Sandile Zungu challenges Jordaan as Safa enters battle for its future

Danny Jordaan turned 75 on Thursday, 3 September. Despite his age, the incumbent South African Football Association (Safa) president believes he is the right person to continue leading the federation for another four years. Jordaan has been president of Safa since 2013, when he replaced Kirsten Nematandani.

Since then, he has successfully swatted aside his challengers and is currently serving his third term. Jordaan has been in and out of court since November 2024, when he was arrested and charged with fraud within Safa. Despite this, Jordaan still enjoys the overall backing of Safa’s national executive committee (NEC), as well as that of regional soccer structures affiliated with the custodian of South African soccer.  

When he was arrested two years ago, there were calls for Jordaan to vacate his seat while he cleared his name in court. However, Safa has no such mandate in its constitution.

President on trial

His arrest came along with those of Safa’s chief of finance, Gronie Hluyo, the federation’s former chief executive Russell Paul and businessman Trevor Neethling. The latter’s public relations company is said to have been used by Jordaan without following Safa protocols, when he was accused of rape before the 2018 elections.

The fraud matter is ongoing in court and is still in the pre-trial phase. Nonetheless, Jordaan is confident that he can once again emerge on top and quash the challenge of Sandile Zungu — a Durban-born entrepreneur and owner of Premiership club AmaZulu.

Jordaan has previously dismissed his ongoing legal woes as nothing more than a co-ordinated attack on his character by critics within the Safa structures. 

“The campaign [against me] is intended to drive away the sponsors,” Jordaan said. “It only happens to football. It won’t happen to rugby and cricket.

“This is a political and vicious campaign, but we will stand our ground. We will deliver the football that people want in this country. We are not afraid; we’ve seen worse.”

Before that he served in the association in various capacities – a streak dating back to 1997 when he was appointed as chief executive. By his own words, he also played a pivotal role in bringing the 2010 Fifa World Cup to Africa.

Sandile Zungu’s vision

Zungu, who will have to resign as AmaZulu president if he wins the Safa presidency, is banking on the legal challenges that Jordaan is facing to try to his experienced rival. 

In recent years, Safa’s lack of fluid financial resources has been well publicised. In December 2024, Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie and his department rescued Safa’s employees from a bleak festive season. The association had battled to meet its financial obligations to its staff, but the department cleared an advance of R5-million from Safa’s annual government grant. 

Bafana Bafana’s recent qualification for their first World Cup since 2010 has alleviated some of Safa’s financial strain, even drawing sponsors such Standard Bank and Adidas. But this is not a sustainable model, according to Zungu.     

“Our governance leaves much to be desired… There are some regional leadership structures that are run in a manner that inspires confidence in the grassroots constituencies, let alone commercial interests that surround them,” said the businessman on the BBK Unplugged podcast.

“It can be improved, and that’s the reason why I’m interested in being at the centre of the improvement of that system. We need to put ourselves in that position where we are trusted because we value accountability,” the Mangosuthu University of Technology chancellor added. 

“If we can do it, we can quadruple the patronage we receive from South African business from the base we are at in a very short space of time. This will fund the regions, who are short on resources. It will help fund the development of school soccer, which is basically dead. It will also fund the development of women’s soccer, which has got huge potential but is operating on a very low base,” the 59-year-old stated. 

“So, a lot of the things that need to be done cannot be done at the moment because there is a trust deficit between Safa and business interests. And it’s huge.”

The Umlazi-born entrepreneur highlighted three main priorities in his attempt to dislodge Jordaan and breathe new life into Safa for the first time in 13 years. These are good governance, enhancing Safa’s relationship with the commercial sector and ensuring that money is channelled to grassroots level (with a strong message of accountability to those who receive such funds). 

Jordaan out, says Safa vice-president

One of Safa’s four vice-presidents, Bennett Bailey, was initially interested in challenging Jordaan for the highest seat at Safa House. However, the Safa Cape Town boss has since withdrawn his candidacy and thrown his support behind Zungu. 

“What else can [Jordaan] bring into the organisation? We need to look at bringing young and new people in so that we can have a generational renewal,” Bailey told Parliament. “This man is leading an organisation of disunity and factionalism. It’s evident.

“The organisation of Safa needs a new face. Some people will say Safa is doing well, better than other times. But Bafana Bafana qualified for their first World Cup in 16 years. How is that doing better [when Jordaan has been around for so long]? We should be regularly qualifying for the World Cup,” Bailey said. 

“Now that we have qualified, you want to compare us to Cape Verde, a small island of fishermen. You cannot say we are at that level. We should be at a higher level.”

Bailey has also questioned whether the elections on 12 September will be free and fair. However, in a statement Safa essentially labelled him a hypocrite for saying this. 

“What is surprising is that the people that are attempting to undermine the processes and calling for the elections to be postponed voiced their own intentions to contest in the very same elections months ago,” Safa said.

“The voting members on 12 September 2026 will be the regions, the Premier Soccer League as the Special Member and associate members. Safa has also invited various stakeholders to the elective congress. This includes Fifa, the Confederation of African Football, Cosafa, Sascoc, Minister of Sports Gayton McKenzie, the chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Joe McGluwa, and legends of the game, among others,” the federation stated.

At the previous elective congress that Safa held in 2022, Jordaan quashed his then challengers Ria Ledwaba and Solly Mohlabeng. On that occasion, the Safa boss received 186 votes to Ledwaba’s 27 and Mohlabeng’s eight votes. DM