2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Officer, Danny Jordaan and the body’s Chairman, Irvin Khoza go head-to-head in South African Football Association’s (Safa) presidential election race on 26 September.
As both Khoza and Jordaan are essential cogs in the wheel of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, FIFA President Sepp Blatter sent a letter to Safa urging them to postpone the election until after the World Cup, in order to keep things running smoothly.
Sepp Blatter Urged Safa to Postpone Till after 2010
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has on numerous occasions urged Safa and its president, Molefi Oliphant, to postpone the elections until after the 2010 World Cup.
Safa told Blatter the elections would go ahead as per their constitution, with a new president taking over from Oliphant, who is not seeking re-election. Valcke said FIFA will send its representatives to monitor the elections, which have already split the local soccer fraternity into two factions.
Danny Jordaan vs Irvin Khoza
As things stand, Local Organising Committee chairman Irvin Khoza and chief executive Danny Jordaan have emerged as strong contenders to replace Oliphant. Safa executive member Kirsten Nematendani has also been nominated by the Football Transformation Forum as their preferred candidate, along with Jordaan.
However the SAFA, (and the massive egos of those concerned) is firm on its decision to go ahead with the elections come what may in this race which is already sparking allegations of payoffs and kickbacks as two of the great men of local soccer battle for the top position.
FIFA has also taken a decision based on its constitution that whoever wins the elections will have to resign from their position on the LOC, which is another anomaly, because in the past this rule hasn’t applied to others in the same position.
SA Government Will Not Interfere
South African Government sports Minister of Sport and Recreation, Makhenkesi Stofile, said government will not interfere since the election is a private matter among members of the association.
Popularity: 9% [?]
I think fifa is right when it says elections should be postponed because right now the LOC is busy finalising preparations. It is fifa call of late that who what so ever wins the race should resign. This puts Nematandani a great chance to be fowarded for the big post. Therefore I strongly support Vhakoma Vho Nematandani for the benefit of success in LOC.
We need somebody who is going to assist safa lo get sponsorship as our organisation get financial assistance from PSL which is chaired by Khoza. I think if we need development in soccer and forgeting about politics, Khoza should be voted by everyone. I don’t say Danny is not suitable but we don’t know much about him in development of soccer as we know about Khoza who transform Pirate into what it is now. He transformed NPSL into PSL which one of the top ten league in the world. We need Khoza and FIFA is not fair if forcing them to resigned from LOC as this happened to other country and they didn’t act. They don’t trust SAFA or south Africans. We need to prove them wrong