Kodwa hopes SAFA opens up to him

Sports Minister, Zizi Kodwa, has called for a speedy resolution to the impasse between the South African Football Association (SAFA) and its former Vice-President, Ria Ledwaba.

The association last week declared Ledwaba a persona non grata, effectively banning her from all football activity in the country.

She was being punished for taking the football governing body to court over its 2022 elections.

“It’s not a nice story to read about. I hope to get a report soon and I hope at the end there will be an amicable solution. There has been ongoing battles between Ria Ledwaba, the leadership [of SAFA] and so on and I hope those issues have nothing to do with contestations in the past,” said the Minister.

Although the Minister can’t get involved in the running of sport federations in the country, he is hopeful that SAFA do open up to him about the issue.

“I’m sure courteously, the leadership of SAFA will take it upon themselves to brief the Minister, at least to comfort me that football in the country is not affected by what I read.”

Ledwaba has indicated her intentions to challenge the ban.

Fraud claims

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has raised concern about the image and respect of the image of football in South Africa after the Hawks’ raid of the SAFA headquarters earlier this month.

The raid came after allegations of fraud and theft amounting to R1.3m were levelled against SAFA President, Danny Jordaan.

CAF says it is looking into the matter and has requested SAFA to provide it with a report that Jordaan did not breach CAF and FIFA statutes.

On Saturday, the National Executive Committee of SAFA confirmed that it plans to launch an urgent court application for a review of the search and seizure order.

The association has described the raid as unfortunate and a shame to the country’s law enforcement agencies.