South African football is the biggest sporting industry in South Africa, mainly predicated on the television deal it has with DStv but also because of all the other economic activity around it.
Overall, the sports industry is said to contribute more or less R50 billion to the country's economy per annum and is responsible for the employment of more than 500 000 people in South Africa.
Powerful men and women sit at the head of this industry, making the key decisions that dictate the course of the domestic game.
But just who are the 10 most powerful persons at work in South African football?
NO. 1: PATRICE MOTSEPE
The mining magnate, who was a lawyer when he began his career, bought his way into Mamelodi Sundowns some 20 years ago now and has since dramatically changed the landscape of the South African game. His deep pockets have turned the Brazilians into a behemoth and tipped the traditional order away from Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, who no longer have sway over the country's best players. He has since been elevated to the boss of the Confederation of African Football. He has had to formally give up the presidency of the club but is still very much running matters behind the scenes, with all major decisions, especially transfers, going through him. He now calls Sundowns "the family business". As CAF president he now has a seat at the high table of the game, as he is automatically a FIFA vice president. It was FIFA president Gianni Infantino who moved to install him, seeking an alternate to a string of corruptiontainted African football-federation presidents itching to stick their snouts into the money trough. Motsepe is so extraordinarily wealthy that he does not take a cent for his CAF work and pays all his own travel bills.
NO. 2: IRVIN KHOZA
This story is from the May 2024 edition of Soccer Club.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2024 edition of Soccer Club.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
EUROPEAN KINGS
WINNING THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONOURS IN WORLD FOOTBALL AND ONLY A HANDFUL OF PLAYERS HAVE WON IT MORE THAN ONCE
GOAL-SHY
THE GOALS ARE DRYING UP IN THE DSTV PREMIERSHIP AND WE COULD YET BE IN FOR A RECORD LOW THIS CAMPAIGN
LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
SURPRISE RALANI IS A TOP TALENT IN THE LOCAL GAME, AND HIS SON EMILE WITBOOI COULD BE THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL
STILL GOING STRONG
GAVIN HUNT IS A STALWART OF SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL. HE SHARES INSIGHTS INTO HIS STORIED CAREER
JUMPINGSHIP
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS PULLED OFF ONE OF THE SHOCK MOVES IN MANY A SEASON WHEN THEY SIGNED THEMBINKOSI LORCH FROM ORLANDO PIRATES IN JANUARY
TROPHY HUNTERS
WHICH ARE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUBS IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF TROPHIES WON?
TIME TO SHINE
REEVE FROSLER COULD BE AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY IN THE FUTURE
BAFANA TO THE DUGOUT
WHICH FORMER BAFANA BAFANA PLAYERS HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION TO TOP COACHES?
MORE THAN A GAME
TWO GIANTS COLLIDE WHEN REAL MADRID HOST BARCELONA IN LALIGA'S 'EL CLÁSICO' ON 21 APRIL
BIG SPENDING
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS MAY NOT HAVE ALWAYS GOT IT RIGHT IN THE TRANSFER MARKET, BUT THEY HAVE RESHAPED THE SOUTH AFRICAN SYSTEM IN THE PAST 20 YEARS.