Tankiso Modipa Reveals Why Sandile Zungu Is ‘Not Ready’ For SAFA Presidency

Football Transformation Forum's Tankiso Modipa revealed to SportsBoom that they were invited to a meeting disguised as a potential funding opportunity, only to be met by presidential candidate Sandile Zungu, who then proposed to them why he is the right candidate for the job. 

However, Modipa emphasised that Zungu’s proposal further revealed that he is not ready for the role.

The Meeting

The South African Football Association’s (SAFA) Elective Congress is set to take place next week, where two presidential candidates, Dr Danny Jordaan and Sandile Zungu, will learn of their fate for the next term.

Modipa and the Football Transformation Forum have been very clear about their support for the experienced Jordaan to continue for the next term.

Although Modipa revealed to SportsBoom that he had travelled to Johannesburg last Thursday for a potential sponsor meeting alongside FTF leaders, he was surprised to discover that Zungu would be leading the gathering in an attempt to make his case for why he believes he is the right man for the job.

Zungu also pleaded with the FTF to help facilitate a meeting between himself and his rival, Jordaan.

The FTF listened to his proposal, but it ultimately failed to convince Modipa or the organisation's leaders, further raising doubts over Zungu's suitability for the position.

“We met with Mr Zungu on Thursday as the leaders of the Football Transformation Forum, and we could clearly see that he doesn't understand the setup of SAFA,” Modipa told SportsBoom.co.za.  

“We were called to the meeting that was facilitated by some people. I don't want to mention the people who facilitated the meeting; that was requested then by Mr Zungu to meet the leadership of the Football Transformation Forum." 

“Actually, we were not aware that we were going to meet him because we were told that there would be someone who would like to sponsor and give some money to our football." 

“As FTF, we are certain that we are going to win the elections. So any kind of sponsor for football is welcome. So I went down to Johannesburg. I met with some of my comrades, and we went there. To our surprise, there he was, Mr Zungu, and we said, Okay, no problem, we’ll engage him." 

“Let's listen to what he wants to say because he only wanted us to listen to him. So we listened. So first of all, Mr Zungu explained who he is because we don't know him." 

“We heard first time about him when the other lobby group, which is SOS, requested him to stand. We know him just as an Amazulu owner. So, he explained his credentials, where he comes from, etc." 

“The key areas that he was mentioning, he didn't actually convince us. I won't go into details. He actually wanted us to facilitate a meeting with Dr Jordaan so that they can talk, and at least we give him an opportunity as Football Transformation Forum to lead SAFA, to change the way SAFA is operating. But it was all about business.”

Zungu Is Not Ready

Modipa highlighted that Zungu’s proposal showed that he is a skilled and experienced businessman. 

However, Modipa and the FTF do not believe that is enough to lead SAFA.

Whereas with Dr Jordaan, he has the experience of working inside SAFA, a feat that Modipa believes carries more weight than business skills in terms of leading SAFA in the upcoming term.

“(Dr Jordaan) is someone who has experience, has led the region now for the fourth time, and has been in SAFA since 2005, at all structures. I could say that it's going to be a mission impossible for Mr Zungu to lead SAFA,” Modipa said.

“But on the business side, (Zungu has) very good ideas, and I think with his business experience and qualities that he has in business, he can be an asset and contribute well to SAFA. But to lead SAFA, it will require more than that." 

“He needs at least two to three terms, serving at lower structures. He didn't mention anything that has to do with the core business of SAFA.”

Modipa further revealed that they told Zungu they can facilitate the meeting with Jordaan, but it would be useless considering that the FTF is behind Jordaan to lead for a fourth term.

“We tried to say, look, we can facilitate a meeting with Dr Jordaan, but our position is clear as FTF: we have our candidate; you were introduced by our opposition, which are our enemies. So, we don't think that will work,” he said.

“Unfortunately, based on what we grasped from his presentation, he's not yet ready to lead SAFA.”