Who is Ace Magashule?
Ace Magashule, a name that evokes both reverence and revulsion in South Africa’s political sphere, stands as a complex figure whose journey from anti-apartheid activist to embattled politician encapsulates the triumphs and tribulations of the nation’s democratic era.
Born Elias Sekgobelo Magashule on November 3, 1959, in the township of Tumahole, Free State, this struggle veteran rose from organizing youth resistance to becoming the African National Congress’s (ANC) longest-serving provincial chairperson and Free State Premier, only to face expulsion in 2023 amid corruption allegations that have shadowed his legacy.
At 65, Magashule’s path, marked by his founding of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) and ongoing legal battles, reflects a potent mix of revolutionary zeal, political maneuvering, and polarizing scandal, positioning him as a pivotal yet contentious force in South Africa’s evolving narrative as of May 19, 2025.
This Ace Magashule’s biography delves into the intricate ascent and turbulent decline of a leader whose influence has both shaped and strained South Africa’s post-apartheid politics, offering a lens into the interplay of activism, power, and controversy that defines his career.
From his early days in the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) and United Democratic Front (UDF) to his strategic alliance with Jacob Zuma’s “Premier League” and his tenure as ANC Secretary-General, Ace Magashule’s story is one of resilience tempered by accusations of vote-rigging, tender manipulation, and Gupta family ties.
His personal life, entwined with family scandals and a commitment to education bursaries, adds depth to a figure whose legacy divides opinion.
What follows is an in-depth exploration of his early years, pre-political activism, storied career, major achievements, personal life, and the evolving legacy of a man whose nickname “Ace”, earned on Tumahole’s soccer fields, now carries the weight of both struggle heroism and allegations of a “Gangster State,” as he navigates South Africa’s fraught political landscape.
Elias Sekgobelo Magashule’s Bio-Data
| Name | Elias Sekgobelo “Ace” Magashule |
| Date of Birth | November 3, 1959 |
| Age | 65 years |
| Place of Birth | Tumahole, Parys, Free State, South Africa |
| Occupation | Politician, Founder of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT), Former ANC Secretary-General |
| Spouse | Seipati Magashule (married late 1980s) |
| Source | Bsgistnews.com |
Early Life and Education
Elias Sekgobelo “Ace” Magashule was born on November 3, 1959, in Tumahole, a township in Parys, Free State, South Africa, during the height of apartheid.
Growing up in a politically charged environment, he was shaped by the racial injustices of the era, fostering a deep commitment to activism.
Nicknamed “Ace” for his midfield soccer prowess (wearing number 8), he was also active in drama and boxing, showcasing a multifaceted youth.
He attended Tumahole Primary School (now Lembede Primary) and Phehellang Secondary School in Parys, completing his secondary education in the late 1970s.
Ace Magashule enrolled at the University of Fort Hare, a hub of anti-apartheid activism, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, though the exact year and major are unspecified in most records.
A 2017 honorary doctorate from Bahcesehir University in Turkey recognized his provincial and national contributions, but claims of a Bachelor of Technology in Public Relations from Tshwane University of Technology are unverified and likely erroneous, as Magashule and primary sources consistently cite Fort Hare.
His academic journey was disrupted by political activism, including a 1982 arrest during a Fort Hare protest against Ciskei Prime Minister Lennox Sebe, resulting in a public violence conviction, not high treason as claimed in his ANC biography, a discrepancy confirmed by court records.
Career Before Political Prominence
Ace Magashule’s early career was deeply rooted in anti-apartheid activism.
In 1979, he was a founding member of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), mobilizing youth against apartheid education policies, though some, like journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh, dispute the extent of his role.
He joined the Tumahole Youth Congress and, in the 1980s, played a significant role in the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Northern Free State, organizing rent boycotts in Tumahole.
His activism led to multiple detentions, including nine months in solitary confinement in 1985 under the Internal Security Act, and he went into exile in 1989, returning in 1991 after the ANC’s unbanning.
Mentored by ANC stalwarts Chris Hani and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Ace Magashule honed his political acumen during this period, though public records of their direct interactions with him are scarce.
Post-graduation, Ace Magashule taught at Moqhaka High School in Sebokeng and later at Phehellang Secondary School in Tumahole, where his engagement with students laid the foundation for his lifelong interest in education.
Since 1984, he has supported underprivileged students through bursaries, a commitment noted in ANC profiles.
Magashule’s Political Career
Magashule’s formal political career began after South Africa’s 1994 democratic transition.
Elected chairperson of the ANC’s Northern Free State region in 1991, he became deputy chairperson of the unified Free State branch in 1994, serving under Pat Matosa.
That year, he joined the Free State Provincial Legislature and was appointed Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Economic Affairs (1994–1996).
A 1996 reshuffle by Premier Terror Lekota moved him to the less senior MEC for Transport role, prompted by rumors of misconduct in Economic Affairs, though no formal charges emerged.
In November 1996, amid ANC factionalism, Ace Magashule and Matosa were transferred to the National Assembly.
In 1998, Ace Magashule was elected provincial chairperson of the ANC in the Free State, a role he held for over two decades, becoming the party’s longest-serving provincial chair.
He returned to the Free State Legislature in 2004, serving as MEC for Agriculture (2004–2005), Sports, Arts, and Recreation (2007–2008), and Safety and Security (2008).
On May 6, 2009, he was elected Premier of the Free State, succeeding Beatrice Marshoff, and initiated Operation Hlasela, a poverty alleviation campaign, alongside a bursary fund for tertiary students.
A staunch ally of former President Jacob Zuma, Magashule was part of the “Premier League,” an ANC lobbying group with Supra Mahumapelo and DD Mabuza, active during Zuma’s presidency.
In December 2017, he was elected ANC Secretary-General at the 54th National Conference, a powerful role he held until his suspension on May 3, 2021, amid corruption allegations.
His tenure as premier and secretary-general was marred by accusations of vote-rigging in Free State ANC conferences and corrupt dealings, notably a R255 million asbestos removal contract in 2014, leading to his November 2020 arrest and ongoing trial.
Ace Magashule resisted suspension, controversially claiming to suspend President Cyril Ramaphosa, a move dismissed by the Johannesburg High Court in July 2021.
The ANC expelled him in June 2023 for bringing the party into disrepute, ending his decades-long affiliation.
He subsequently founded the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) in 2023, positioning himself as a champion of Radical Economic Transformation (RET), though the party has struggled to gain electoral traction.
Major Achievements
Magashule’s achievements are intertwined with his anti-apartheid and political contributions.
His role in COSAS and UDF mobilized youth and communities against apartheid, earning him respect as a struggle veteran, as noted by supporters on X.
His long tenure as Free State ANC chairperson and premier solidified his influence, with initiatives like Operation Hlasela addressing poverty, though critics argue it was mismanaged.
His 2017 election as ANC Secretary-General marked a career pinnacle, reflecting his strategic maneuvering within the party.
His bursary fund for students, active since the 1980s, has supported numerous tertiary educations, a rare point of consensus in his legacy.
However, his 2019 call to avoid voting for the “white man” (Democratic Alliance) was condemned as racist by ANC veterans, and corruption allegations overshadow his achievements.
Personal Life
Magashule is married to Seipati Magashule, with whom he has three children: sons Tshepiso “Gift” and Thato, and daughter Thoko Alice Malembe.
The couple, married in the late 1980s, resides in Parys, though Seipati maintains a low profile.
Ace Magashule is rumored to have a long-term extramarital relationship with Mosidi Lydia Motsemme, an ANC volunteer from the 1990s, with whom he allegedly has three children, though this is unconfirmed by Magashule.
His family has faced scrutiny: Tshepiso was employed by the Gupta family from 2010, earning R90,000 monthly and joining them on lavish trips, while Thoko’s 2015 acquisition of a Shell fuel station for R2.9 million (below market value) via her MMAT trust sparked allegations of nepotism, despite Ace Magashule’s denials.
A 2014 security video showing Magashule at the station with Free State Development Corporation (FDC) members fueled suspicions, and his friend Hantsi Matseke’s Maono Construction, awarded R515 million in contracts, raised further questions.
Legacy and Impact
At 65, as of May 19, 2025, Ace Magashule’s net worth is estimated at $10 million to $16 million (R150 million to R240 million), derived from his political salaries (R133,000 monthly as secretary-general), alleged construction firm contracts, and property deals, though figures are unconfirmed and inflated claims of $400 million lack evidence.
His legacy is a paradox: a struggle hero who mobilized against apartheid, mentored by icons like Hani and Madikizela-Mandela, yet a politician whose career is tainted by corruption scandals, detailed in Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s Gangster State.
His influence in the Free State ANC was unmatched, but allegations of tender manipulation, notably the Vrede Dairy Project and asbestos contract, led to his 2020 arrest and 2023 ANC expulsion.
Supporters on X laud his RET advocacy and youth leadership, decrying his expulsion as a plot by “spies and pedophiles,” while critics, citing his Gupta ties and family’s tender windfalls, view him as emblematic of ANC decay.
His ACT party, launched post-expulsion, struggles against the ANC’s dominance, with posts on X questioning its viability.
Magashule’s tenure as premier saw lavish spending, including R8 million on residence renovations and a R2.3 million Mercedes-Benz, drawing public ire.
As he awaits trial, his political future hinges on legal outcomes, with a conviction potentially ending his career, as noted by analysts.
Whether remembered as a liberation fighter or a symbol of corruption, Magashule’s story, from Tumahole’s soccer fields to the ANC’s fractious halls, remains a contentious chapter in South Africa’s democratic saga, his nickname “Ace” now a double-edged moniker of prowess and scandal.
Conclusion
Ace Magashule’s controversial journey through South Africa’s political landscape stands as a gripping saga of revolutionary fervor, strategic ambition, and profound controversy, a narrative that stretches from the defiant township of Tumahole to the embattled heights of the African National Congress (ANC) and beyond, where he now leads the fledgling African Congress for Transformation (ACT).
Born Elias Sekgobelo Magashule on November 3, 1959, he transformed his anti-apartheid activism, forged in the crucible of COSAS, UDF, and exile, into a formidable political career, becoming the ANC’s longest-serving Free State chairperson, Free State Premier, and Secretary-General, only to face expulsion in 2023 amid corruption allegations that have redefined his legacy.
At 65, with a net worth estimated at $10 million to $16 million as of May 19, 2025, Ace Magashule’s story, marred by legal battles and Gupta ties yet buoyed by struggle credentials, embodies the contradictions of a nation wrestling with its liberation ideals and governance failures.
His legacy is a complex tapestry of enduring contributions and damaging scandals.
Ace Magashule’s role in mobilizing youth against apartheid and his bursary fund for underprivileged students reflect a commitment to empowerment, lauded by supporters on X as a testament to his grassroots roots.
His leadership stabilized the Free State ANC for over two decades, and Operation Hlasela aimed to tackle poverty, though critics highlight its inefficiencies.
His 2017 election as ANC Secretary-General marked a pinnacle, yet allegations of vote-rigging, a R255 million asbestos contract scandal, and the Vrede Dairy Project’s collapse led to his 2020 arrest and ongoing trial, cementing his image as a central figure in Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s Gangster State.
The ACT’s formation signals his defiance, but its electoral struggles underscore his diminished influence against the ANC’s dominance.
On a personal level, Ace Magashule remains a Tumahole native, married to Seipati, father to three, and allegedly linked to a second family, whose soccer-honed nickname “Ace” once symbolized promise but now carries the weight of scandal, from his sons’ Gupta ties to his daughter’s questionable fuel station deal.
Residing in Parys, his lavish spending as premier, including R8 million on residence upgrades, contrasts with his community bursaries, reflecting a duality that divides opinion.
As of May 19, 2025, Magashule stands at a crossroads, his trial’s outcome looms as a potential career-ender, while ACT’s RET rhetoric seeks to recapture his base among disenfranchised youth.
Whether history will remember him as a liberation hero or a symbol of ANC corruption, his impact, from Free State’s townships to parliament’s halls, is indelible, a legacy of struggle and strife that continues to shape South Africa’s fraught democratic journey, one contentious chapter at a time.
FAQs
Q. Who is Ace Magashule?
Ace Magashule, born Elias Sekgobelo Magashule on November 3, 1959, in Tumahole, Free State, is a South African politician and anti-apartheid activist. Formerly the ANC Secretary-General and Free State Premier, he founded the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) in 2023 after his ANC expulsion, known for advocating Radical Economic Transformation (RET).
Q. Why was Ace Magashule expelled from the ANC?
He was expelled in June 2023 for bringing the ANC into disrepute, primarily due to his May 2021 suspension over corruption allegations linked to a R255 million asbestos removal contract and attempts to undermine party leadership by claiming to suspend President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Q. What corruption allegations are against Ace Magashule?
Magashule faces charges related to a 2014 R255 million asbestos contract scandal and mismanagement of the Vrede Dairy Project during his tenure as Free State Premier. Arrested in November 2020, he is currently on trial, with allegations detailed in Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s Gangster State.
Q. What is Ace Magashule’s current political role?
As of May 19, 2025, he is the founder and leader of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT), a party promoting RET policies, though it struggles to gain significant electoral traction against the ANC and other major parties.
Q. What is Ace Magashule’s connection to the Gupta family?
His sons, Tshepiso and Thato, were employed by the Gupta family from 2010, earning high salaries and joining lavish trips, while Magashule’s meetings with the Guptas and his daughter Thoko’s 2015 acquisition of a Shell fuel station at a low price raised suspicions of favoritism, fueling corruption allegations.
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