The South African Masters and Legends Football Association (SAMLFA) have endorsed and earmarked former Bafana Bafana, Kaizer Chiefs and Leeds United stalwart Lucas “Rhoo” Radebe as their candidate for the Safa elective congress that will take place later this year.
And according to SAMLFA president Bhudda Mathathe, Radebe has agreed to take the baton and could be running against the incumbent and all-powerful Danny Jordaan.
Mathathe also confirmed that he will throw his name in the hat as well.
The legends’ structure is an associate member of Safa.
Jordaan has not officially confirmed that he will be contesting for a fourth term, after he announced in the last elections, which he won by a landslide victory, that this tenure was going to be his last stint as the association’s president.
And with Jordaan remaining cagey about his candidacy, Sunday World has it on good authority that lobbying in the regions is in full swing under the radar.
Jordaan was first elected as Safa president in 2013 and has, in the last three elections, mopped the floor with all those who have stood against him or shown ambition to oust him from one of the hottest seats in South Africa.
“We have spoken with Lucas and we agreed that we should contest the Safa presidency. Yes, we are going to stand and challenge the incumbent. SAMLFA has long agreed that both of us should contest. We will also do a media conference to inform South Africa.”
Mathathe added that two or three Safa regions in Gauteng will submit Radebe’s name. The highly anticipated elections are expected to take place in June, ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada. A date and nominations forms will be circulated later in the year.
There is a huge appetite from the local football followers for esteemed individuals and former players such as Radebe to rescue the national association that has been marred by corruption, dwindling finances, a lack of sponsors, and, in recent times, disconcerting court cases.
In other African countries, legends such as Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia) and Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) have taken over the federations and brought about massive turnarounds. They made history after they became the first former footballers to sit on CAF’s executive committee.
In recent years, Radebe’s ambition was blocked by red tape that prevented him from contesting the elections. According to Safa then, their electoral code stipulated that candidates needed to have served in the Safa structures for a period of five years in the lead-up to the election. But nonetheless, Radebe has continued to be a vocal critic of the Safa leadership, calling for change and reform within the organisation.
Last year, he questioned the red tape that has always been a hindrance: “My question has always been based on the other leaders of football at the global level. Did they go through any structures?
“For me, having played for the national team makes me part of the structure of football. I have also served in one of the committees, so I don’t know what structure they want me to go to. It defeats the purpose of what we want to achieve, because the only thing we need is to see our football go forward and that will mean giving other people a chance,” he told Sunday World.
“Yes, he [Jordaan] has done well, and we are where we are today because of his hard work, but unfortunately the game has evolved – new ideas are needed, and the best people to do that are former players. So, all I am asking for is to be given a chance to also work and go to all the regions with my ideas.
I am not asking for any favours but for an opportunity because this is not about me but the future and legacy of our football.”
