Jordaan, officials in screaming match before crucial Bafana game

Battle for control of Safa heats up during NEC meeting

- By Kgomotso Mokoena

Safa president Danny Jordaan and CEO Lydia Monyeapo are facing a revolt within the football body, with the president being accused of not allowing fair discourse.

(Gallo Images)

Just a few hours before Bafana Bafana's all-important victory, which qualified them for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, Safa bosses and national executive committee (NEC) members were involved in prolonged and disorderly heated exchanges.

The squabbling would have surely been exacerbated had Bafana failed to book their spot at the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

While all eyes were on Bafana, NEC members were vitriolically attacking each other over Nelson Mandela Bay Football Association and NEC member Simpiwe Mkhangelwa (MK).

Members opposed to Safa president Danny Jordaan, known as the B Team, demanded to know why Mkhangelwa was suspended and not invited by the CEO, Lydia Monyepao, to the meeting at Mbombela Stadium. They also questioned the correctness of the minutes of the previous meeting and the threat to throw member Gladwyn White out of the meeting.

The other group supporting Jordaan, known as the A Team, leapt to the president's defence.

In an audio recording that Sunday World has listened to, members Monde Montshiwa, Mosimanegape Mathe and Orapeleng Setlhare of the B Team faction can be heard attacking Jordaan, vice-president Natasha Tsichlas and finance committee chairperson Mxolisi Sibam. At one stage, members even threatened to call in the police.