The South African Schools Football Association (Sasfa) and South African Football Association (Safa) at loggerheads

The South African Schools Football Association (Sasfa) has rebuked the intentions of its mother body, the South African Football Association (Safa) to establish a new schools football body following a fallout between the two associations.

Bad blood between the two surfaced soon after the elections of a new Safa executive in 2013, which saw Danny Jordaan elected as Safa president, ousting incumbent Kirsten Nematandani.

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Before the elections, Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza had indicated his intentions to stand for Safa president but when his credentials to stand were questioned because it would conflict with his PSL position, he backed down.

However, it was when Sasfa president Mandla ‘Shoes’ Mazibuko’s declared his candidacy as an alternative to Jordaan and Khoza which irked Jordaan and his Safa executive, who felt betrayed and wondered how a son of Safa could stand against the father in crucial elections.

Relations between Safa and Sasfa and between Jordaan and Mzibuko have soured ever since, and Safa is known to have been trying to remove Mazibuko and when this failed they thought it was best to get rid of Sasfa as a whole.

Sasfa has since been kicked out of Safa House and they are currently operating from Cosatu House. Safa and Sasfa have been in and out of court over Safa’s decision to establish a new schools football body and will be returning in a matter of weeks.

Mazibuko called an urgent meeting of the Sasfa executive to discuss this issue and map a way forward for the association. They announced a number of wide ranging resolutions in a bid to restore the authority of Sasfa in schools football and place it in the centre of football development in the country. “Sasfa remains the authentic voice and body of schools football and a significant contributor to football development in South Africa,” said Mazibuko.

“Following several months of misinformation that seek to sow confusion and disunity among the schools’ football community, we wish to assure our members, sponsors and broader South Africans that Sasfa remains the only authentic voice for schools football.

“It’s fully supported by fraternal bodies such as the [ National] Association of School Governing Bodies and the largest teachers union, Sadtu, among others,” said Mazibuko.

Three prominent Sasfa officials are believed to have crossed the floor to Safa. They are the two vice presidents, Dickson Moleko and Innocent Sirhova, along with suspended secretary general Steve Pila. They are believed to be spearheading the formation of the new school’s football body being established by Safa.

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“This is a parallel structure that has been formed without any consultation with the leadership of Sasfa,” added Mazibuko. “Our members who are part of the parallel structure have acted without any mandate from our association or any of the constituent bodies.

“It’s our expectation as the executive that Safa will seek to reconcile with us as directed by the Sports Minister Thulas Nxesi, rather than cause further harm to an already fragile relationship between the two football bodies.”

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