EXTRA TIME: ‘Safa is a democratic organisation,’ says Danny Jordaan after 4th re-election as president

After his re-election as Safa president Danny Jordaan chastised journalists, declared his support for Fifa counterpart Gianni Infantino and was noncommittal about whether this was his last term in charge.

South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan will continue in his role for another four years after fending off a challenge from AmaZulu owner and businessman Sandile Zungu . He has held the position since 2013.

The 75-year-old received 157 votes to comfortably win the elective race held in Midrand on Saturday, 12 September. Zungu received 82.

During a press conference which took place eight hours after members of the media were advised to arrive at the venue by Safa, Jordaan delivered a 25-minute monologue in which he threw jabs at journalists for supposedly being pawns in Safa’s internal battles. He also highlighted some of the positives in South African soccer during his 13-year tenure.

These ranged from Banyana Banyana being crowned African champions for the first time, in 2022, to the boys’ U20 team winning their age-group Africa Cup of Nations title for the first time in 2025. There was also Bafana Bafana playing at the World Cup for the first time in 16 years, at the 2026 edition.

Jordaan said all these accolades are overlooked by the media and the focus is on attacking him and Safa instead.

However, it is also a fact that both Banyana Banyana and Bafana Bafana have had public spats with Safa about a number of issues during Jordaan’s time in charge, while some junior teams have complained about poor preparations for major assignments.

Which implies that the teams’ successful on-field displays are not wholly due to Safa. They have achieved what they have despite the boardroom shenanigans and power struggles that regularly take place at Safa House in Nasrec.

After his monologue Jordaan was asked why he had decided to stand for re-election again, after he had said the 2022-to-2026 term would be his last.

“I don’t appoint myself in Safa, even if you think that way. Safa is a democratic organisation. Tomorrow [the members] can have a vote of no confidence in me and I’m out. Or I can decide that I want to go and they say no. So, you must really ask them why I am still here,” Jordaan said.

The 75-year-old former Nelson Mandela Bay mayor also chastised Zungu’s campaign and its backers, saying it was based on tarnishing his and Safa’s reputation. In previous campaigns his challengers had used the same modus operandi, he said.

“When you run an election campaign you must present your case, then I must present my case. Your case must be better than mine. Then the people will be the judges. They will decide which path is better than which,” Jordaan stated.

“However, that’s not the case. The tendency is to believe that if I can smear the organisation, or individuals within the organisation, it will strengthen my case and I will win. Which is very unfortunate. Then after the election, those things are not said anymore,” he added.

While Jordaan took that route, Zungu was gracious in defeat.