It is not acceptable that the South African Football Association (Safa) constitution is used as a weapon for those in charge, and this needs to be changed, presidential candidate Sandile Zungu says.
The Safa constitution in article 30.4, which was amended in 2022, says candidates must have at least 10 years of administrative experience in the association structures.
Zungu is eligible, as he served on the Safa remunerations committee.
Speaking after the launch of his campaign at Emperors Palace on Saturday, he said this needed to be revisited, as it gave an unfair advantage to current president Danny Jordaan.
“That constitution is sacrosanct because it has the capacity to withstand all seasons, and that constitution can be relied upon by all and sundry who want to be involved in Safa,” Zungu told the media.
“At the moment, it is used as a weapon by those who are in charge; that’s not acceptable.
“It cannot be acceptable that on the eve of the elections some regions are fearful of being dissolved, disbanded or being called not to go to elections simply because they are seen to be aligned with a faction that is not in power right now.
“And that cannot be acceptable; whether I am in office in the future or not, the constitution must be the guide and document to protect the growth of the game.”
Zungu is confident he will be successful and said he was eligible despite the Safa constitution.
“The issue of eligibility talks is not even an issue for us; we are eligible,” he said.
“It’s not a question of those who stand up and say, ‘We support SZ 2026′.
“Will they be having a constitution slapped in front of them with immediate suspensions?
“So, when you weaponise a constitution, you use it to drive a factional agenda.
“And when you do that, you may think you are successful in the short-term, but you are destroying the fabric of the institution that you lead.
“We’ve got to revisit the constitution of Safa.
“It may not be overnight, but we’ve got to revisit it, not withstand it and make sure that the constitution lives beyond any incumbent.”
It is also understood that should Zungu win the elections on September 12, Lucas Radebe, who attended the launch on Saturday, could be his vice-president.
“The presence of Lucas Radebe embodies us. When I asked him for support, he said he supported the best.
“We are happy to be described in those narratives as representing the best that SA has to offer when it comes to administration and the future of Safa.”
Sowetan