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Cape Town - Investigations into "State Capture" in South Africa is now commendably in full swing, but when it comes to what might be termed "Soccer Capture" there is scant indication that the issue of eliminating situations where personal interests overtake those of an organisation, has not as much as got off the ground.
And in what will amount to little more than a mock election later this month, SAFA president Danny Jordaan is now virtually certain to be re-elected head of South African soccer's controlling body amid allegations of a "soccer capture".
This has emerged following SAFA's recent announcement that only two nominations had been accepted for the hot potato presidential election, with Jordaan being nominated by 52 regional associations and former top referee Ace Ncobo the choice of a mere one association.
In the process a whole host of other potential nominations, who include former Gauteng premier, business tycoon and anti-apartheid fighter Tokyo Sexwale, former Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe, suspended SAFA vice-president Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana and deposed Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba, have all fallen by the wayside after being declared invalid to stand as SAFA president because they were not affiliated to the national body at this juncture.
Sexwale, who was considered by many the most viable candidate to oppose Jordaan, said he was not interested in becoming involved in a dog fight and had only declared his interest in the SAFA presidency to assist South African soccer - and on the proviso his election was unanimous.
It was curious that while SAFA viewed him ineligible for the presidential election, Sexwale is in notably good standing with world controlling body FIFA, who only recently appointed him to head a vital commission investigating the thorny issue of Israeli-Palestinian soccer relations.
Sexwale, in the process, has left little doubt about how he felt by the under-current of intrigue and controversy declaring that "anyone who believes there is nothing wrong with South African soccer should have his head read."
Nonkonyana, who at one point said he would throw his weight behind Sexwale in order to improve the chances of meaningful change within SAFA, has now reverted to joining the presidential battle in his own right by taking the matter of nominations to the law courts.
But at this point it would appear that Jordaan is untouchable, with Ncobo only a token candidate despite his commendable reputation as a top referee and involvement at one point in the Absa Premiership administration - and this despite what many see as SAFA's failure to elevate flagship Bafana from their current 77th world ranking and guide the national side to World Cup and African Nations Cup qualification.
Soccer capture? There is something familiar about what is happening!
