CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The push for a SAFA elections postponement has intensified as the South African Football Association’s Western Cape region raises severe governance and procedural concerns. Leading the charge is SAFA Vice President and Cape Town regional president Bennett Bailey, who recently appeared before parliament on Tuesday to address these systemic issues. […]
CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The push for a SAFA elections postponement has intensified as the South African Football Association’s Western Cape region raises severe governance and procedural concerns. Leading the charge is SAFA Vice President and Cape Town regional president Bennett Bailey, who recently appeared before parliament on Tuesday to address these systemic issues. Bailey asserts that the upcoming leadership elections scheduled for September 12 must be halted until widespread allegations of fraud and misconduct are thoroughly investigated.
Bailey confirmed that a comprehensive 13-page dossier detailing these grievances has been formally submitted to the FIFA Ethics Committee, the FIFA Investigatory Chamber, and the FIFA General Secretary. The regional body also forwarded the complaints to the national sports confederation SASCOC. According to Bailey, the local independent ethics committee is no longer functional, forcing the region to bypass national “gatekeepers” and appeal directly to international and Olympic sporting authorities.
Tensions have escalated following allegations that confidential documents submitted directly to SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao were improperly accessed and leaked. During discussions regarding the breach of confidentiality, it was revealed that the leaked documents reportedly found their way to the CEO of an adult entertainment company. Bailey expressed a complete loss of faith in Monyepao’s office, claiming that sealed nomination documents were opened and photocopied by the CEO’s office before being handed over to the governance committee. He questioned the safe custody of the nominations, warning that the compromised process could be used to unfairly disqualify candidates under the guise of missing endorsements.
The national SAFA body recently released a media statement dismissing the calls for a SAFA elections postponement, characterizing the move as an attempt to cast aspersions on the electoral process and labeling it an act of desperation. While critics suggest the timing is linked to Bailey’s own presidential campaign—announced on April 12—Bailey vehemently denied that the allegations are “sour grapes.” He noted that the governance mishaps span 10 to 11 regional structures, including recent electoral issues in Eden and Sarah Baartman, and emphasized that many of the irregularities occurred long before his candidacy declaration.
Highlighting a broader pattern of administrative failures in South African sports, Bailey pointed to recent interventions by world governing bodies in karate, netball, and swimming, where presidents and CEOs were removed due to mismanagement. He also referenced ongoing legal troubles in domestic football, noting the recent court appearance of Danny Jordaan and four co-accused on charges of theft, fraud, and conspiracy to commit fraud. Bailey stated that documentary proof regarding fraudulent contracts within the association is readily available and has been offered to investigators.
With the national governing committee scheduled to officially hand over the final list of nominees at SAFA House, the Western Cape region is preparing for its next move. Bailey stated that while they prefer to “trust the process,” the persistent lack of response or acknowledgement from both SAFA and SASCOC leaves them considering “drastic measures.” If the internal avenues continue to fail, the region has not ruled out approaching a court of law to officially interdict and halt the mid-September elective conference.
