Nonkonyana to complain to FIFA over alleged dirty tricks in SAFA presidential race

14 February 2018 - 12:56 By Mahlatse Mphahlele
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The SA Football Association presidential candidate Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana (R) alongside his campaign manager Sisa Majola (L) at the FNB Stadium to formally launch his bid for the SAFA top job.
The SA Football Association presidential candidate Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana (R) alongside his campaign manager Sisa Majola (L) at the FNB Stadium to formally launch his bid for the SAFA top job.
Image: Mninawa Ntloko

National Football Consultative Forum (NFCF) member Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana is preparing to send a letter to Fifa to report alleged mischievous dealings by the Football Transformation Forum (FTF) in the South African Football Association's (Safa) regions ahead of the organisation's elective congress next month.

Nonkonyana and NFCF allege that concerns have been raised by regions where there is manipulation of the nomination forms to ensure that the preferred candidate is incumbent Danny Jordaan.

The FTF is a structure that is campaigning for Jordaan's re-election.

“We were disturbed to learn that the FTF has embarked on dirty tricks to intimidate members of Safa using association resources in its aim to oppose the campaign for football change voted for by the people‚” alleges Nonkonyana.

“SAFA leadership has embarked on a programme to destabilise the processes.

"For instance‚ since early this year there is a gentleman known in the football circles who was appointed by Jordaan as his Eastern Cape agent ‘overseeing’ all electoral procedures in the region.

"All those who have not shown support for the current regime have been marginalised.

“Two weekends ago a meeting was convened in the Eastern Cape and leaders in that region were directed to submit the nominated person to this special agent for submission on their behalf to Safa auditors.

"We have reasons to believe that Safa's leadership has convened a national meeting in Bloemfontein this coming weekend to collect all nominee forms.”

However‚ FTF general secretary Mzwandile Maforvane denied all the allegations made by Nonkonyana and he challenged the NFCF to produce proof.

“I am rejecting all these things they are saying against FTF and I challenge them to produce proof because even Fifa is going to need that proof‚" Maforvane said.

Chief (Nonkonyana) is not a member of Safa as he was expelled from the organisation and we don’t know in what capacity he is raising concerns.

"Also it is strange that he has decided to jump Safa and go straight to Fifa.”

Chief Nonkonyana added: “We have consequently decided to file a complaint with Fifa as we believe that the entire electoral process is rigged‚ filled with irregularities and contraventions of Safa‚ Caf‚ and Fifa statutes.

"We’ve kept quiet despite concerns about the decision made in December to move the elective congress to March instead of the usual September date.

"We believe that it was an obvious tactic to ensure that there is one unopposed candidate.”


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