Zungu promises election-day ‘shock and awe’ in SAFA presidential race

AmaZulu president Sandile Zungu says the biggest moments of his campaign against incumbent Dr. Danny Jordaan will be revealed when the South African Football Association (SAFA) presidential election results are announced on Saturday.

The SAFA Elective Congress will be held on Saturday, 12 September, with delegates from the association’s 52 electoral regions choosing the next president by secret ballot.

The latest governance update confirmed that both Jordaan and Zungu have met the eligibility requirements, leaving the election as a direct contest between the two candidates.

Zungu has suggested that his campaign has deliberately kept its strongest moves out of public view, while expressing confidence that it has secured sufficient support across the country’s football structures.

“What I will not do now, is to shock and awe right now. Shock and awe is for Saturday, and trust me, shock and awe is for Saturday, not now,” Zungu said on MSW.

He then offered a colourful description of the reaction he expects when the result is announced.

“Come Saturday when the results are announced, all I’m saying is that there has got to be an emergency vehicle on site because some elderly people may be pulsating dangerously at that time.

“It’s just as serious as that. We are quite convinced, quite honestly, that we have the numbers.”

Zungu said his campaign team had been conducting a detailed assessment of its backing, examining support at each level of the football administration.

He said that work had continued after a meeting with his campaign team and covered every province, region and category of voting member.

“I have just come back from a meeting with my campaign team, and we’re going into this issue province by province, region by region, associate member by associate member, special member by one solitary special member, NEC members by NEC members,” he added.

“And we’re just that detailed, we are convinced that we will win this thing by a landslide.”

The election will determine whether Jordaan continues as SAFA president or whether Zungu takes charge after the final vote is counted. With both candidates cleared to stand, the decision now rests with the delegates attending Saturday’s congress.