Pretoria - The South African Football Association (SAFA) is considering taking disciplinary measures against certain members who have claimed that the SAFA elections last month were unconstitutional.
SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani was elected after Danny Jordaan and Irvin Khoza withdrew from the running.
According the association's Vice President, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, no delegates objected when the results were announced at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) last month.
"We reiterate that the new SAFA leadership under Kirsten Nematandani is a product of the properly constituted AGM of SAFA and as such, is legitimate. In fact it enjoys the support of the majority of the members of SAFA, the people of South Africa, as well as the leadership of CAF and FIFA," he said.
He explained that there was only a small group of members, led by Nakedi Lekota, who had left the AGM when it was clear they would not win. He said they were not the majority.
Nonkonyana said it was unfortunate that the media created an impression that the disgruntled persons constituted a majority of their regions, adding that the association rejected the report with the contempt it deserves.
SAFA Motsweding region was in dispute, but in the end a vote decided that they should be allowed into the meeting, the votes going 126 for, and 112 against, he explained.
Advocate Ishmael Semenya SC and Judge Ralph Zulman were appointed as electoral officers, but subsequently could not continue with their duties due to an issue of eligibility of both Dr Danny Jordaan and Dr Irvin Khoza.
Both the electoral officers agreed that it was not in their jurisdiction to rule on the matter and could therefore not continue with the elections, and they added that they had no authority to postpone the AGM.
To avoid further debate on the issue of eligibility, Dr Jordaan withdrew his nomination, and he was then followed by Dr Khoza, both were applauded by the AGM.
The meeting continued under the chairmanship of the then President of the association, Dr Molefi Oliphant who requested the AGM to appoint electoral officers. Two FIFA observers and two members from the floor were called to stand in.
With the matter of eligibility amicably resolved, the elections continued and Nematandani was elected the new SAFA President unopposed.
Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana and Mandla Mazibuko stood unopposed as Vice Presidents after the other members nominated for the position withdrew their candidacy.
Also duly elected were the current national executive committee members.
