Zungu alleges ‘dirty tricks’ ahead of Safa election showdown with Jordaan

South African Football Association (Safa) presidential candidate Sandile Zungu has accused the faction supporting incumbent Danny Jordaan of using “dirty tricks” ahead of Saturday’s election, claiming that regions backing his campaign have been prevented from attending the congress.

Safa will hold its elective congress in Midrand on Saturday, when Zungu, the owner of AmaZulu, will attempt to end Jordaan’s 13-year presidency. The two candidates are set to go head-to-head in the vote.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Zungu said his campaign was offering “a new dawn” for South African football. However, he also alleged that some regions which had supported him had been barred from participating in the congress through questionable means.

“We are obviously putting on a brave face, but we are seething with anger because of what has been done to some regions. Our legends here have been disqualified from participating in the upcoming elections,” Zungu explained.

He did not identify the regions involved and did not provide specific evidence to support his claims. Zungu said, however, that some regional structures had clearly been pushing for change and that an unsuccessful attempt to alter their leadership had been followed by their exclusion from the election.

“There are some regions who are clearly forcefully pushing for change, and there was an attempt to change leadership, which did not succeed. And as a form of punishment for them, they are being disqualified from participating in the elections,” Zungu said.

The AmaZulu owner suggested that legal action could follow if individuals expected to take part in Saturday’s congress were not allowed to do so.

“As I’m talking, there are consultations with legal people to see how we can take the matter forward, and trust me, we take it very seriously. Notwithstanding, we will win these elections,” he said.

Zungu further accused the incumbent camp of attempting to destabilise regional structures and committing electoral fraud, while insisting that such efforts would not affect the result.

“The monkey tricks will not take anybody anywhere. The era of monkey tricks is over. Yes, there is an attempt at destabilising the regions, but it will not succeed. There is an attempt at committing electoral fraud; it will not succeed.

“You may be aware that a charge was laid somewhere in the Northern Cape against the Safa president and the CEO [Lydia Monyepao] for what is alleged to be defrauding the Safa constitution. It is a very serious charge, in addition to many other charges facing the incumbent Safa president, and it is being challenged. We are not taking any chances.

“But I must emphasise, notwithstanding [all the dirty tricks], we’ve an upper hand. We will win these elections. We’ve done a lot of work above ground, and we’ve done a lot of work underground.”

Jordaan has led Safa for 13 years and is seeking to retain the presidency, while Zungu is campaigning on a platform of change. The election will take place at the association’s congress in Midrand on Saturday.

The allegations come as the two camps prepare for the decisive vote. Zungu has said consultations with legal representatives are under way, but he has not confirmed what specific action will be taken or named the regions he says have been affected.