Delayed Bafana Bafana appointment and VAR row increase pressure on Danny Jordaan

The South African Football Association’s failure to appoint a new Bafana Bafana coach and its decision not to implement Video Assistant Refereeing have intensified calls for change ahead of the organisation’s elective congress on 12 September.

SAFA president Danny Jordaan is seeking a fourth consecutive term, but faces a challenge from AmaZulu chairperson Sandile Zungu in a contest that has become a wider debate about the direction of South African football administration.

At 74, Jordaan remains supported by the Football Transformation Forum (FTF), an organisation made up of respected figures from SAFA’s 52 regions. The National Executive Committee members from those regions will vote at the congress, making Zungu’s attempt to unseat the incumbent a difficult one.

SAFA said on its website: “The voting members on September 12, 2026 will be the regions, the Premier Soccer League as the Special Member and Associate Members. SAFA has invited various stakeholders to the Elective Congress, including FIFA, CAF, COSAFA, SASCOC, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, the chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture and legends of the game, among others.”

Zungu, 59, is backed by Save Our Safa (SOS), a group comprising South African football legends and businesspeople who support the game. SAFA deputy president Ria Ledwaba, who previously challenged Jordaan for the presidency and experienced the consequences of doing so, is also reported to be supporting Zungu’s campaign.

The election is being presented as more than a contest between two individuals. Jordaan and the FTF are campaigning on continuity, regional representation and stability, while Zungu and SOS are calling for greater transparency and changes to the way SAFA is run.

Restoring trust and integrity within the association is central to Zungu’s platform, helping him attract support from the business community. Some analysts have compared his candidacy with Patrice Motsepe’s successful campaign for the Confederation of African Football presidency, noting that both men have led the Black Business Council at different stages of their careers.

However, the central issue is not necessarily whether Zungu is the ideal successor to Jordaan. Instead, critics argue that the number of controversies surrounding SAFA has made a change in leadership necessary.

Bafana Bafana have been without a coach for 31 consecutive days since Hugo Broos’ tenure officially ended on 31 July. SAFA’s NEC endorsed the return of Pitso Mosimane on 8 August, but negotiations over his salary have caused a standstill. Mosimane was expected to be announced on Tuesday, August 1.

The delay is particularly concerning because Bafana Bafana are due to begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign in 22 days. It has also revived memories of the time and energy SAFA spent criticising media reports about Broos’ future after he gave an interview in Belgium saying he had stepped down.

SAFA issued a series of statements during that period. Critics believe those efforts might have been better directed towards negotiating a deal with the incoming coach, particularly because Broos had said before the 2025 AFCON that he planned to retire after the 2026 World Cup.

The unresolved VAR issue has added to the pressure. SAFA has yet to use a R20 million government donation intended to introduce the technology, despite continued concerns about refereeing standards.

Those concerns were again highlighted during the MTN8 semi-final second leg between African champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Lamontville Golden Arrows.

The election on 12 September is therefore being viewed as an opportunity to reset South African football. While no replacement would be perfect, opponents of Jordaan believe a change at the top would give the sport a better chance of moving forward.