprise in 2017, were suspended for 5 years by the International Football Association (FIFA) before this sanction was reduced to 2 years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS).
It is with Gianni Infantino, Head of FIFA, that a very relaxed and eagerly awaited Patrice Motsepe arrived at this General Assembly. A FIFA that has worked to be the only candidate in the race – with the withdrawal of Ivorian Jacques Anouma, Senegalese Augustin Senghor and Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya – and of which Motsepe will de facto become vice president.
“We can only succeed by being united”
“It is truly a great honor and an incredible privilege for me,” the person in question responded immediately after the fearful applause that confirmed his victory. I would like to thank my brother Gianni for his vision and encouragement for us to work in unity, and only then can we meet the challenges facing Africa. We can only succeed by being united ”.
He also had a word for those who ended up giving up, following a “compromise” reached with the help of FIFA in late February in Rabat. “My brothers Senghor, Yahya and Jacques Anouma, thank you very much!”
CAF on the brink of an economic dead end
Whoever is among the greatest fortunes on the continent must correct a sick organism. In fact, Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan Federation (FRMF) and CAF’s Finance Commission, urged its hosts to quickly raise the bar after four painful years. CAF settles with an annual deficit of about $ 10 million. It is in the process of eating (sic) its capital, its own means, he said shortly before the election of Patrice Motsepe. The big challenge for the new team is to turn the corner, which enables CAF to play its role in the development of football ”.
The Moroccan concludes on own financial reserves estimated at $ 60 million: “If we continue in this logic, we will have enough to function normally in the coming mandate, then it will be stalemate.”
A very surrounded president
To revive the institution established in 1957 and based in Cairo, Patrice Motsepe will be able to rely on five vice presidents against three under Ahmad. An increase to ensure “better representativeness of the various components of the CAF”, according to the Head of Administration (Secretary General) of the CAF, Abdelmounaïm Bah. Safer to satisfy a maximum number of people.
In addition to the election of the President, the CAF also appointed the members of its Government (Executive Committee) and of its representatives to the Government of FIFA (Council). Negotiations have been intense in recent weeks … Withdrawals took place until late the night before this 43rd GA, by the Algerian Kheïreddine Zetchi. As a result, the Egyptian Hany Abo Rida and the Moroccan Fouzi Lekjaa, two heavyweights of African football, were elected to FIFA without opposition …
Patrice Motsepe nevertheless promised not to take his new function lightly, even for him the many mandates have their limits, while he publicly invested during his campaign for the presidency of CAF, already very busy with his business. Once elected president of CAF, he promises to delegate the management of his club, FC Mamelodi Sundowns. Not for lack of time, but to avoid conflicts of interest, the billionaire specifies.
Yet this businessman already has “enough challenges in life,” as he himself says. And all the cards in hand: wealth with a fortune worth $ 3 billion, influence with a brother-in-law named Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African president, but also philanthropy with his eponymous Foundation. And finally sports with its powerful football club.
To all this is added the presidency of the CAF and a desire to travel the continent to meet all federation presidents from the first year of his term. Anyone who does not come from this seraglio, rather accustomed to rubbing shoulders with the world great as during the Davos Economic Forum, which he loves, Patrice Motsepe invites himself into a new circle, that of the heads of world football.
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