Bennett Bailey, the SA Football Association’s vice-president and the latest person to express interest in replacing Danny Jordaan as the organisation’s president at its September elective congress, could face an uphill battle because of pre-determined regional elections, according to Safa’s former CEO Dennis Mumble.
Bailey announced his bid to unseat the embattled Jordaan at the weekend, saying the association needs a change of leadership.
But Mumble is sceptical about Bailey’s chances, saying that with less than six months to go, he may be too late to mount a successful challenge with Safa’s regions already possibly manipulated in favour of Jordaan, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth term.
“I’m not sure exactly how much work he has done in the regions,” Mumble told Sowetan on Monday. “It’s okay for candidates to announce, but unless they actually canvass the regions and have support across the provinces, they won’t stand much of a chance.
“The likelihood of [Bailey] being elected becomes a bit remote. Safa is in no state to conduct an election fairly and transparently. Because Safa deploys committee members who have no authority to interfere in local elections to the advantage of those who are sympathetic to Jordaan.
“I wrote an article last year about that whole process and how they actually fixed the elections way before the election date itself. By the time the elections come, everything will have been placed [in Jordaan’s favour]. He is pre-selected instead of voters selecting their candidates.
Safa is in no state to conduct an election fairly and transparently.
— Dennis Mumble
“The constitution of Safa is not conducive to conducting fair elections. I think it really needs to be amended first before another election.
“There are a whole bunch of problems that are there where I see Bailey is probably not going to be successful.”
Bailey said he is aware of the challenges at Safa, which will make his candidacy difficult, but he added that he is ready to fight.
“I know [I’m facing an uphill battle], but I’m here. I fought apartheid. I was part of the group of young people who destroyed apartheid,” Bailey said.
”If this is going to be my next challenge, my next side of struggle, then so be it.
“I was already removed from the delegation of Sascoc [South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee]. If I get defeated, then it’s fine, but we need to change the brand of Safa so that it can become the people’s brand.”
Asked whether he has already received support from the regions, especially the Western Cape, Bailey said it was still early days.
“I’ve received some support, and I’m saying this is early days. The marathon has just started. You cannot sprint the marathon or determine the winner in the first 100m. We just started now.
“Anything can happen; it [the congress] is about six months away.
“I’m raising my hand and I’m going out there to win. If I don’t win, tough luck.”
Bailey is the latest Safa vice-president to fall out with Jordaan after Ria Ledwaba, who was ousted after she challenged for the presidency four years ago.
Sowetan
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