Safa: We did nothing wrong

Johannesburg - The SA Football Association (Safa) leadership will later this month decide on the new date for its congress – but it won’t be six months from now.

Safa has called a special congress on April 28 to ratify its statutes on the electoral code and set a new date for the congress.

“We will have a new date for the elections at that extraordinary congress, where we will also amend some of the things in the electoral code,” said Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble.

Presidential nominee Ace Ncobo had accused Safa of a “gross violation” of the process of electing a new president, saying the association flouted its own statutes.

But on Thursday, at a hastily arranged press conference, Mumble fired a salvo at those who questioned the statutes of the association, and said they were spreading propaganda and lies for their own interest.

“We are still playing football despite the small matter of the elections. Football continues to grow,” said Mumble.

He said Safa aligned its electoral calendar with Fifa’s in 2015.

“We did nothing wrong. The Safa electoral code has been on our website for five years. Why is it suddenly controversial now and there are claims of misconduct? We’ve always done things by the book.”

Mumble denied the association postponed last weekend’s elective congress because it did not comply.

“I want to reiterate that the reason for the postponement of our elective congress was at the recommendation of our [new] electoral committee.

They could not complete the work that needed to be done in just three days,” said Mumble.

He revealed the names of eight members of the audit committee, which would be chaired by Advocate McCaps Motimele, and said the next process after the congress would be the vetting of candidates.

Last week, Fifa sent its envoy Véron Mosengo-Omba to hold talks with Ncobo and the Safa leadership.

Mumble said Fifa did not order Safa around, but allowed it to follow its own statutes.

Meanwhile, the Safa leadership has questioned the motive behind Jennifer Ferguson’s rape allegations against president Danny Jordaan.

Safa confirmed that its national executive committee would support Jordaan, saying that he was innocent until proven guilty.