Safa poll to be run by IEC after opposition swept aside

THE Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will be asked to run the SA Football Association’s (Safa) elections next month after furious attempts to oppose the plan failed yesterday.

Several regions — among them Vhembe, Mopani, Gert Sibanda, Zululand, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, West Rand, Sedibeng and Ekhuruleni — tried to bring Safa’s extraordinary congress in Fourways, north of Johannesburg, to a standstill and rejected the IEC’s involvement. They were also opposed to allowing it full authority to implement the mother body’s electoral code at the elective congress on September 28.

The heated discussions nearly got out of hand before Safa president Kirsten Nematandani regained control and proposed that the debate be taken to a vote.

Sensing that they did not have the majority behind them, the rebel regions conceded defeat and the congress unanimously agreed to ask the IEC to step in next month.

With the involvement of the IEC and the adoption of the electoral code, criminal background checks and integrity tests will also be done for the first time and candidates will be ruled ineligible if:

They have been convicted of a crime involving breach of trust, fraud, forgery, perjury or violence; They are former Safa presidents; They were found guilty by a Safa tribunal or court of electoral fraud or other corrupt practice; and

They are subject to an order of a competent court declaring them as mentally ill or disordered.

A Safa official told the Sunday Times that the IEC will have the authority to apply the guidelines.

Nematandani is the only candidate who has announced his intention to run for a second term. Vice-presidents Danny Jordaan and Irvin Khoza have not confirmed bids.

Safa national executive committee member Mzwandile Maforvane said he was happy that the rebel regions were ‘‘exposed” as it proved that they do not have support in South African football.

‘‘This Safa extraordinary constitutional congress should not have happened in the first place and we entertained them after they insisted that it should be called,” Maforvane said.

‘‘And where did this get them? We never saw a necessity to call this congress and now we know for a fact that they do not have the numbers.”

Safa vice-president Mandla Mazibuko — who represents a delegation trying to convince Khoza to run — said he was happy that ‘‘sanity prevailed” and that the IEC will run the election.

World football governing body Fifa had cast a nervous eye at Fourways as both Safa’s extraordinary constitutional congress and next month’s elections have been accompanied by simmering tension.

This extraordinary constitutional congress should not have happened