Ex-Safa boss blasts Jordaan’s tactics
THE pre-election theatrics at the South
African Football Association (Safa) continued as former Safa CEO Dennis Mumble blasted incumbent president Danny Jordaan for his consistent use of the organisation’s legal unit to derail other candidates’ campaigns for the position of presidency.
Safa vice president Ria Ledwaba had to put a halt to her proposed
Safa presidency campaign launch after receiving threats of expulsion or suspension from Safa, a month before the elections are set to take place.
Civil Society had invited South African football greats like Doctor Khumalo and Portia Modise along with members of the media to attend a press conference intended to honour Ledwaba’s campaign for the next Safa presidency seat.
However, a circular was issued to all members by the Safa CEO prohibiting all nominees from making any public appearances in the form of campaigning before confirmation of candidacy by the newly formed Safa Governance Committee.
Ledwaba’s legal representative, Advocate Leruma Thobejane, also revealed to the media that his client had been denied the opportunity to attend the intended press conference.
“It’s true that on Friday she received a circular, which was to
prohibit her from holding any press conference.
“I’ll tell you that she was adamant that she wants to attend the press conference but I had to impose it on her, I had to express it on her that ‘there is no way that you can do that because you will risk your candidacy’, actually this was the decision that was forced upon her,” said Thobejane.
Mumble, who had initially stated that Safa are making up the rules of this election as they go, spoke on Newzroom Afrika yesterday and revealed that Jordaan has been utilising similar tactics for a number of years.
“During an election campaign, people have to express their criticism on the current holder of the position and the elements of his leadership that they feel has failed but also provide views of where they’d like to take the organization,” he said.
“In 2018, when Ace Ncobo ran for the position of Safa president and I was still Safa CEO, along with people that worked under me, we were pressured by Jordaan to process about 31 charges against Ace Ncobo because he was not happy with what Ace and his supporters had to say.
“We issued letters against those people for speaking out about where they stood and what they thought about the association.
“Numerous letters went out in 2018 from Safa the same way it’s happening now, if you criticise Safa then you get letters from lawyers.”
Attempts to get a reaction from Jordaan and Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe yesterday were in vain.
Jordaan will have to shake off competition from former Safa vice president Nomsa Mahlangu and Ngoako Mohlabeng of Safa Tshwane along with Ledwaba if he wants to remain in the association’s top seat for another term.