“The Era Of Celebrating Mediocrity Is Over”: Sandile Zungu Outlines Bold Vision To Unseat Danny Jordaan
SAFA presidential candidate Sandile Zungu says “change must come, change is inevitable” as he prepares to challenge incumbent Danny Jordaan at Saturday’s electoral congress in Sandton.
AmaZulu president Zungu stated that he expects strong backing from the 11 KwaZulu-Natal regions, his home province. This comes despite Jordaan visiting the province last weekend at the Maharani Hotel, where nine of those 11 regions declared their support for Jordaan’s re-election bid.
Seeking a fourth term in office, Jordaan also traveled to the Eastern Cape, securing backing from six of the eight regions in that province.
Speaking at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton on Monday, Zungu emphasized the urgent need to fix SAFA’s governance and professionalize refereeing, delivering a passionate manifesto:
This election will create supporters and opponents. That is democracy. But the election lasts one day. The morning after, football must continue.
Change must come; change is inevitable. When I emerge and am entrusted with the responsibility of leading SAFA, I will work with those who supported me and those who did not.
I will not spend four years settling campaign scores. I will, however, be a tough taskmaster. People will be held accountable. Plans will be implemented. Resources will produce outcomes.
The election must end. The work must begin. The work must be bigger than Sandile Zungu.
I want a South African child to grow up hearing something different about our football. Not simply, “We hope to qualify.” Not, “Perhaps we can reach the knockout stages.”
The era of celebrating mediocrity is over.
I want that child to hear that we are building to win. I want every decision we make to move us towards that ambition.
Fix governance — because we want to win the World Cup.
Professionalise SAFA — because we want to win the World Cup.
Strengthen the regions — because we want to win the World Cup.
Rebuild schools football — because we want to win the World Cup.
Develop women’s football — because we want to win the World Cup.
Produce better coaches and referees, implement VAR properly, use our stadiums better, attract investment and rebuild the relationship between football and communities — because South Africa intends to win the World Cup.
Not one of them. Both of them. The FIFA Men’s World Cup. The FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Why not South Africa?
We have the talent. We have the infrastructure. We have the history. We have the passion. We have the football culture.
What we now need is the system. What we now need is the leadership.
What we now need is the mission.
Let us restore trust. Let us fix the system. Let us grow the game.
And let us build a South Africa capable of becoming the undisputed number one football nation on the continent and the first nation in the world to win both the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups.
Thank you.
