Dr Danny Jordaan has been re-elected as president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), defeating challenger Sandile Zungu by a significant margin at a contentious electoral congress.
Jordaan secured 157 votes, while Zungu, the owner of AmaZulu FC, received only 82. The outcome, announced on Saturday, 12 September 2026, marks Jordaan’s fourth term leading the governing body of South African football.
The congress in Midrand followed weeks of vigorous campaigning. Jordaan, who has been at the helm since 2013, faced his toughest challenge yet, with Zungu advocating for improved governance, increased accountability, and a stronger focus on grassroots and women’s football. In contrast, Jordaan’s backers, identified with the Football Transformation Forum, highlighted the importance of continuity and recent national team achievements.
However, the election process was fraught with chaos. Days before the congress, SAFA reported that several delegates had received death threats, prompting heightened security measures. There were also allegations of vote-buying aimed at influencing regional delegates, alongside questions regarding the legitimacy of certain regional organisations, which were disqualified from voting for questionable reasons.
Further controversy emerged from a misprinted information pack released by SAFA, leading to accusations of constitutional manipulation and an apology from Chief Executive Lydia Monyepao. Some officials even lodged police complaints. Despite legal challenges aimed at postponing the congress, the event proceeded as planned, though critics, including the Save Our SAFA group, called for reform, and some associate members expressed frustration over their exclusion from the election process.
Despite these issues, delegates overwhelmingly supported the incumbent. Turning 75 this month, Jordaan’s leadership is now extended to 2030. While his previous terms have seen successes in event management and team qualifications, he has faced ongoing criticism regarding governance and is currently involved in legal proceedings over fraud allegations from 2024.
Zungu’s challenge underscores a desire for change within segments of the football community after over 13 years of Jordaan’s presidency. Although he garnered support from some regional figures, the voting dynamics favoured the incumbent due to the prevalence of votes from SAFA’s 52 regional associations.
Jordaan’s re-election comes at a crucial time for SAFA, as it faces scrutiny over finances and development issues in South African football. Stakeholders from FIFA, CAF, and government representatives attended the congress, and attention will now shift to the new National Executive Committee and the priorities for Jordaan’s leadership in the coming years.
