By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The president of football in Africa, Dr Patrice Motsepe, has set his sights on sending a clear message about CAF’s zero tolerance policy on corruption.
Motsepe was speaking on Wednesday at the Sandton Convention Centre at the official signing ceremony of their partnership extension with African Global Logistics (AGL) for the upcoming Women’s and Men’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments over the next 12 months.
AGL was heavily involved in the continental showpiece in Ivory Coast which Motsepe and many regard as the most succesful AFCON to date in terms of entertainment, viewership and profitability of the biennial event.
“Today, we are proud to extend our relationship and to strengthen it. This is a long-term commitment, a family commitment and this commitment is anchored in a shared vision with Caf. We really believe that football is more than a game,” he said. “It’s an exciting and symbolic moment for Africa Global Logistics.
Motsepe also made it clear that CAF will no tolerate corruption in associations and that they would take action against anyone found guilty of corruption.
“If we get anybody having been involved in conduct that violates the Caf statutes and regulations and corruption, we’ll take action.
Not just take action, we’ll consistently review our rules because sometimes the problem is our rules. They’ve been there for so many years, and the consequences are not as extreme as some misdemeanours and some of the violations.”
Motsepe further congratulated Kaizer Chiefs on their progress, who are closer to qualifying for the Confederation Cup next season.
He emphasised that a strong Chiefs is good for the growth of South African football.
Chiefs could officially be back in continental football after all but securing a spot in the Caf Confederation Cup.
This comes after their dramatic Nedbank Cup semi-final win over Mamelodi Sundowns.
With Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Stellenbosch FC all thriving, Bafana Bafana can benefit from a larger pool of players with Caf experience.
This exposure is crucial for building a more competitive national team.
Motsepe said he would be lobbying governments to invest in stadium infrastructure. He said Caf was making efforts to raise funds and engage global corporations to help fund such projects.