The Confederation of African Football is keeping a close eye on the recent developments surrounding the upcoming SAFA presidential elections. This comes after presidential candidate Ria Ledwaba dragged the association to court in a bid to stop the elections set for 25 June.
In a letter from CAF addressed to SAFA CEO Teboho Motlanthe, the confederation says “CAF will continue to monitor the developments in South African Football.”
CAF has also reminded SAFA that CAF statutes did not allow members to matters to court.
“We wish to remind the South African Football Association of its duty as a member to: 1. respect, and ensure that their own members respect, at all times unreservedly the principles of ethics and fair play enacted by CAF and FIFA, the principles of integrity and sportsmanship as well as the Statutes, regulations, decisions and directives of CAF and FIFA.”
Quoting article 7 (1) (a) of the CAF Statutes; and 2, CAF says SAFA also has a duty to “manage their affairs independently and free of intrusions and interferences of any kind by any person or body.”
CAF says it is “monitoring the developments in South African football”. This comes after SAFA presidential candidate Ria Ledwaba approached the court on an urgent basis to stop the SAFA elections. #SABCNews #SAFAElections pic.twitter.com/f0Fmwggor8
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) June 8, 2022
Ledwaba was earlier this week cleared to run for SAFA presidency against incumbent SAFA President, Danny Jordaan and Safa Tshwane president Solly Mohlabeng.
However, she was not excluded from running for a National Executive Committee (NEC) position, which means should she lose the presidential contest she would find herself completely out in the cold – something Ledwaba is understood to have an issue with.
According to the SAFA statutes, only members who have been nominated by their host region are eligible to contest for an NEC spot.
At the recent Congress held on 26 March, a new statute was passed that “in terms of the national list every candidate for the SAFA NEC, except for the provisions of Article 25.5 of the statutes, shall be proposed by his/her own region or by a member to who he/she belongs and be supported by at least two other members.”
SAFA Capricorn, to which Ledwaba belongs, has not proposed Ledwaba and was thus not cleared to stand for an NEC position.
According to a letter seen by the SABC News, the matter is between Ledwaba, SAFA, All Members of the Governance Committee, and the Chairperson of the Ethics Committee, Justice Sisi Khampepe.
It is also understood that SAFA has filed a notice for an intention to oppose the matter.
