Anger as Danny Jordaan throws rival out of Safa congress

Johannesburg – South African Football Association (Safa), Tshwane president Ngoako Mohlabeng was left fuming after he was thrown out of the 30th ordinary congress at the Sandton Convention Centre yesterday, citing that he was targeted by the Safa leadership.

A week ago, it emerged that one of the topics set to be discussed in the congress was the proposed constitutional amendments, which included the barring of PSL club bosses from contesting for the association’s top office.

The proposed rule said only members of Safa’s National Executive Committee and Local Football Association in good standing were eligible to be nominated to run for presidency.

Mohlabeng has made no secret of his intention to contest Jordaan for the position of the president later this year. He believes he was kicked out because he had been targeted by Jordaan.

The meeting was attended by observers, including the Minister of Sports Nathi Mthethwa and Sascoc president Barry Hendricks.

“When we moved to item number 2, I raised my hand and said ‘let’s make a roll call to check if the people that attended the congress are accredited to be here’. He (Jordaan) said ‘I am not going to allow you to speak’,” Mohlabeng said.

“I said listen to what I have to say. And he said ‘no you are not talking in my congress’. But I said hear me out and then make a ruling. He said ‘I am going to chase you out of my congress’. Then the securities were called in and I was taken out.”

Mohlabeng added: “I think I was personally targeted even before we got into the congress. You’ll note that we announced that Solly will be contesting to be the president of Safa. So, from that moment onwards there’s been a target on me.”

The 30th SAFA Ordinary Congress is now underway at the Sandton Convention Centre pic.twitter.com/gHo6AeWs3y

— SAFA.net (@SAFA_net) March 26, 2022

Mohlabeng, who was suspended by Safa for his actions, escaped death after he was shot at and hijacked by two men outside his home on March 14.

Safa’s chief executive Tebogo Motlanthe, who was celebrating his first full year in office yesterday, explained that the delegates of Tshwane had apologised for their president’s utterances.

“On the incident that you are talking about, there’s a member who rose to say what will be the way forward because the members felt disrespected by the action of the president of Safa Tshwane,” Motlanthe briefly told the media afterwards.

“His region said he wants to come back and apologise. But the agenda item didn’t allow that because if this was an issue in the congress’s constitution the member had to write. So, the president (Jordaan) was saying ‘respect the constitution’.”

Ahead of the congress, reports were rife that some regional members had already approved the constitutional amendments, prior to the elective congress that’s set to take place this year, in support of the incumbent Jordaan.

Jordaan has been the Safa chief since 2013. He ran unopposed in the last elections after Ace Ncobo withdrew at the 11th hour. And with the latest constitutional amendments, Jordaan is set to hold the reins for the next four years.

@Mihlalibaleka