Sandile Zungu accepts SAFA defeat as victorious Danny Jordaan backs FIFA Forward Enterprise - 'We support Gianni Infantino, and I'll tell you why'

In the immediate aftermath of his victory, Jordaan wasted no time in aligning SAFA with the global football hierarchy, pledging his full support to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Despite the international scrutiny surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, Jordaan has positioned South Africa as a key ally for the FIFA chief ahead of next year’s elections.

The SAFA president revealed that Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe were among the first to offer their congratulations following the announcement of the results.

Jordaan was emphatic about his reasons for supporting the current FIFA administration and its commercial direction.

"We support Gianni Infantino, and I'll tell you why. The issue pertains to private investment in football business.

"In England, a lot of the teams are completely owned by corporate entities and managed by private equity.

"The Spanish La Liga is also partly owned by a private investment company. PSG is owned by a country, Qatar.

"I don't agree with the lack of consultation with the FIFA members," Jordaan stated, highlighting his stance on the changing landscape of football finance.

Sandile Zungu, the owner of AmaZulu, proved to be a dignified opponent despite a campaign that grew increasingly personal in the final weeks.

Having only launched his bid three months ago, Zungu faced an uphill battle against a Jordaan re-election machine that had been operational since late 2023.

While his "Save Our SAFA" (SOS) group managed to secure only four seats on the 41-member National Executive Committee (NEC), Zungu insisted he would not contest the legal validity of the final vote count.

Reflecting on the result and the future of the association, Zungu emphasized the need for progress over petty disputes.

"We believe that even in the face of defeat, we still believe that we have a responsibility because a lot of people's livelihoods depend on the good reputation of SAFA," he said.

"I'm very interested in the SAFA brand being elevated, and I'm not going to throw more negativity on this matter.

"Danny Jordaan heard what all our concerns are about, and I hope they will not treat the issues raised in the campaign with disdain."

The congress was not without its moments of tension, particularly during the adoption of credentials.

Zungu’s camp expressed significant frustration after several regions and associate members were disqualified shortly before voting commenced. Specifically, Amajuba and Harry Gwala from KwaZulu-Natal, alongside Pixley Ka Seme and ZFM from the Northern Cape, were barred from participating. The exclusion of these regions, which were widely expected to support Zungu, became a primary point of contention during the heated proceedings in Midrand.

While Zungu and his supporters felt aggrieved by these decisions, SAFA officials maintained that the Membership Committee had followed all necessary protocols to ensure the integrity of the process.

The victory sees Jordaan continue a tenure that began in 2013, when he took over from Kirsten Nematandani.

Addressing critics who questioned his decision to run again after previously suggesting he would step down, Jordaan argued that the democratic will of the regions must be paramount in determining the organization's leadership direction.

With the election settled, Jordaan is now looking toward the future of South African football, dismissing claims that regional structures have failed at the grassroots level.

He pointed to Bafana Bafana’s recent return from the 2026 World Cup as evidence of progress and confirmed that SAFA is already collaborating with the global governing body on long-term strategy.

"We are having a workshop with FIFA to deal with vision 2030," he noted, while defending his longevity by stating that SAFA is a democratic organization where the leadership can be challenged at any time.

Zungu, meanwhile, will return his focus to AmaZulu, the oldest club in the Premier Soccer League. Despite his electoral defeat, he remains committed to the development of the game through his club's extensive youth structures.

"I'm the president and owner of the oldest team in the PSL, and even now, AmaZulu has u/13's, u/15's, u/17's, u/19's, the reserve team and then the first team," he said.

"We also have plans to establish a women's team. I'm very passionate about development and we have invested a lot in this idea to make sure it is a flourishing thing in the AmaZulu environment.

"We don't want young people's dreams to go to waste."

Click here to read article