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S’BUSISO MSELEKU

SOUTH African Football Association president Molefi Oliphant’s recent declaration that he will not stand for re-election next year has thrown the cat among the pigeons.

No fewer than five candidates have emerged as likely to succeed him. At the top of the list is Premier Soccer League chairperson Irvin Khoza.

Not far behind him is SA 2010 Fifa World Cup Local Organising Committee chief executive Danny Jordaan, who is said to have the backing of a number of regions.

Then there’s Safa vice-president Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, Kirsten Nematandani and another national executive committee member Mandla “Shoes” Mazibuko.

City Press has learned that hectic behind-the-scenes lobbying started a long time ago. Apparently the Safa regions are divided on who should be the successor.

But there is also rumour that Mazibuko might drop out of the race as many feel that he’s still a greenhorn.

There is also the argument that Jordaan has been an administrator for a long time, and his leadership abilities on the political front have never been tested.

Some NEC members have even suggested that Oliphant should stay on saying that his non-availability would throw the race into disarray.

Oliphant made the same pronouncement prior to the last elections, but he was begged by Fifa president Sepp Blatter to reconsider because the country had just won the rights to host the World Cup.

Blatter registered his desire to work with the same people until the project was complete.

The same scenario might still play itself out this week. Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke said that Blatter might still ask Oliphant to stay on when the two meet at a Fifa congress in two weeks.

Oliphant insisted that he was stepping down. He said Safa members would have to elect a candidate of their choice.

He cited Germany as an example, where the World Cup was hosted under a new football association president and a new chancellor for the country.

He said he did not have any preferred candidate.

The next round of talks will be held in Matlosana, North West, during next week’s Vodacom League play-offs.

Khoza said it was still too early to start talking about the Safa presidential elections.

“At the moment I am concentrating on the PSL elections that are in November. I would not like to speak on Safa matters as my mandate is to build a powerful PSL,” he said.

But observers foresee a scenario where Khoza gets elected as PSL chairperson in November, and then steps down next year leaving the organisation under a chairperson of his choice, who is likely to be Kaizer Motaung.

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