Khoza keeps his council

As the widely regarded strongman of South African football, PSL chairman, Safa vice-president and Orlando Pirates boss Irvin Khoza has been branded with the appropriate nickname of “The Iron Duke”.

But amid the current Safa controversy and upheaval, which has now resulted in the postponement of the meeting to elect a president this weekend, “The Iron Duke” has remained strangely coy and made no pronouncements on where he stands on whether Danny Jordaan should be re-elected as head of South African football’s controlling body – and whether radical changes are needed in the organisation.

Asked to comment on the morasse, which even extended to world controlling body Fifa sending a “mediator” to South Africa to bring the various warring factions to an agreed, but indecisive solution, Khoza came up with the response that he was gathering “all the relevant facts” and was saying nothing at this juncture.

However, it has been reported from a usually reliable source that former top referee Ace Ncobo, who has been in the forefront of attacks on incumbent president Jordaan – going as far as the provocative assertion that he was “raping South African football” – has been seen having meetings with Khoza.

But in the face of these reports. Khoza has stuck to his guns and remains silent.

It will be recalled, however, that prior to Jordaan’s election as president, Khoza was his most bitter rival for the position and only pulled out of the race at the last minute – although the two have had a less turbulent, if cool, relationship since.

Ncobo too, after initially placing himself in the queue for the Safa presidency, has now declared he has no ambitions to secure the post – and has only taken a stand to rid South African football’s administration of its ongoing iniquities.