Zungu claims attempts to destabilize regions aligned to him

Reports of destabilizing regions aligned to SAFA presidential candidate Sandile Zungu and disqualifying others have surfaced ahead of the football body’s elective congress on Saturday.

Zungu has revealed that a fraud charge has been laid in the Northern Cape against prominent SAFA NEC members and that they aren’t taking it lightly and are consulting their legal representatives.

But the 59-year-old businessman remains confident he’ll win the elections and says the time for dirty tricks is over.

All eyes will be on the presidential election, with incumbent Danny Jordaan and Zungu the only two candidates.

Among those invited to attend the four-yearly event are World Football’s governing body, FIFA, CAF, COSAFA, SASCOC and Sports Minister Gayton Mckenzie.

The chairman of the portfolio committee on Sports, Arts and Culture has also been invited to observe.

Under normal circumstances, with everyone eligible to vote, a candidate will need to garner at least 133 votes to be elected. The votes are made up of the 52 regions that have four votes each, the Premier Soccer League with six votes, associate members who have 10 votes and NEC members with 41 votes. However, four NEC members are currently expelled.

And reports of attempts to destabilize regions and disqualify those who have declared their support for Zungu have now surfaced ahead of the elective congress.

“There’s an attempt at destabilizing regions, but it will not succeed. There’s an attempt at committing electoral fraud. You may be aware that a charge was laid in the Northern Cape against the SAFA President and SAFA CEO,” says Zungu.

Among the NEC members who have been expelled and disqualified from voting are Gladwin White, Monde Montshiwa, Lebogang Riet and Bhuda Mathathe.

“We are seething with anger with what has been done to regions. Our legends have been disqualified in the forthcoming elections, and we believe unjustly so. Some regions, which are clearly forcefully pushing for change, there was an attempt to change leadership, which didn’t succeed,” Zungu explains.

Zungu says he and his team aren’t taking these reports lightly and are in consultations with their legal representatives.

“As I am talking, there are consultations with legal people to see how to take that matter forward, and trust me, we take it very seriously. Notwithstanding, we will win these elections.”

Parliamentary briefings have revealed that SAFA’s current liabilities heavily outweigh its assets, leaving the organisation on the brink of bankruptcy.