Furore over new Safa boss

There has been a lot of behind -the- scene activity since incumbent president Molefi Oliphant announced that he would not stand for re-election at next year’s annual general meeting.

Initial indications as reported by City Press in May were that Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Irvin Khoza and SA 2010 Fifa World Cup Local Organising Committee chief executive Danny Jordaan, were front runners.

Other contenders were said to be Limpopo’s Kirsten Nematandani and Mandla “Shoes” Mazibuko.

However, latest developments are that while Mazibuko might have pulled out, there were new candidates on the cards.

Vice-president Mwelo Nonkonyana has declared that he would stand, while Mubarak Mohamed, who is the other vice, was said to have started lobbying behind the scenes.

This had thrown the race wide open, and was said to be dividing the Safa provinces.

Many feel that Oliphant should have backed a candidate that he would like to see succeed him.

No ways, says Oliphant. “Safa is not a monarchy where successors are anointed. In Safa, elections are held with the general membership electing the NEC, the president and his vice presidents.

“My wish is not to get involved in deciding who becomes my successor,” the long-serving administrator told City Press yesterday.

But City Press has learned that this was not the general feeling within the Safa membership, and as a result, there have been some heavy lobbying by the candidates, their supporters and even some Safa staff members.

In fact, City Press has it on record that in the briefings that Oliphant held with regional leaders, they had unanimously stated that if there was a candidate other than him, Khoza and Jordaan, they would all come with their own candidates.

Fears were that this would in turn split the vote in such a way that there would be no clear favourite. Worse still, fears were that if it became a free-for-all, the campaign would turn ugly and divide the organisation.

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