Safa women's rejection of Ledwaba slammed

The African Women Leaders Network has described the decision by women at Safa not to support Ria Ledwaba’s presidential bid of the organisation as a missed opportunity to transform the organisation.

Network's secretary-general Sesi Mmabatho said the women who chose to support outgoing president Danny Jordaan needed to look at the organisation in its entirety.

“You cannot have an organisation 28 years into democracy that does not believe that a woman can lead them. If Safa was a shining star in the country, we would say for now, don’t change what is not broken. But Safa is dysfunctional. We have a national team that our children don’t even know exists. It is not just about gender, it is about the right person getting the job.

“The last time Safa won anything, Madiba (Nelson Mandela) was still president...” Mmabatho said.

“Unfortunately they also depend on the same body to pay their salaries. Their position [to reject Ledwaba] is not a neutral decision…They have to tell us what is it that Danny has done for football. We need to understand that patriarchy is very shrewd. It will make you believe that the decision you are taking is your decision while it is not,” she said.

Mmabatho said the women’s decision not to back Ledwaba was an indication that SA was not moving forward.

“We have eight years before 2030, which is a target that the global community has put for gender equality. If the soccer fraternity do not take that opportunity, it is a setback,” Mmabatho said.

She said the decision to support Jordaan is an indication that there more work to be done in re-socialising people to understand that women can occupy any position in an organisation.

Black Womxn Caucus communications manager Chipo Magombo said Ledwaba was not contesting the position based on gender but on her experience, having worked in football for decades.

“When people are choosing leaders, no-one wants to see past the fact that they are females. Now women have put and extra effort to prove that they have more qualifications and experience.

"Our call on this is that remove the fact that this person is a women, see their qualifications and experience and how they can bring transformation within Safa.

“People fail to see that because of our patriarchal history. It is like a glass ceiling that individuals in organisations are failing to break,” Magombo said.

She echoed Mmabatho’s view, saying not supporting Ledwaba will be a missed opportunity.

“We believe that having her within Safa will bring change in the organisation and help transform the organisation,” Magombo said.