Chaos has erupted on the eve of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Elective Congress, with football’s governing body confirming that several delegates have received death threats, while key regional delegations face last-minute disqualifications.
The elective congress takes place on Saturday in Midrand, where incumbent Danny Jordaan—who has held the presidency since 2013—is facing a fierce challenge from Sandile Zungu.
Both candidates have publicly declared confidence in securing a landslide victory. However, high-voltage political maneuvering and safety concerns point to a tightly contested race under heavy security.
Tensions escalated on Friday after Manzini Zungu, an ally of Sandile Zungu, revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that two KwaZulu-Natal regions backing the challenger were disqualified shortly before the vote.
“They have just disqualified Harry Gwala Region and Amajuba KZN… you know the reason? For supporting Sandile Zungu,” Zungu posted.
In response to mounting hostility, SAFA issued an official statement confirming enhanced security measures and law enforcement involvement.
“The South African Football Association has revealed that several delegates have received death threats while others have been harassed and intimidated ahead of the SAFA Elective Congress,” the statement read.
“SAFA takes these threats very seriously, and the police will be notified accordingly. Security around the venue has been tightened.”
“These threats and intimidation are an escalation after calculated attempts to derail the Elective Congress and cast aspersions about the process failed to achieve their desired objective.”
In a bid to halt proceedings, SAFA National Executive Committee (NEC) member Bennet Bailey—who aligns with the Zungu camp—wrote to FIFA requesting an immediate postponement of the elections.
That attempt ultimately failed, with SAFA confirming the congress will proceed as scheduled following an Extraordinary NEC Meeting held in Midrand on Friday.
“The Elective Congress will go ahead as planned after weeks of planning and preparation, and SAFA will protect the right of its members to freely exercise their choice to elect leaders,” the association added.
Delegates will vote for the SAFA presidency, the National Executive Committee, and provincial office bearers. The voting body comprises delegates from SAFA 52 regions, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) as a Special Member, and recognized Associate Members. High-profile observers in attendance include representatives from FIFA, CAF, COSAFA, and SASCOC, alongside Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie.
To ensure electoral integrity, the process will be overseen by the Institute of Election Management Services in Africa (IEMSA)—a Sandton-based independent body founded in 2018 by former Electoral Commission (IEC) vice-chairperson Terry Tselane. IEMSA, which also managed the 2022 SAFA elections, will provide technical administration, voting oversight, and ballot monitoring.
