Zungu is encouraged by regional support in Safa race

Safa presidential candidate and AmaZulu chairman Sandile Zungu says he has been encouraged by the support he has been getting from the regions ahead of the polls on September 12.

Zungu has thrown his hat into the ring for the Safa presidency and has already declared his confidence to unseat Danny Jordaan, who has held the position for 13 years.

While he acknowledges that there is still a lot of work to be done before the September elections, Zungu said the support he has been getting is phenomenal.

“The response has been phenomenal, I have been really encouraged by what they tell me that I make a lot of sense,” Zungu told the media during the Engen Knockout Challenge in Durban on Sunday.

“It is what they have been waiting for, they have even used much more colourful and flattering language than that.

“They are busy saying now it is time for a change and change is inevitable, and a victory for you Zungu is assured.

“We’ve been to pretty much all the regions, we’ve made an impression on almost all the provinces and all of them the message is simple: Zungu for president of Safa.

“But there is a lot of work that needs to be done because this is a game of numbers. We are not naive to the fact that the opposing camp wants it as much as we do. And therefore, they will be throwing all they can into their campaign, and in the next seven weeks to the conference, we’ve a lot of work cut out for us, but I think we will do it.”

Zungu also revealed several factors that inspired his decision to run for the presidency. “Soccer is at its lowest, in my opinion, notwithstanding the performance of Bafana in the last, or in the ongoing Fifa World Cup, but if you look at various levels that make up the development of soccer, we are practically dysfunctional, if not dead,” he said.

“Take school soccer, it’s non-existent. Women’s soccer is coming along nicely, but it can do much better. And I think we need to correct that, we need to go on a different growth trajectory, and I think I can make a difference there.

“My belief is that, we need to govern soccer correctly, so that we can get commercial interests to come closer. The commercial interests give us money to roll out these development programmes that are much needed at a regional level.

“And I believe I have the gravitas, I have the credentials, I’ve got the experience, I’ve got the networks to bring the private sector closer to soccer for the benefit of everyone.”

Sowetan