SAFA CEO admits statutes error, as Gqeberha arbitration dismisses election challenge

The SAFA elective congress takes place in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Saturday, 12 September, with incumbent Danny Jordaan seeking a fourth term as president against challenger and AmaZulu FC owner Sandile Zungu.

At the centre of the latest controversy is an information pack sent to regions and NEC members on Friday, 4 September.

Article 25.10 in the pack reads: The current serving President, NEC members and women representatives as envisaged in these Statutes may be nominated by any Region or member and be supported by two other members.

The provision was questioned by the Save Our SAFA (SOS) group. In a video circulating on social media, Force For Change chairperson Lebogang Riet, whose group is backing Zungu’s campaign, is seen at Dingleton police station in the Northern Cape, where he said he was opening a case over the matter.

“I’m going to lay charges for corruption and fraud, actually. The papers are the Constitution of SAFA, somebody at the head office, decides to change that in their own essence as it is.

“This is all the changes, almost 14 to 15 changes, that were done unconstitutionally. This one is worse, this is what we received in the pack, but it is totally different to Article 25.10…what is contained in the pack is a totally new addition, just to protect the nomination of the President,” said Riet in a video that was shot outside the police station.

In the video, Riet also alleged that the change was intended to counter an arbitration involving Nelson Mandela Bay, the region that had nominated Jordaan.

However, the arbitration has since ruled in favour of the current leadership in the Nelson Mandela Bay region led by it’s newly elected President Clive Killian, dismissing the challenge to its legitimacy.

“In conclusion, I dismiss the relief sought by the requestors in their entirety for the purposes of this arbitration and based substantially on the limited issues raised in the points in limine,” the arbitrator ruled in the matter brought up by three NMB LFA’s (PEEFA, KUYGA and ZWIFA.

Monyepao has now written to NEC members clarifying the issue and acknowledging that an incorrect provision from an older version of the SAFA Statutes had been included.

She also indicated that the matter would form part of the discussion points at the final NEC meeting of the outgoing SAFA leadership on Friday, 11 September 2026.

“Following a closer review, the Secretariat noted that, while the extract highlighted the relevant provisions, Article 25.18 was taken from the al older version (2022) of the SAFA Statutes. The corresponding provision in the current SAFA Statutes is Article 25.16.

“To remove any doubt and ensure that members have the correct reference, the secretariat has attached: 1. The signed SAFA Statutes as amended following the Constitutional Congress held on 23 May 2026 and shared with members on 08 August 2026, 2. The correct extract of Article 25. For your ease of reference, from page 26, is on the statutes,” the CEO wrote to the NEC members.

Monyepao went further and apologised to NEC members for the error, which comes at a particularly sensitive time just days before the presidential election.

“We sincerely apologise to the NEC for this oversight. The error was entirely human and administrative in nature and was inadvertent. It was not to mislead, nor was it made with any malicious intent,” concluded Monyepao in her message to the NEC members.

With the CEO’s office having apologised, and now the members having been forwarded the updated statutes, it clears the way for the NEC meeting on Friday, which will be preparing for the elections to proceed on the accepted, signed and amended statutes.