Bailey stands behind Zungu and confirms letter to FIFA calling for SAFA investigation

Bailey stands behind Zungu and confirms letter to FIFA calling for SAFA investigation

South African Football Association (SAFA) Vice-President Bennet Bailey has confirmed that as the SAFA Cape Town region, they have submitted documents to FIFA to report and investigate several irregularities at SAFA.

Speaking to the media, shortly after the launch of AmaZulu President Sandile Zungu’s SAFA presidency campaign this past weekend, Bailey has clarified what they are asking FIFA to investigate. 

He says with the number of irregularities that are allegedly happening in the regional elections, leading up to the 12th of September elections, FIFA must decide if there’s some foul play at work...

"Last year December it was widely reported that the whole of the Western Cape supports Danny Jordaan for a fourth term. Im from the Western Cape and there is no ways that I supported that. When we got to our elections we saw there was interference in our SAFA Cape Town elections and we spec;lated where it was coming from but we didn't really worry about it because we know we have the majority support.

"So, when we got to our elections it was still only one person who was going to run for a fourth term and we said no. This is not what South African football needs, we don't only need a change of face but a change of direction and football philosophy. When Sandile Zungu raised his hand, I said that is a man I can follow."

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Bailey, who has been part of the Football Transformation Forum (FTF) lobby group, which is backing the current SAFA President Danny Jordaan, is also accusing the SAFA administration of being behind the leaking of their letter to FIFA to a Facebook group, which posted all their submission documents on social media last week. 

"We ask FIFA to conduct an investigation because there are a lot of things which happen with elections, and people are now going to court. We ask FIFA to investigate that, and if they are of the opinion that we are good to go for the 12th of September then we do that, but FIFA must decide."

Bailey was the candidate to come out and say that he will be contesting for the SAFA Presidency earlier this year, but at the beginning of this month, following Zungu’s visit to Cape Town, he switched his allegiance to the AmaZulu owner’s campaign.

Bailey says they won’t allow the current SAFA President, Danny Jordaan, to go on for a fourth term when the country needs change.

Bailey, who is also a CAF Match Commissioner and until recently, was also representing SAFA at the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), clarifies that he’s not abandoned his campaign but is rather joining forces with a candidate who is offering SA football a better direction...

Bailey, who leads the biggest SAFA region in the country with 134 000 members, is also not bothered by the threats that are facing regions which are calling for change in the SAFA leadership. 

With some regions already said to be facing suspension, Bailey says they have a strong legal team behind them to fight back...