After her defeat in the Safa elective congress on Saturday, Ria Ledwaba has vowed to keep on fighting until Danny Jordaan is out of football. Ledwaba stood no chance against the powerful Jordaan and she was defeated by a landslide together with the third candidate Solly Mohlabeng. Jordaan got 186 while Ledwaba amassed a mere 27 votes while Mohlabeng was voted only 8 times. The loss takes both Ledwaba and Mohlabeng football structures completely.
“I knew the odds were against me but I think I fought a good fight. I am not leaving and you are still going to hear a lot from me until Jordaan is out of football,” a shattered Ledwaba said after the congress.
“I still believe that Safa needs to change, I also believe that I did not lose. In fact, football has lost a servant. I have been a servant and I was not in Safa for any positions, I was in Safa to serve. Football has lost somebody that would have brought change that we need in SA. We need a lot of change in our football. I hope the new executive will make those changes that we have spoken about..
Ledwaba added: “This is not the end for me, I have the Ria Ledwaba Foundation that is giving back to local communities. I got a lot from football, this game is in my DNA and there’s nothing to be discouraged about these elections. Elections are about winning and losing and about a fair play where everybody has a fair opportunity – but these elections we all know that they were not played on a fairground. The constitution was changed just to suit certain individuals but we will continue to fight.”
“I don’t think Jordaan is good for our football. I believe that he has done his part in all the years he has been in football and I think you cannot have a situation where it is a one man show. I agree with the thinking that football needs young and fresh people, legends should be part of football. When decisions are made, they are made for those young boys and girls who are not those boardrooms.
“I have been saying you cannot have a constitution that is against the SA constitution that says you can have freedom of speech and freedom of association. Freedom of speech is endorsed in the constitution. But that is what is not happening and I am a testimony of no freedom of speech in this association. Those people who are there, they know what I am saying, I am standing for the truth and will continue to fight for the truth. Nobody is going to stop me and nobody is going to bully me as I fight for South African football to be liberated,” she explained further.
