Buddha Mathathe slams Safa’s ‘compromised’ Governance Committee, throws weight behind Sandile Zungu

“The SAFA Governance Committee is not independent; it is controlled from somewhere.”

This is the view of Buddha Mathathe, whose nomination for another term as a National Executive Committee (NEC) member was rejected by the Governance Committee (GC), despite his claim that he met all administrative requirements.

Late last month, the GC released the final list of candidates eligible to stand at the upcoming SAFA elective congress on September 12, covering presidential, national, provincial, and special member positions.

The GC – consisting of Victor Mogajane (chairperson), Tumi Dlamini (deputy), Abel Ramolotja, Anzel Laubscher, and Shakespeare Hadebe – stated that all listed candidates had satisfied the required vetting criteria.

However, Mathathe, who has served as an NEC member for the past four years, was one of the notable omissions despite being nominated by three regions and formally accepting the nomination in writing.

Mathathe revealed he was only notified of the required documentation a few days before the deadline. After making a concerted effort to obtain the necessary paperwork — including a compulsory police clearance certificate — he was ultimately informed that his application was ineligible.

“I received the email on Sunday evening, and the deadline was Tuesday,” Mathathe stated. “On Monday, I went to the police station for a background check, and they told me it would take six weeks.

“I submitted an affidavit stating the document would be delayed, but I also went to PostNet to see if I could expedite the process. They told me it would take three to five days. Fortunately, the GC extended the deadline to Wednesday, and PostNet cleared me ahead of that date.

“They requested a password to access the link. I submitted it, and they acknowledged receipt. The deputy chair of the GC asked for my personal mobile number, which I provided. I am still waiting for that call; instead, I received a letter stating I am ineligible to be nominated.”

Candidates deemed ineligible had a 14-day window following the announcement to appeal the decision to the GC via SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao. When asked if he had exercised this right, Mathathe confirmed he had.

“I have written an email to protest the decision, noting that I complied with the process and failing to understand why I was excluded from the list.

“Several regions have also protested my exclusion. I wrote to the chairperson of the Governance Committee, noting that I underwent the same vetting process for the 2022 elections and was cleared. Between 2022 and now, I have neither been charged nor convicted of any crime. That is my message, but I have yet to receive a response.”

Given the irregularities he encountered during the vetting process, Mathathe is convinced the GC is not as independent as it claims to be.

“From where I am sitting, the Governance Committee is controlled from somewhere,” he claimed. “Some of the questions I pose to them via email are answered by the SAFA CEO. They should be independent as the body responsible for elections. To answer directly: they are compromised.”

Mathathe was speaking in his capacity as president of the South African Masters and Legends Football Association (SAMLFA). Addressing the media at the Zodwa Khoza Foundation headquarters in Diepkloof, he announced that the association is backing AmaZulu owner Sandile Zungu for the SAFA presidency over incumbent Dr Danny Jordaan.

SAMLFA believes Jordaan has failed to meet basic governance expectations, including integrating former players into formal administration. By contrast, Zungu presents a vision focused on financial transparency and structural reform that could benefit South African football at large.

SAMLFA is an associate member of SAFA, yet they were omitted from the official list of eligible entities, despite having maintained compliant status since 2003, according to Mathathe.

As such, this omission – and the GC’s claim that only four of the nine nominated associate members were compliant, despite only two appearing on the official list – raised significant concerns for Mathathe, though he remains optimistic.

“It does concern us,” Mathathe said. “They stated there are four eligible associate members, and my assumption was that we should have been one of them because we complied with everything required.

“We can only hope that after the review process, we will be included on the list, as we have done everything necessary to be compliant.”