Patrice Motsepe

Patrice Motsepe
Born	Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe 28 1, 1962
Birthplace	Orlando West, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa
Nationality	South African
Occupation	Mining executive, football administrator, philanthropist, advocate
Known for	Founder, African Rainbow Minerals
Education	University of the Witwatersrand (BA, LLB)
Children	3
Awards	President of the Confederation of African Football
Website	[www.arm.co.za Official site]

Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe (born 28 January 1962) is a South African billionaire mining executive, football administrator, and philanthropist. He is the founder of African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), a major diversified mining company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) with interests in gold, ferrous metals, base metals, and platinum. In addition to his mining interests, Motsepe serves as the non-executive chairman of Harmony Gold, one of the world's largest gold mining companies, and as deputy chairman of financial services group Sanlam. Since March 2021, he has served as the seventh president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the governing body of football on the African continent. Since acquiring Mamelodi Sundowns in 2003, he has been among the most prominent figures in African football. In 2013, Motsepe joined The Giving Pledge, committing to donate at least half of his wealth to charitable causes, becoming the first African to do so. Born into a business-minded family in Soweto during the apartheid era, Motsepe built his fortune in the post-apartheid mining sector and became the first Black African on the Forbes list of the world's billionaires. As of May 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately US$2.9 billion.

Early Life

Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe was born on 28 January 1962 in Orlando West, Soweto, a township in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was raised during the height of apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation that severely restricted the economic and social opportunities available to Black South Africans. His father, Augustine Butana Chaane Motsepe, was a businessman who ran a small chain of spaza shops — informal convenience shops common in South African townships — that served the local mining community. His mother was Margaret Martha Keneilwe Motsepe. Growing up, Motsepe spent time working alongside his father in the family business, an experience that provided him with early exposure to the mining industry and to entrepreneurship more broadly.

Motsepe comes from a prominent and politically connected family. His sister, Bridgette Radebe, is a businesswoman and mining executive in her own right, often referred to as one of South Africa's first Black female mining entrepreneurs. Another sister, Tshepo Motsepe, is married to Cyril Ramaphosa, who became president of South Africa in 2018. Bridgette Radebe is married to Jeff Radebe, a longtime member of the African National Congress (ANC) who served in various ministerial roles in the South African government. These family connections have placed Motsepe at the intersection of South Africa's business and political elites, though he has maintained that his business activities are separate from political considerations.

The environment in which Motsepe grew up — marked by apartheid-era restrictions but also by a family tradition of enterprise and resilience — shaped his subsequent career trajectory. His father's experience in business, particularly in serving communities linked to the mining sector, provided a foundation that Motsepe would later build upon in establishing one of Africa's largest mining conglomerates.

Education

Motsepe attended the University of Swaziland (now the University of Eswatini) before pursuing further studies at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, one of South Africa's leading universities. At Wits, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and subsequently completed a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. After completing his legal studies, Motsepe was admitted as an advocate and began his career in the legal profession. He worked in the mining and business law practice of the firm Bowman Gilfillan, where he gained expertise in mining law and corporate transactions. This legal background in the mining sector proved instrumental in his later transition from law to business, as it equipped him with a detailed understanding of the regulatory and commercial frameworks governing South Africa's mining industry.

Career

Early Legal Career and Entry into Mining

After qualifying as a lawyer, Motsepe practiced at Bowman Gilfillan, one of South Africa's prominent law firms, where he specialized in mining and business law. His work at the firm brought him into close contact with major mining companies and provided insights into the structure and economics of the South African mining industry. This experience gave Motsepe a practical understanding of mine operations, mineral rights, and the financial dynamics of the extractive sector.

In the early 1990s, as South Africa transitioned from apartheid to democracy, new opportunities began to emerge for Black South Africans in sectors that had previously been largely closed to them. Motsepe recognized the potential in the mining industry and made a strategic decision to move from legal practice into mining entrepreneurship. In 1994, he became the first Black partner at Bowman Gilfillan, a significant milestone during the period of South Africa's democratic transition.

Founding of African Rainbow Minerals

Motsepe founded Future Mining in 1994, which would form the basis for what later became African Rainbow Minerals (ARM). His initial entry into mining operations involved the acquisition of low-producing gold mine shafts from AngloGold in the Free State province. These were mines that the major mining houses considered marginal or unprofitable. Motsepe renegotiated labor agreements and restructured operational costs, turning the mines into profitable ventures.

African Rainbow Minerals was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and grew through a series of acquisitions and partnerships into a diversified mining company with interests across multiple commodities, including gold, platinum group metals, ferrous metals (iron ore and manganese), and base metals (copper and cobalt). The company established joint venture partnerships with other major mining firms and expanded its operational footprint across South Africa and into other parts of the African continent.

Motsepe served as executive chairman of ARM for many years, guiding the company's strategic direction and growth. In February 2026, ARM announced that Motsepe had relinquished his executive role at the company to comply with new governance requirements under the Johannesburg Stock Exchange's Simplification Project, which set new standards for the separation of executive and non-executive roles in listed companies. He transitioned to the position of non-executive chairman, maintaining his involvement in the company's governance while no longer holding an executive function. As of February 2026, ARM was reporting strong financial results, with basic earnings for the first half of its 2026 financial year expected to increase by 65% to 75%.

Broader Business Interests

Beyond African Rainbow Minerals, Motsepe has held significant positions in several other major South African companies. He serves as the non-executive chairman of Harmony Gold, which has been ranked among the world's largest gold mining companies. He also holds the position of deputy chairman of Sanlam, one of the largest financial services groups in Africa. Through the African Rainbow Capital investment platform, Motsepe expanded his business interests into financial services, telecommunications, and other sectors of the economy. He also sits on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum, connecting him to the global business and policy-making community.

Motsepe's business empire has made him one of the wealthiest individuals in Africa. In January 2024, CNBC Africa named him Africa's ninth-richest man and South Africa's third-richest, after Johann Rupert and Nicky Oppenheimer and alongside Koos Bekker, with an estimated net worth of $2.7 billion. In May 2024, Forbes ranked him as the 1,175th-wealthiest person in the world, with a reported fortune of US$2.9 billion. He became the first Black South African to appear on the Forbes billionaires list, a milestone that drew significant media attention and was seen as symbolic of economic transformation in post-apartheid South Africa.

Sports Ownership and Football Administration

In 2003, Motsepe acquired Mamelodi Sundowns, one of the most successful football clubs in South Africa, competing in the Premier Soccer League. Under his ownership, Mamelodi Sundowns won multiple league titles and, in 2016, won the CAF Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in African football. The club has established itself as one of the dominant forces in South African football.

Motsepe also expanded his involvement in South African sports through the acquisition of rugby interests. He became involved with the Bulls, a major South African rugby team based in Pretoria.

On 12 March 2021, Motsepe was elected as the seventh president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), running unopposed in elections held in Rabat, Morocco. He succeeded Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar in the role. His election came amid reports that FIFA president Gianni Infantino had played a role in consolidating support for his candidacy, with rival candidates withdrawing from the race prior to the vote. As CAF president, Motsepe oversees the administration of continental football competitions, including the CAF Champions League, the Africa Cup of Nations, and qualifying rounds for the FIFA World Cup.

A January 2026 profile in The Athletic (published by The New York Times) described Motsepe as "African football's most powerful man" and noted that he had been discussed as a potential future president of FIFA, as well as a possible future president of South Africa. Reports in February 2026 further noted speculation about his potential entry into politics, though Motsepe has consistently dismissed such rumors.

Personal Life

Motsepe comes from a family with significant connections in South African business and politics. His sister, Tshepo Motsepe, is married to Cyril Ramaphosa, who has served as president of South Africa since 2018, making Motsepe the brother-in-law of the sitting head of state. His other sister, Bridgette Radebe, is a mining businesswoman married to former cabinet minister Jeff Radebe. Motsepe has three children.

In 2013, Motsepe became the first African to sign The Giving Pledge, an initiative founded by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates that invites the world's wealthiest individuals to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. By signing the pledge, Motsepe committed to donating at least half of his wealth to charitable endeavors during his lifetime or in his will. Through the Motsepe Foundation and related philanthropic vehicles, he has supported various initiatives in education, health, and community development across South Africa and the broader African continent.

Motsepe has also been involved in various civic and interfaith initiatives. He holds the title of advocate, reflecting his legal background and his qualification as a member of the South African bar.

Recognition

Motsepe's rise from a township in Soweto to become one of Africa's wealthiest individuals has been the subject of extensive media coverage both within South Africa and internationally. CNN included him in profiles of notable African business leaders, and he has been featured regularly in Forbes's global billionaires rankings. His pioneering role as the first Black South African billionaire to appear on the Forbes list was noted as a significant marker of economic change in post-apartheid South Africa.

As president of CAF, Motsepe holds one of the most influential positions in global sport, overseeing football development and competition across an entire continent. His role at the World Economic Forum's Board of Trustees further positions him among a select group of global business and thought leaders.

Motsepe has been recognized through various business leadership rankings and awards over the years. Who's Who SA maintains a profile listing his achievements in business and philanthropy. His inclusion in The Giving Pledge in 2013, as the first African signatory, drew particular attention and was reported by the BBC and other major international news organizations.

Legacy

Motsepe's career has been closely intertwined with the economic transformation of post-apartheid South Africa. He built African Rainbow Minerals during the period when Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies were reshaping the ownership structure of South African industry, and his success in the mining sector demonstrated that Black South African entrepreneurs could compete at the highest levels of the global mining industry. His trajectory — from a township in Soweto to the helm of a JSE-listed mining conglomerate — has been cited as an example of the economic possibilities opened by South Africa's democratic transition.

In football, Motsepe's ownership of Mamelodi Sundowns and his presidency of CAF have made him one of the most prominent figures in African sport. His leadership of CAF, including the development of continental competitions, has placed him at the center of debates about the future direction of African football and its role in the global game.

His decision to join The Giving Pledge set a precedent on the African continent, signaling a growing culture of formal philanthropic commitment among Africa's wealthiest individuals. Through the Motsepe Foundation, his philanthropic activities have addressed issues of education, health, and rural development in South Africa.

As of February 2026, Motsepe continues to hold multiple positions across business, sport, and philanthropy, with ongoing speculation about a potential future role in South African politics.