Safa reacts to reports Lucas Radebe wants to be its president

The South African Football Association (Safa) has reacted to reports that Bafana Bafana legend and former captain Lucas Radebe would like to become its president.

In a statement released on behalf of Safa's membership and national executive committees the association made a number of points.

The statement said the media reports stated that Radebe “is going to be president of Safa”.

The reports, though, only indicated the former defender's desire to challenge for the presidency occupied by Danny Jordaan “in the future”, and frustration at the stumbling blocks in that endeavour.

Safa stated:

1. It must be noted that the Safa election was held in 2022 for a period of four years, making the next election due in 2026.
2. It needs to be noted that unlike the US election, Safa elections do not have a vote for president only. The election is for president, national and provincial members [and] all NEC positions.
3. The voters are the 52 regions.
4. Any person who hopes to be a president must be nominated by any of the constituent groups and must pass the integrity test. We are not just voting for the president.

Safa said its “governance committee will then publish the list of eligible candidates”.

“In the meantime, we are focusing on delivering football programmes as per our mandate.”

The association then listed the mandates it is delivering, including, “Bafana preparation for Afcon [the Africa Cup of Nations]” and “Banyana Banyana qualification for Wafcon [the Women's Africa Cup of Nations]”.

A report in Sunday World said Radebe is complaining of being pushed from pillar to post and appealing to the Safa leadership to make the task of running for president easier for him.

The report said Radebe wanted Safa to follow the example of Cameroon, which has allowed playing legend Samuel Eto'o to successfully run Fecafoot as president.

“My question has always been based on the other leaders of football at the global level. Did they go through any structures?” Radebe told Sunday World.

“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.

“Yes, he [Safa president Danny Jordaan] has done well, and we are where we are today because of his hard work but unfortunately the game has evolved — new things are being implemented, 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.”

Radebe is a Kaizer Chiefs and Leeds United legend and captained Bafana at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.