McKenzie Promises SAFA Probe After World Cup Amid NEC Meeting Chaos
South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie, has assured the football fraternity that there will be a thorough investigation into the affairs of the South African Football Association (SAFA), but only after the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
McKenzie said he does not want any investigation to disrupt Bafana Bafana’s preparations for the global showpiece in USA, Canada, and Mexico in June, but vowed that once the tournament is over, authorities will leave no stone unturned in uncovering what he described as the “rot” within South African football structures.
The minister’s remarks follow the chaotic SAFA National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last weekend, which was abandoned after a heated confrontation involving NEC members Gladwin White, Emma Hendricks, Monde Montshiwa and Orapalang Setlahare at SAFA House.
Security guards initially prevented the four officials from entering the boardroom where the meeting was taking place. Although they were later allowed inside, tensions escalated shortly afterwards.
At one point during the meeting, one of the members allegedly pointed a finger at SAFA president Danny Jordaan, who was seated alongside NEC members Nastasia Chiklas and Bennett Bailey.
White and Hendricks, who represent the Northern Cape region, together with Montshiwa and Setlahare from the North West, have since been suspended, which was revealed by this publication, following a SAFA Emergency Committee meeting held on Friday night. The suspensions remain in place pending formal disciplinary charges.
During the NEC meeting, a motion was reportedly introduced by NEC member Tankiso Modipa, who also serves as the national convenor of the Football Transformation Forum (FTF). Modipa’s grouping is backing Jordaan for a fourth term in the SAFA presidential elections scheduled for later this year.
However, the Safeguarding of South African Soccer (SOS) movement has strongly opposed Jordaan’s bid for a fourth term — a stance that has intensified tensions within SAFA structures.
The latest decision by the SAFA Emergency Committee — which still needs to be ratified by the NEC — prompted McKenzie to issue stern warnings, indicating that the matter could be escalated to continental and global governing bodies, including Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.
The emergency meeting was also expected to discuss the approval of SAFA’s 2024/2025 audited annual financial statements, a matter believed to have been at the centre of the disputes that triggered the confrontation during last weekend’s NEC meeting.
Speaking to Inside African Football about the situation, McKenzie said launching an investigation now would be inappropriate given the national team’s commitments.
“I love to do things thoroughly,” said McKenzie.
“Starting any investigation now will be hampered by excuses of non-availability because of World Cup commitments.”
With the FIFA World Cup less than three months away, the minister believes any probe into the NEC meeting altercation could delay proceedings and create further disruption to Bafana Bafana’s preparations for the tournament.
