SMFLA members Patson Banda, president Buddha Mathathe, Jan Malombo Lechaba and Kagiso Mogale strongly oppose Danny Jordaan's candidacy for the Safa presidency.
Image: Mihlali Baleka / IOL
Outgoing Safa NEC member Buddha Mathathe has expressed shock that association president Danny Jordaan is seeking another term in office, revealing he had previously advised Jordaan to step down to protect Safa's reputation following fraud and theft charges.
Safa is scheduled to hold its quadrennial elective congress on 12 September, where Jordaan will be challenged for the presidency by Sandile Zungu. The pair are the only two candidates who were nominated, vetted, and cleared by Safa’s independent Governance Committee.
While eligibility criteria require candidates to have no recent criminal convictions, critics argue Jordaan should have been disqualified from running due to his pending fraud cases involving the association.
Mathathe, who was himself deemed ineligible to contest an NEC role by the Governance Committee, reiterated that he had personally urged Jordaan to step aside and clear his name.
“As a member of the NEC, I raised the issue in one of our meetings: ‘President, just to protect the integrity and image of the brand, please step down.’ But unfortunately, you know what happened,” Mathathe explained.
Mathathe was speaking in his capacity as president of the South African Masters and Legends Football Association (SAMLFA) at the Zodwa Khoza Foundation headquarters in Diepkloof, where the body officially endorsed Zungu over Jordaan.
SAMLFA’s backing of Zungu stems from his strong business background and active involvement in domestic football as the owner of Betway Premiership outfit AmaZulu.
SAMLFA member Patson Banda further questioned Jordaan's suitability to lead, drawing a comparison to the recent suspension of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu amid corruption allegations.
“It was no longer just an allegation; he was going to court,” Banda said of Jordaan. “There is a process in place. He should have been excused until proven otherwise. For him to still be running Safa affairs is something I find very difficult to accept.”
Related Topics:
