Should Paul Mashatile be president? This ANC veteran thinks so

With the next general election in 2029, ANC veteran Tokyo Sexwale wants Paul Mashatile to become the next president of South Africa.

Sexwale was speaking to author and broadcaster Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh on Wednesday in a wide-ranging interview about the government of national unity (GNU), AfriForum, EFF leader Julius Malema and Mashatile.  

SA presidency

The South African constitution prevents state presidents from holding power for more than two full terms.

However, Ramaphosa initially completed the unfinished term of his successor, Jacob Zuma, who the ANC removed, and this does not count towards the two terms.

This means Ramaphosa could hold on to the Presidency until the next general elections in 2029.

But who would take over from him?

Watch Tokyo Sexwale supporting Paul Mashatile for SA President

Tokyo Sexwale supports Paul Mashatile to succeed Cyril Ramaphosapic.twitter.com/j64QHw6Ijm

— Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh (@SizweMpofuWalsh) February 26, 2025

ALSO READ: Moeletsi Mbeki roasts Ramaphosa: He has ‘totally failed as a president’

Supporting Mashatile

Sexwale supports Mashatile in succeeding Ramaphosa as the next president of the country.

“I said the president is in the departure lounge. His suitcases are being packed every day. Mashatile is going to arrive. Will he be the president? I wish he [would] be. You know why? Because I saw what we did at Polokwane.

“It’s not nice that each time since Polokwane, every president must leave like a dog, show him the door. This is the African National Congress of Nelson Mandela who gave us this organisation at Mafikeng. But, warned us, be careful. Read his closing remarks when he pointed fingers at leaders,” Sexwale said.

Ramaphosa’s presidency

Sexwale said he doesn’t want Ramaphosa to be “driven out office.”

“The point is that I wouldn’t like Cyril to be driven out of the office; it’s not in my interest; maybe I don’t like him, maybe he must go, maybe. But, no matter who dislikes him, I don’t want a repetition; this trend of in South Africa a president is …’kick him out’. So, if that happens, it just juxtaposes everything. Therefore, we are not learning from history.

“This bloodletting in the ANC must come to an end.”

Sexwale said when it’s time to vote, he will cast his ballot for Mashatile. “So, if there is a vote, I’ll put my vote. He can be defeated, but one of the defeated votes will be mine.”

With the ANC elective conference scheduled for 2027, Ramaphosa could once again stand for election to his party’s top post, as the ANC presidency has no term limits.

In 2022, political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki painted a scathing picture of Ramaphosa’s leadership, saying the president is not a leader but a party agent. 

He said Ramaphosa has one of the best public relations machines he could think of, “even better than Bell Pottinger”, but failed as South Africa’s president.

ALSO READ: Put differences aside and ‘work together for common good’ − Ramaphosa