Fifa sends condolences to slain Safa official Nxumalo’s family
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has written to Safa president, Danny Jordaan, to express his condolences on the tragic passing of Jabulani Nxumalo, President of the SAFA Umkhanyakude region who was assassinated on Thursday.
Gianni Infantino took over as FIFA president in 2016. AFP/File/Giuseppe CACACE
According to KZN Safa provincial chairman, Kwenzakwakhe Ngwenya, two assailants arrived at Nxumalo’s homestead and after exchanging a few words, shot Nxumalo several times before disappearing into the nearby bush on foot.
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“From what I have gathered so far, this cold-blooded assassination looked like it was a well-planned hit,” said a shocked Ngwenya, who himself survived an attempt on his life in 2018 ahead of the SAFA Elective Congress.
“This is unacceptable and barbaric behaviour. Shedding innocent blood like this is the last thing society must tolerate. People must value human life and personally, I am gutted and shocked. Nxumalo didn’t deserve to die like this,” added Ngwenya.
“Nxumalo was a loyal servant of the game and was an ardent supporter of the current leadership. Let me make it clear that these killers and their sponsors will not cow us into submission.”
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Jordaan said the murder of Nxumalo and constant growing threats against the Safa leadership are well orchestrated incidents and must stop.
“A lot of our members have been receiving all sorts of threats and we are going to report this to the police commissioner to look into these incidents. Nxumalo’s killing and the various threats on our members are not isolated incidents but well-orchestrated and this must stop,” said Jordaan.
“These latest threats started to grow in March and some disgruntled individuals even solicited the support of one political party to push a hate agenda against the elected leadership. The Safa NEC will come up with a united position after Saturday’s meeting on this disturbing trend.”
Safa CEO, Tebogo Motlanthe said: “We hope this time that the killers will be arrested. Football people cannot continue to die like this and then no one is arrested.”
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