By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa
The South African Football Association (SAFA) and a structure called
the National Football Consultative Forum (NFCF) are fight for the
control of South African football.
On February Friday 2, SAFA instructed its attorneys to send a letter
of demand to the so called National Football Consultative Forum (NFCF)
and the individuals who spearhead that campaign to desist from
disseminating false, malicious and untrue information about the
Association and its President Dr. Danny Jordaan.
“If they fail to do so, SAFA will seek an urgent High Court interdict
to stop the defamatory and unlawful conduct of NFCF and the individuals
driving their campaign,” SAFA noted.
The NFCF is understood to be driven by individuals like Chief Mwelo
Nonkonyana (a former vice president of SAFA), Mandla Shoes Mazibuko,
Xolani Mtumtum, Fanyana Sibanyoni among others.
According to SAFA, these individuals have no standing in football
because they are not eligible to stand for any position within SAFA
structures. They are not registered as SAFA officials, players or
referees, said SAFA.
“As a result, the Association cannot take action against these
individuals within its own structures; therefore the court action is the
only route available, regrettably.
For example, Chief Nonkonyana remains expelled from SAFA and clearly
is ineligible to stand for any position; Shoes Mazibuko purports to head
the deregistered SASFA which is no longer recognized by Association as
representative of schools football.”
SAFA added, “Indeed, today, Friday 2 February 2018, Chief Nonkonyana
lost another round in his personal fight with the Association; his
application was postponed for an indefinite period and he was ordered to
enrol his application in a proper manner in future.”
“The judge was highly critical of his conduct. Chief Nonkonyana is
clearly not a fit and proper person to run the affairs of SAFA.”
SAFA also state that others in the NFCF have either been in the SAFA
ranks and have failed miserably when in office through incompetence.
While some have no experience in running football at all.
Allegations they are falsely peddling of fraud and corruption within
the Association are totally unfounded and are false and defamatory,
continued SAFA.
“The personal attacks on the SAFA President are untrue, false and
unjustified and also defamatory. The Association will not and cannot
allow ineligible, disreputable and inexperienced individuals to defame
it and cause irreparable reputational harm without bringing those
individuals to book.”
According to an AFP report, the NFCF are determined to challenge
Danny Jordaan as SAFA president in the elections on March 24. But the
election was postponed to a later date, still to be confirmed.
The NFCF have named politician turned businessman Tokyo Sexwale as their preferred candidate to run for Safa president.
NFCF member and former Safa vice-president Nonkonyana said Sexwale would be eligible to run for the presidency.
Nonkonyana commented, “This issue of eligibility has been a stance
from the other side, from presidential rival Danny Jordaan’s camp,”
“But I must say that if it is the only leg they are standing on‚ they
are going to fall flat. We have carefully read the Safa statutes. As
you may know I am the one who was tasked by Safa when Fifa directed all
national federations to adopt new statutes that are in line with Fifa.
“I went to Cairo and I presented the constitution to the congress and
they endorsed it. In the statutes‚ there is an issue of eligibility and
it says members are entitled as of right to nominate a candidate of
their choice.
“But that candidate must meet the criteria of eligibility as set out
in the electoral regulations. The regulations say that people who are
involved in football are eligible but we must avoid outsiders and people
who have no clue about football to come and take over football,” added
Nonkonyana.
Meanwhile, two Presidential nominations were received by close of business on 23 February 2018.
This was when the South African Football Association (SAFA) was still
preparing for the March 24, 2018 Elective Congress to elect new office
bearers.
According to KPMG Auditors who received the nominations, a total of
53 nominations were submitted with incumbent SAFA President, Dr. Jordaan
receiving 52 nominations. While former referee, Ace Ncobo received 1
nomination.
“The nominations have been forwarded to all SAFA members and going
forward, the electoral process will now be exclusively in the hands of
the Electoral Committee, in this case, the Independent Electoral
Commission.”
The IEC will scrutinise the candidates as mandated by the SAFA
Electoral Code to determine compliance in accordance with Article 25 of
the SAFA Statutes.
“We shall thereafter inform all Members of the IEC’s decisions
following their background and eligibility checks as required by the
SAFA Statutes and SAFA Electoral Code,” said SAFA CEO Dennis Mumble.
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