There were signposts along the road pointing to impending implosion, and a growing concern of alleged corruption and malfeasance at the South African Football Association (Safa) under the leadership of Danny Jordaan, the organisation’s president – but these were not heeded.
Recent events of disarray at Safa are symptomatic of an organisation that has for a long time been poorly run and managed. The increasing decibels of calls for the head of Jordaan one year into his third term as Safa president, is a tell-tale sign and expression of lack of confidence in his leadership.
Yet it seems, structurally within the walls of Safa, he is protected because, as we understand it, many who hold high positions within Safa, including some national executive committee executives, are beholden to him, and his resignation may threaten their own well-being within the organisation.
The bailout by the Motsepe Foundation and the government to help calm the waters of discontent among young female players reflects badly on an organisation that is financially in distress – and needing new skills set to keep the organisation afloat, and relevant approach to the needs of evolving post-modern football patterns and methods.
The Banyana Banyana were no longer prepared to be abused by Safa’s leadership – and expressed their disquiet by boycotting their friendly international match against Botswana last week, demanding that their contractual obligations be first met.
The girls were right. Minister of Sports Zizi Kodwa said: “We must present our case on behalf of this national pride to say that they too deserve what Bafana Bafana deserve, what Springboks deserve.”
Appropriate words these were, also, in a different form, echoed by Dr Precious Motsepe of the Motsepe Foundation, who encouraged the squad to continue to speak up about gender inequalities.
The foundation and the government must be thanked for resolving the impasse. The foundation has committed to paying the girls R230 000 as bonuses in addition to Fifa’s R560 000 appearance fee to each of the 23 players.
But more troubling in the mix is the stigma that remains – which is that Safa is an alleged corrupt organisation, and that the investigation by the Hawks or the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation to probe the allegations came to nothing, and simply fizzled out, and are today not spoken about.
The question must be, why when we were told towards the end of 2021 that “an arrest at Safa was imminent”, and two years later the envisaged probe has fizzled out.
Serious allegations of fraud and corruption were made against a senior member of the organisation. An official, subsequently expelled from Safa, even went to a police station in Johannesburg to report a case of fraud.
No one should be untouchable in any sphere of public life. Public office means that ethical behaviour should be demanded of those who hold high office. The same should apply to Safa – any form of cultism must be frowned upon, and not countenanced.
In Nelson Mandela’s words, any leader who surrounds himself with “yes men and yes women”, should be viewed with suspicion.
By 2022, the year Jordaan was re-elected for a third term to lead Safa, all was not well in the organisation. Its financials were in disarray; claims of corruption and malfeasance were alleged, yet Jordaan emerged with a landslide victory, eclipsing credible football leaders such as Ria Ledwaba, among others, by the widest of margins.
In the words of the third US president, Thomas Jefferson, the government you elect is the government you deserve.
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