COMMENT
Watergate, Nipplegate, Partygate, Farmgate, Deflategate, Bingate, Travelgate, Guptagate, Sandpapergate, Safagate.
Everyone loves a good old-fashioned libfix, and arguably the most egregious for South African sporting fans is the latter — having fuelled controversy after controversy for over a decade. SAFA is not so much a "gate" as it is a house of cards built on a waterlogged foundation, constantly on the verge of total collapse.
In the build-up to Saturday’s SAFA NEC meeting to vote on the governing structures of the association for the next four years, Safa once again did their best to embarrass themselves and remind everyone that true accountability and transparency remain absent. The race for the presidency was of particular interest.
Contested by long-serving SAFA president Danny Jordaan — 13 years in the position — and AmaZulu boss Sandile Zunga, the political jousting revealed the ugly facade behind the manicured exterior of SAFA House.
The pre-meeting drama featured the full administrative circus: mud-slinging, accusations of constitutional forgery to favour the incumbent, bribery, intimidation, and threats of violence — including death. Worse still was the suspicious disqualification of regions supporting the candidate bloc challenging the status quo without a formal statement why, paired with the dubious timing of honorarium payments to NEC members (while Bafana Bafana players remained unpaid for their Fifa World Cup 2026 participation).
Stakeholders and commentators shrugged it all off, the throughline being: “Well, that’s just SAFA for you.”
At the end of it, on Saturday early afternoon, Jordaan emerged victorious 157-82.
Now, there can be no denying that Jordaan has done much for South African football. His legacy was forged on bringing the 2010 Fifa World Cup to South Africa, but the list of his transgressions grows longer and more serious with every new scandal and administrative blunder.
These truths are not mutually exclusive — a leader can build a positive legacy yet still mar it with destructive actions. And Jordaan’s legacy is now severely blotted. His next four-year tenure will require a Herculean effort to overturn not only the tarnished image of the organisation but of himself, by restoring a waning confidence in his administration.
Three women have accused Jordaan of serious sexual misconduct, while he currently faces court proceedings over the alleged misuse of SAFA funds for personal gain — a case stemming from the 2024 Hawks raid on Safa House.
Its knock-on effect is profound. Although SAFA recently secured a major sponsorship deal with Standard Bank, the majority of corporate partners have bailed at the mere thought of associating with the federation.
This commercial flight is starkly reflected in SAFA's revenue generation. Despite football enjoying the largest fan base in the country, its earnings are paltry compared to South Africa's other major codes. SA Rugby operates as a R2 billion machine, while Cricket South Africa reported revenue of R1.39bn. Safa, by contrast, languishes at roughly R270 million.
The lack of transparency regarding a recent R20m grant, facilitated by the Treasury through the Department of Sport, remains unresolved, as does the roadmap for system implementation. Parliament has repeatedly criticised the organisation for unfulfilled project rollouts and the squandering of the 2010 World Cup Legacy Fund, all while regional funding distributions remain unequal.
Furthermore, Fifa statutes make it virtually impossible for any well-meaning government to intervene in the public interest without risking an international ban. Coupled with an opaque electoral system controlled by entrenched political machinery, Zungu’s candidacy for the presidency was effectively doomed the moment it was launched.
As long as SAFA operates as a self-preserving fortress immune to public accountability, no challenger — no matter how well-funded or intentioned — will shake its foundation. The tragic irony of Jordaan’s tenure is that the house he helped build for 2010 has become a house of cards, maintained only by fear, favour, and Fifa protectionism.
"That’s just SAFA for you" looks to remain the final word; and until real reform takes root — for that to happen Jordaan and Co will have to convince all and sundry they are in this position for the good of the beautiful game.
Unfortunately, it has been a long time since that has seemed the case.
* Read the full news story in THE NATIONAL Sunday print edition.