Modipa backs Jordaan for fourth SAFA term despite criticism

Football Transformation Forum (FTF) chairperson Tankiso Modipa says Dr Danny Jordaan remains his organisation’s choice to lead the South African Football Association (SAFA), insisting the incumbent’s experience outweighs concerns over his length of tenure and a broken promise not to seek another term.

Jordaan, SAFA president since 2013, has been confirmed by the FTF as its preferred candidate for the presidential elections scheduled for 12 September. The decision comes amid mounting public debate over his continued leadership and his earlier pledge, made after winning the 2022 poll, that he would not contest a fourth term.

The 75-year-old, who will reach that milestone in September, is set for a high-profile showdown with AmaZulu president and businessman Sandile Zungu, who is being backed by the Save Our SAFA (SOS) lobby group in what is expected to be a closely watched national election.

Vice presidents ‘failed the mandate’

Modipa, speaking on the Africa Football Connect YouTube channel, argued that the FTF’s move to nominate Jordaan again was shaped by what he described as repeated disappointments from SAFA vice presidents who, in his view, did not fulfil the forum’s expectations.

“It’s very difficult for me to understand when people say he must go. (Within) SAFA we had a problem with our vice presidents, that is a fact. Whoever we put there as vice president, the next term he wants to be president, instead of learning from Dr Jordaan, because nobody can buy that experience,” Modipa said.

He suggested that rather than using the role to support and learn from Jordaan, some deputies had instead prioritised their own presidential ambitions.

“For us to retain Dr Jordaan for this term, is because of the disappointments we received from some of the vice-presidents we put there,” Modipa added, explaining why the FTF ultimately rallied again behind the long-serving SAFA leader.

Questions over rivals’ track records

Modipa also appeared to question the suitability of those who wish to replace Jordaan, highlighting what he sees as a lack of success in their current football roles, although he stopped short of directly naming individuals.

“People want him out, now you have names, I don’t like to mention people’s names but you know who I’m talking about, you look where he’s leading currently, is he successful there? Is he number one in the PSL? Does he qualify for CAF? You talk about the CAF President, he’s the president but you can see Sundowns are the champions,” he said.

“You measure the success of someone from where he comes from. That won’t change when he ascends to certain positions and you need to come through the ranks,” Modipa continued, arguing that a candidate’s record at club or organisational level is a fair indicator of how they might perform at SAFA.

Jordaan, a former CEO of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has long cited his experience in football administration as a key strength, and Modipa echoed that view, describing such know-how as irreplaceable.

Bailey switches to Zungu camp

The electoral picture shifted further when SAFA vice president Bennett Bailey, who also serves as chairperson of the association’s Cape Town region, stepped back from mounting his own presidential bid.

Bailey had publicly indicated his intention to challenge Jordaan for the top job, a move that would have added another high-ranking SAFA figure to the race. However, he later withdrew from the contest and instead threw his support behind Zungu’s campaign.

The alignment of Bailey with Zungu and the SOS lobby group sets up a clear battle line between those pushing for change at the top of SAFA and those, like the FTF, who believe Jordaan should remain in charge despite criticism over his lengthy spell in office and the reversal of his 2022 commitment not to seek another mandate.

With campaigning under way and scrutiny on the association’s leadership intensifying, the 12 September election is shaping up as a key moment for South African football governance, pitting Jordaan’s experience and incumbency against calls for new direction within SAFA.