The SA Football Association (Safa) presidential elections’ candidate Ria Ledwaba will not be bullied or threatened by the national association, she said at the launch of her manifesto at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday.
Ledwaba will go toe-to-toe against incumbent Danny Jordaan and Ngoako “Solly” Mohlabeng for the association’s hot seat on June 25.
Addressing a packed media conference during the manifesto launch, Ledwaba pulled no punches and elaborated about the state of affairs at Safa. “I will not be bullied, frightened or threatened by the letters that they are writing. I will not worship any individual,” she said.
“I am facing a DC [disciplinary committee] for some trumped up charges like bringing the organisation into disrepute, destabilising Safa, and using Safa letterhead for my own initiatives and meetings, and that I wrote to the minister of sport [Nathi Mthethwa].
“They want to expel me with those charges, but I am not worried. People must be free to raise [their] concerns.”
The former Ria Stars owner has taken the association to court because she had no other option as the association would not grant her an arbitration over the concerns she raised, she said, confirming that Safa had been served with court papers.
Safa has sent out letters reminding members of the association that they should not take the association to court and threatened that there will be consequences for that kind of action.
Ledwaba believes she has overwhelming support to win the elections.
“That is why there is so much panic from the Safa leadership. I have overwhelming support and that is why you are seeing so many letters from them circulating. I have consulted with many organisations including the ANC, the EFF, the DA, and various women’s organisations.
“South African football needs change. We need to move away from a problematic organisation to a winning organisation. South Africans are angry with us.”
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