Zwane: SAFA Vice-presidents must understand their roles and control their ambitions, as he explains backing incumbent Jordaan

Zwane will be finishing his term as the VP next month and is still aligned with SAFA President Danny Jordaan under the Football Transformation Forum (FTF). He’s one of the few Vice-Presidents who have managed to do that since 2013, as most, when going to the next elective congress, have always been against Jordaan or contesting him. Zwane doesn’t agree with the notion that Jordaan sidelines his deputies.

"I always think about these things and say I must not be tempted to do things that are not supposed to be done. My view is that if you are a vice president you must behave like a vice president because there's incumbent which is the president, take you from him you are not going to go wrong and if you have ambitions you must control your ambitions because people fall in the trap where they are unable to control their ambitions. I don't think the president eats VPs. It's not my view," said Zwane

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From Elvis Shishana, Lucas Nhlapo, Ria Ledwaba, and now Bennet Bailey, these are all the former Vice-Presidents who went on to challenge Jordaan or be part of the campaigns against him in the next elective congress. Most of them, if not all, would have had a different ideological outlook, either during the term of office or closer to the elective congress. But Zwane doesn’t want to blame this on Jordaan but on the number two’s, for understanding their roles.

Zwane says his tasks as the VP were to oversee national teams, competitions and schools football. Like the role of an assistant coach to a head coach, he says his role has always been to support the vision of the President.

Like other FTF members, Zwane has defended the decision to back Jordaan for a fourth term, in next month’s elections, where he’s set to come up against AmaZulu club owner Sandile Zungu. Zwane says the issue of nominating a president doesn’t need to be personalized, especially where there are proven credentials.

Zwane says the success of the national teams, including Bafana Bafana’s qualification and performances at the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup, can never be separated from Jordaan’s leadership. He says those challenging him are also basing some of their reasons on hatred.