Danny Jordaan vs Sandile Zungu: Safa elections set for explosive presidential race

Danny Jordaan and Sandile Zungu are expected to be the two candidates cleared by Safa’s Governance Committee (GC) to run for the presidency during the elective congress on September 12, following a vetting process that confirmed they meet all requirements, including those regarding criminal offences.

During a press conference at Safa House on Friday morning, the GC – led by chairperson Victor Mogajane – announced that it had completed the vetting process after receiving the nominees’ file on August 5. Nominations had opened on June 13 and closed on July 29.

In total, the GC cleared the two presidential nominees, 25 out of 30 nominees for the National Executive Committee, 22 out of 27 for the Provincial Executive Committee, and four out of nine nominees for member associations.

However, the GC was not at liberty to publicly name the cleared candidates at the press conference. Standard procedure requires reporting the results back to the voting members first through the association’s chief executive officer, Lydia Monyepao, who was also present.

With Monyepao set to report back to members no later than Saturday night – ensuring the mandatory 14-day window between member notification and the elective congress – the cleared candidates are expected to be officially announced shortly thereafter.

Incumbent Safa president Jordaan is expected to be the frontrunner. He recently expressed his desire to seek a fourth term, noting that there are no term limits preventing him from running under the Safa statutes.

Jordaan faces strong opposition from AmaZulu president and businessman Zungu. Zungu recently launched his campaign with the backing of several prominent football figures, including Safa Vice President Bennet Bailey.

“Our responsibility as we sit here this morning is to ensure that you are advised of the work that we’ve undertaken, and the results that Safa must still present back to the members,” said GC deputy chairperson Tumi Dlamini. 

“Suffice to say, we received two nominations for the presidential candidates, and both were vetted, verified, and deemed eligible to stand for elections on September 12.”

To be eligible, candidates nominated by a region, NEC member, or member association had to formally accept their nominations and provide supporting documentation. Additionally, among other requirements, candidates had to pass background checks.

“We also checked criminal records, because the statutes dictate that candidates must not have been convicted or sentenced to more than 12 months of imprisonment without the option of a fine in the last 10 years,” explained GC member Abel Ramolotja.

Although Jordaan has made multiple court appearances in recent months on fraud charges, he has not been found guilty or sentenced, allowing his nomination to proceed. However, the 14-day period between member notification and the elective congress allows time for potential appeals or further scrutiny from all parties.

“We have done as much verification and work as we could,” Dlamini added. “SAPS has been very supportive regarding double verification of criminal records.

“However, we cannot claim that our work is entirely beyond challenge. That is why the 14-day window exists – it gives anyone who was included or excluded the opportunity to challenge our verification process through Safa. We will review any appeals. Similarly, we reserve the right to retract a decision if new evidence shows a candidate does not meet the requirements.”

Safa’s decision to proceed with the rescheduled elective congress comes at a time when the association has been under heavy scrutiny for several controversies, including delays in implementing VAR, head coach coaching appointments, and pending World Cup administrative issues.

With just over two weeks remaining before the elective congress, whoever assumes the presidency of the beleaguered association will face immense pressure to address these persistent issues immediately.