By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
South African Football Association’s (SAFA) governance committee has revealed the names of the candidates eligible to contest for Presidency.
During a media briefing held at the SAFA house in Johannesburg on Monday, the organisation’s CEO Tebogo Motlanthe revealed the names of Ria Ledwaba, Solly Mohlabeng and Dr Danny Jordaan as the three candidates who qualify to contest on 25 June 2022.
The three will have 19 days to lobby the 52 regions across the country including associate members and NEC members who are eligible to vote.
The Governance Committee was approved by SAFA’s National Executive Committee (NEC) at the 30th Ordinary Congress at the Sandton Convention Centre on 26 March. The majority of the NEC members approved the appointment of the committee.
The five-member SAFA Governance Committee is comprised of Dr Victor Mogajane as chairman, Tumi Dlamini as his deputy, advocate Anzel Laubscher from Western Cape, Abel Ramolotja from Limpopo and Shakespeare Hadebe from the corporate world as the other members of the group.
Ledwaba had a planned press conference in early May, but she didn’t attend as a SAFA circular issued on the weekend of the press conference said “no nominated person must present himself or herself as a candidate in the public before the governance committee having finalised its work.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have made it known that they are supporting Ledwaba in the race for the South African Football Association (SAFA) presidency.
“The EFF stated it’s unequivocal support for Ledwaba who has despite bullying and intimidation, availed herself for the position of the South African Football Association President.
The EFF made it known that they feel that SAFA is an example of a below par national institution. The feel that Ledwaba will add fresh energy to the body which has been headed by Danny Jordaan since 2013.
Recently re-elected Safa Johannesburg president Phil Mogodi has confirmed that they are yet to decide on who they are backing, with Ledwaba hoping to end Jordaan’s 12-year reign as president of the local football governing body.
“We’ve got a new executive and that final decision will be coming from it, they must give the President of the region some powers on who to vote for,” Mogodi said.
“The president or vice-president of the region votes at the Congress because sometimes there’s an issue of mistrust, so we must check and make sure that you do the right cross. We are meeting in the next five days and we will make the final call there.
Nomsa Mahlangu, the University of Johannesburg’s director of sport, didn’t make the cut for presidential nomination mustard as she was nominated by University Sports South Africa and not by a SAFA region.