On 12 march 2021 South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe was elected unopposed as the president of Confederation of African football.
But what do you know about the Mamelodi Sundowns owner?
Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe (born 28 January 1962) is a South African mining billionaire businessman of Tswana descent. Since 12 March 2021, he has been serving as the President of the Confederation of African Football.
He is the founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, which has interests in gold, ferrous metals, base metals, and platinum. He sits on several company boards, including being the non-executive chairman of Harmony Gold, the world’s 12th largest gold mining company, and the deputy chairman of Sanlam. In 2012, Motsepe was named South Africa’s richest man, topping the Sunday Times’ annual Rich List with an estimated fortune of R20.07 billion ($1 billion).
In 2003, he became the owner of football club Mamelodi Sundowns.
In 2013, he joined The Giving Pledge, committing to give half of his wealth to charitable causes.
Early life and education
Patrice was born to Kgosi Augustine Motsepe, a chief of the Mmakau branch of the Tswana people, who had previously been a schoolteacher and who was later a small businessman as the owner of a Spaza shop which was popular with black mine workers. It was from this shop that Motsepe learned basic business principles from his father, as well as first-hand exposure to mining.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Swaziland and a law degree from the University of the Witwatersrand. He specialised in mining and business law.
Sports
Motsepe is the owner of Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. a Premier league soccer club. In November 2019, Motsepe bought a 37% stake in the Blue Bulls Co. The other major shareholders are Remgro (37%) and Blue Bulls Rugby Union (26%).
