Picture: Former SAFA CEO, Tebogo Motlanthe
By OBAKENG MAJE
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has described the reports that the former CEO, Tebogo Motlanthe is returning to the association next month as misleading and false. This comes after the reports by the Sunday newspaper.
SAFA president, Dr Danny Jordaan said the report is a complete fabrication, malicious, and devoid of any truth. Jordaan further said SAFA wishes to dismiss it with the contempt it deserves.
“There was never a conversation with Tebogo to come back to SAFA as CEO and this report boggles the mind. We had a successful SAFA NEC meeting on 9 December 2023 and at no point did this come up. The SAFA NEC appoints CEOs, and there was never such a conversation during the meeting.
“Lydia Monyepao is the SAFA CEO and we are not in the market for a new CEO. This is gossip and we wish to clarify that there is no truth in the report. There is no vacancy for a CEO at SAFA because we have a CEO,” he said.
The SAFA President and the NEC fully support CEO Monyepao and will not be deterred by attempts to destabilize her and the Association.
Meanwhile, Monyepao shared the same sentiments. She said these were just rumours.
“I have got a good working relationship with Jordaan and the NEC. In fact, I will be traveling with the SAFA president to Saudi Arabia to attend the FIFA Club World Cup and the World Football Summit in Jeddah on 21 and 22 December as invited by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.
“Our focus right now is on our football being more globally competitive. We want to make it clear that, we will not be distracted by talk of elections and we are focused on the development of women’s football, Bafana Bafana’s preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire in January, and Banyana Banyana’s pursuit of qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games,” said Monyepao.
The Guardian 