The SA Football Association [SAFA] NEC member Andile Ngconjana has responded to allegations that there is systematic targeting of members who are opposed to the organisation’s president, Danny Jordaan, who is reportedly seeking re-election.
Cracks have emerged within the local football governing body’s NEC, with four members currently on suspension. The members, Monde Montshiwa, Gladwyn White, Emma Hendricks and Orapeleng Setlhare have been stinging in their criticism of the association and Jordaan.
They have demanded the suspension of Jordaan pending the finalisation of his fraud and theft case, which is before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. The SAFA boss is facing allegations of misappropriating R1.3 million from the association’s coffers.
He is charged together with former SAFA acting CEO Paul Russell, PR specialist Trevor Neethling and Gronie Hluyo.
However, NEC members who have been vocal, calling for the suspension of Jordaan, have been sent to the cold room for allegedly disrupting an NEC meeting in March. This follows chaotic scenes that marred the NEC meeting as members clashed amid a push for, and resistance against, Jordaan’s suspension. The gathering almost descended into violence, needing security details to step in to avert the volatile situation.
SAFA RESPOND TO ALLEGATIONS OF TARGETED CLEAN-OUT
“In any organisation, when you are going to elections, you have to monitor or make sure that all the processes are going right. And of course, there are people who are always mischievous in trying to manipulate the same processes that are there for them to achieve whatever they want to achieve,” Ngconjana, the man said to be at the centre of the internal witch-hunt, told the media on the sidelines of an NEC meeting on Sunday.
“So, when a person like Ngconjana is going there and makes sure that all the processes are going by the book, then those who were trying to manipulate will just issue those statements that Ngconjana is just cutting out all those who are against whoever.”
Last weekend’s meeting was held under tight security, guarding against the skirmishes witnessed in March.
IS DANNY JORDAAN RUNNING FOR A FOURTH TERM?
With the SAFA election season now in full swing, reports of Jordaan eyeing a fourth term have become topical. The local football governing body will have a new boss at September’s elective conference after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The vote for the new man to lead SAFA comes after the last election in June 2022, when Jordaan swept past his challengers Ria Ledwaba and Solly Mohlabeng. It was then believed the current term would be his final.
But there have been rumours that he would stand for re-election, despite the fraud case hanging over his head.
“Remember, I said we didn’t talk about who is going to be the president yet. We are still running the processes of the regions, then we will start the national processes,” added Ngconjana, who is the SAFA Eastern Cape president.
“That’s when we will know who is interested, who is not interested. But you know, at times, when people have interests, they become prophets, know that so and so is the one who is going to stand. We don’t know. Unfortunately, for me, I’m not a prophet; I can’t know who is going to be the president, who is not going to be the president at this time.”
SAFA Cape Town president Bennet Bailey has already thrown his hat into the ring to be the man at the helm at SAFA House. There is also a clique within football circles, reportedly pushing for the candidacy of Bafana Bafana legend Lucas Radebe.
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