Lechoo outlines USSA’s value to SAFA, as he reflects on NEC nomination

Lechoo and veteran football administrator Poobie Govindsamy are the only two nominated associate members who are compliant on the final national list of 29 members and will stand unopposed for the two available positions. It will be for the first time since 2018 that USSA is represented on the SAFA National Executive Committee (NEC). According to Lechoo, this is what they bring to SAFA.

"Best practices that we've learned over time, you know, programs that we offer, the services, the facilities. I am not in any way trying to promote universities, but I mean we have all these things that you find at a university that are able to contribute continuously to the bigger picture," said Lechoo.

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"I think it's common knowledge when you look around; these are things that we already have, and some of them are sustainable projects. We really want to share beyond our auspices and beyond our jurisdiction ."

University of Johannesburg (UJ) Director of Sport Nomsa Mahlangu was the last representative of USSA on the SAFA NEC. Lechoo, who hails from the Free State but works at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape, says this nomination is not just for him but for the whole USSA Football structure.

With 11 Associate Members under SAFA, the contestation for the two available slots to serve on the NEC has always been tight. But USSA plays a big role in the SAFA structures, especially in women’s football, where they are the number one supplier of players to the senior national team. There are five varsities in the Hollywoodbets Super League and Lechoo says their nomination doesn’t come as a surprise.

The biggest focus on these SAFA elections has been on the two presidential candidates, the incumbent Danny Jordaan, who is vying for his fourth term, and the challenger, AmaZulu owner Sandile Zungu. Whilst most delegates have been clear and pronouncing on which side they are going, this is USSA’s view, according to Lechoo.

Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana have been camping at different High Performance Centres in the country over the years. These are some of the facilities and services Lechoo says they bring to SAFA, as he zooms in on what these elections mean for football in the country.