Sexwale tempted by election challenge to sort out South African FA
PRETORIA: Anti-apartheid campaigner turned millionaire businessman Tokyo Sexwale is considering whether to challenge Danny Jordaan next month for the presidency of the South African Football Association writes KEIR RADNEDGE.
Sexwale, an unsuccessful candidate for the leadership of world federation FIFA two years ago, admitted his interest after he was named as a potential candidate by the National Football Consultative Forum lobby group.
At international level Sexwale was the subject of controversy over his leadership of a FIFA monitoring group trying in vain to come up with a compromise solution to the disputes between the football associations of Israel and Palestine.
As for the domestic sphere, Sexwale said that he would consider stepping forward only if unity appeared possible between warring factions within SAFA.
He told local media: “SAFA is a house divided and, as a champion of unity, I cannot play a role of helping them to continue being divided. People will say, ‘here is a man who fights for unity globally, but can’t do it at home’. If they approach me as a united front, I will do it without any hesitation.
“I have a record and reputation to protect: the last thing I want is to perpetuate the current divisions we see in our football. I’m the one who stood for the unity of Fifa. I don’t want to add to the divisions.
“I’m not a power monger. I have achieved a lot in life. My commitment to and support of South African football is beyond question and my record speaks for itself.”
Sexwale insisted he still believed in the power of sport to change lives and bring people together.
He added: “In this Mandela centenary celebration year, football must rise to that challenge.
“There are divisions everywhere. Whoever thought there would be divisions in the ANC? The startling thing is that that’s where we are suffering. Even churches and political organisations are divided. The ANC has disappointed many people and we cannot afford that in football.”
The country’s ruling ANC is pressuring controversial state President Jacob Zuma to stand down.
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