Soccer body accused of ‘mischievous dealings’
Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana has threatened to turn to Fifa to intervene on what he terms “apparent mischievous dealings” in the build-up to the SA Football Association (Safa) elective conference next month.
In a statement yesterday, Nonkonyana accused Danny Jordaan’s backers of manipulating the nomination forms to favour the incumbent Safa president and “no one else” for re-election at the March 24 polls.
“We were disturbed to learn that the FTF [Football Transformation Forum] has embarked on dirty tricks to intimidate members of Safa using association resources to oppose the campaign for change voted for by the people,” he said.
“We have consequently decided to file a complaint with Fifa as we believe that the entire electoral process is rigged, [and] filled with irregularities...”
He further alleged that:
The decision to
● move the elective congress to next month was a tactic to ensure there is one unopposed candidate;
Safa has embarked
● on a programme to destabilise processes;
Since early this
● year, there is a gentleman, known in the football circles, who was appointed by Jordaan as his
Eastern Cape agent “overseeing” all electoral procedures in the region.
All those who have not shown support for the current regime have been marginalised.
In their response, FTF shot down Nonkonyana’s allegations.
“Chief is just crying foul, he must bring proof,” charged FTF general secretary Mzwandile Maforvane.
“In who’s behalf is he making all these allegations because Chief is clearly not a member of Safa. Fifa does not even recognise FTF; Fifa’s member is Safa.”
Maforvane maintained his organisation was using its own money to campaign and not Safa’s resources.
But his media invitation to FTF’s press conference today was sent from his Safa email account.