Mbalula leads early ANC presidential race

SRF poll has introduced an unexpected player into the race, Patrice Motsepe

- MASHUDU SADIKE AND SIFISO MAHLANGU

THE race to succeed President Cyril Ramaphosa as leader of the African National Congress (ANC) is heating up, with fresh polling and high-profile political maneuvers indicating an increasingly volatile field of contenders.

This week's ANC National General Council (NGC) meeting in Boksburg has become the backdrop for the growing succession debate, even as party officials downplay the idea of an imminent leadership battle.

The NGC, held at the Birchwood Conference Centre, marked the beginning of the final phase of Ramaphosa' presidency, with the ANC’ next elective conference scheduled for 2027.

However, talk of who will lead the ANC after Ramaphosa is already dominating internal discussions, fuelled by the findings of a recent Social Research Foundation (SRF) poll that paints a highly competitive picture.

While the race to lead the ANC has traditionally been seen as a showdown between Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the party's Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, the SRF poll has introduced an unexpected player into the race.

Business tycoon Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and a prominent billionaire, is leading the pack, despite his public insistence that he will not run.

Motsepe’ inclusion in the poll has raised eyebrows, with some suggesting that his backers could convince him to run in 2027. The SRF survey found Motsepe holding a five percentage point lead over Mashatile among general voters, though the preference among ANC supporters showed a slightly different trend. Within the party base, the race remains fluid, with other prominent names gaining traction as well.