Motsepe’s calm demeanour fails to mask rising tensions
Mqondisi Dube | Monday April 6, 2026 06:00
But for the first time in his football journey, the mega rich South African is feeling the heat despite his constant outlook display of calm demeanour. Motsepe is a widely acknowledged trailblazer, a respected businessman who has effortlessly migrated to football administration.
The football field is littered with known landmines particularly for persons who arrive with squeaky clean images only to leave carrying all sorts of corruption tags.
Thus far, Motsepe had steered clear of controversy since his transition into continental football administration in 2021.
His ascendancy at CAF was hailed as he took over an organisation riddled with bullets of corruption and still battling to recover from the wounds of the late Issah Hayatou's tenure.
It was under the long serving Cameroonian that CAF found itself at the centre of damaging corruption allegations, with certain regions feeling side-lined.
A change of guard in 2017 came through former Malagasy politician, Ahmad Ahmad who ended Hayatou's 29-year stay at the helm of CAF.
But Ahmad's reign was brief, in fact, it ended in controversy when FIFA had to step in and run the affairs of CAF amidst raging corruption claims.
Then African football's Moses moment came in 2021 when South Africa’s Motsepe announced his intention to run for CAF's top post. His path was cleared, when like flies, his opponents dropped out and endorsed him in a test for democracy.
Reports were that the candidates were coerced into backing Motsepe's candidature as the South African romped to the crown unchallenged.
He had a largely controversy-free first four years as CAF moved from massive deficits towards profitability. Motsepe was leaving the expected footprints, with his astute business acumen credited with turning around CAF's fortune.
In particular, prize money and grants to clubs and national associations increased as his 'cash' tenure continued to turn heads.
He was seen as the Messiah the African football family had been waiting for, and like the Biblical Moses, Motsepe was at the head, leading the Israelites to the promised land.
For his second term, Motsepe was again unopposed but just a year on, the Titanic has hit the iceberg. However, only time will tell if the CAF ship will sink, but the damage has been telling.
The CAF Appeals Board's decision to strip Senegal of its Africa Cup of Nations title has had a damaging impact on Motsepe's legacy. Motsepe always talks with finesse expected of a lawyer and an accomplished businessman.
But not too long ago, pushed against the wall, he cracked when a journalist implied that African football had been colonised by the West under the South African. It was a rare moment of Motsepe snapping.
The heated moment took place during the now contested AFCON finals. While Motsepe has continued to display composure, pressure is mounting amid reports a candidate could be backed to challenge him, with some powerful regions unhappy with the Senegal- Morocco final ruling.
A legacy that has been rapidly build around financial prudence and corporate governance, could unravel under a scandal that is threatening to undo what the billionaire businessman set-out to do when he took the CAF reigns.