Billionaire Patrice Motsepe becomes first South African elected as CAF President

- Motsepe was elected CAF President after a number of his rivals withdrew from the race

- He is one of the wealthiest personalities in Africa and owns the most successful club in South Africa, the Mamemodi Sundowns

- He is also the first South African to be elected in the position

PAY ATTENTION: Don't miss trending Kenyan news. Follow TUKO.co.ke on Twitter!

South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe has been elected the new president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Motsepe’s election was confirmed on Friday, March 12 at the federation's general assembly in Rabat, Morocco on Friday.

He becomes the first South African to be elected in the position.

Confirmation of his appointment came after all three of his rivals withdrew from the race to take on vice-president roles.

"Sometimes we see the problems, failures and the weaknesses in CAF and there are challenges but we must also focus on the optimistic and the positive," Motsepe said in his acceptance speech.

Marcus Thuram player profile: Borussia, injury, contracts

Football

Who is Motsepe?

The billionaire is well known in South Africa as the owner of league side Mamelodi Sundowns, which is the most successful club in the country.

Sundowns last won the CAF Champions League in 2016.

He is no stranger to the business aspect of football and has always been an advocate of partnering with the private sector.

In 2008, he became a billionaire and was recognized by Forbes in 2017 as one of the 100 great business minds.

The fact that he is the first CAF president from Anglophone Africa ultimately ended decades of dominance from the Francophone block.

Critics have however argued that his sudden rise in the football ranks has been thanks to his close ties with FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino

Infantinno was in Africa on numerous occasions on the eve of the CAF assembly.

In his previous manifesto launch, Motespe expressed desire to introduce global best practices among other reforms.

Tebogo Langerman's cars, net worth, houses, wife and salary

Football

“Do we have to cut or must we invest?” said the new CAF president at a news conference. “The way to get yourself out of trouble is not necessarily cutting until you can cut no more and get to the bone. The recognized strategy around the world is to grow. Look at the budget we have at CAF: you can’t keep cutting and cutting. We will reorganize and reposition. The significant benefits take some time. They don’t happen overnight.”

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly

Rene Otinga is a TUKO.co.ke journalist with over five years’ experience in the digital media space and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the Multimedia University of Kenya. An ardent fan of Manchester United, Otinga is a Sports Editor at TUKO.co.ke and his writing mainly revolves around the world of football and lifestyle in the sporting world. He is inspired by the need to inform and entertain through compelling stories.