Anc Insiders Push Patrice Motsepe For President

A quiet storm is brewing behind the scenes of the ANC, and it has a billionaire at its centre.

Insiders within the ruling party are reportedly rallying behind businessman and mining tycoon Patrice Motsepe , urging him to throw his name into the ring as a presidential candidate ahead of the ANC's next elective conference in 2027.

While there's been no public confirmation from Motsepe himself, whispers of this potential political twist are gaining momentum. According to Rapport , some party members have already gone as far as drafting campaign flyers featuring Motsepe as President, Senzo Mchunu as Deputy President and Oscar Mabuyane as Secretary General - suggesting a shadow campaign may already be in motion.

Despite ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula's stern warnings about jumping the gun on leadership contests, the battle lines are being drawn. Mbalula insists that premature lobbying will result in disciplinary consequences, stating, 'Anyone who deviates from the discipline of the ANC will be taken to task irrespective of their status.'

But his warning hasnt stopped speculation, particularly as Mbalula himself has been accused of laying the groundwork for a leadership bid - all while publicly preaching discipline and party cohesion. Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi have also been floated as contenders, though Mashatile maintains he's focused on 'rebuilding, not campaigning'.