Tokyo Sexwale has called on the South African Football Association (Safa) to learn from the mistakes of the African National Congress (ANC).
Sexwale has been canvassed by the National Football Consultative Forum (NFCF) to be their candidate to contest the Safa presidency. The NFCF conducted a poll asking the public to select a person they preferred to be Safa president.
NFCF claim Sexwale emerged as an overwhelming favourite.
However, Sexwale is yet to accept running for the position at the election which Safa will hold at its congress on March 24.
"Learn from the ANC. Sona is cancelled. It has never happened. The top six are talking different languages. We should not open up the old wounds," said Sexwale.
"My appeal is that South African football must first unite. The last thing I'd like to do is perpetuate the divisions that exist in South African football. I'll not help them to divide themselves."
Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, a former Safa vice-president who was expelled from the football controlling body for comments he made about Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund, is persuading Sexwale to stand.
Sexwale says he was appointed special envoy to Fifa president Giovanni Infantino and Confederation of African Football (Caf) head Ahmed Ahmed this week.
Rather than declaring his availability, which will be subject to eligibility, Sexwale projected himself as a promoter of unity.
"It is wrong to have outcasts. Football is not about permanent purgatory. I've promoted unity at Fifa, when I withdrew from the presidential race.
"I've served at Harvard (Fifa), Oxford (Caf) and Fort Hare (Safa). It would be a misnomer on the part of the champion of unity globally [and] yet at home you promote factions. I can't afford to see division in my country."
He said his commitment and support for South African football spoke for itself. Sexwale is former sponsor of the National First Division, the second tier of football in the country, and was a member of the 2010 Bid and Local Organising Committees.
"Without any hesitation I'm prepared to continue playing a role in South African football as I've done in the past."
Asked what he saw as problems at Safa, Sexwale said:"I and comrade Danny were in Brazil. It was painful to see no South African in the [2014] World Cup. People are singing and there is no Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.
"The next World Cup is coming [in Russia in June]. We won't be there. This football needs change. Safa was our last hope. It was our ANC. If you say not qualifying for the World Cup is good, don't change. For Nonkonyana to say they are not on speaking terms but they want to run football. If you can't talk to one another but you want to play. No one man can do it."..