Turmoil as Mkhangelwa re-elected SafaNMB president
Simphiwe Mkhangelwa has been re-elected as the SafaNelson Mandela Bay region president.
Mkhangelwa, who will hold office for a second term, was voted in at the Safa-NMB congress at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday.
However, the congress did not take place without some turmoil.
The event, scheduled to take place at 10am, was delayed by non-accredited Safa Local Football Association (LFA) members who also wanted to be part of the election process.
Heading them was Sabelo Nkuhlu, who was standing for the president’s position.
There was a heavy police presence at the stadium and they later formed a human barricade to prevent non-accredited Safa members gaining access to the congress.
The congress finally got under way at about 3pm.
Nkuhlu, of the Kwazakhele Football Association, said Mkhangelwa’s appointment was unlawful.
“They will never serve us through chaotic means or through a back door; they must follow the constitution,” Nkuhlu said.
“We have also approached lawyers to look at this issue, to interdict and to look for a review.”
Meanwhile, Safa deputy chair of legal and constitutional affairs, Monde Montshiwa, who was sent by Safa to oversee the elections, said there would be serious punishment for those who had caused the delay. “This is a disciplinary matter and it cannot be allowed,” he said.
“We cannot allow Safa’s name to be dragged [down], and there must be consequences.”
Nkuhlu said he had the support of seven LFAs, but they had been denied an opportunity to participate in the congress.
“The leadership under MK [Mkhangelwa] does not want to convene with the LFAs.
“They want to hold a meeting with five separate LFAs, which makes it unconstitutional,” he said.
“In terms of the constitution of Safa, if a conference lapses for an hour you must reconvene in 14 days.
“This conference was scheduled for 10am and it’s past 1pm now so we hold a view that whoever convenes it, [that] will be an unlawful act.”
Responding to Nkuhlu’s comments, Montshiwa said: “That clause says if there is no quorum within 60 minutes, but there was a quorum by 9.30am for the meeting at 10am.
“According to the constitution of Safa, members need to send a list of delegates at least seven days before the date of the congress.
“What you are seeing today are individuals who are not accredited from the region.
“We don’t even know their credentials and they are distorting and misinterpreting the constitution.
“It wasn’t delegates who were standing up against the congress. It came from those who were not delegates, which is very unfortunate.”