Final SAFA presidential candidate speaks

With all eyes on incumbent Danny Jordaan and vice president Ria Ledwaba ahead of the SAFA elections next weekend, the third and final presidential candidate Solly Mohlabeng has highlighted his main pillars to transform local football and the association.

In a two-hour interview with SABC Sport earlier this week, Mohlabeng, who is also a SAFA Tshwane President, unveiled his plan to restore credibility to SAFA™s programs, and top of his list of priorities is addressing matters of governance, should he be voted in as president on 25 June.

READ: Jordaan™s SAFA competition confirmed

"As part of the transformation agenda is leadership, we have someone who's a regional president becoming a regional committee member and then an NEC member," Mohlabeng told SABC Sport.

"This person is going to go to the congress and, while there he's an NEC member, he's also got delegates coming from his region - do you think he's going to tell his president if we are out of order? It's not possible.

"I'm saying, let's have [limitations whereby] when you are a regional president, be a regional president; when you are an NEC member, be an NEC member, so that the regional leadership holds you accountable and, if you don't perform, we'll vote you out.

"That way you are given responsibility, you are not gatekeeping because, right now, we have a gatekeeping system."

READ: Ledwaba™s lawyer slams SAFA Elective Congress

With SA football sitting with thousands of football legends that are not properly trained or developed in various areas of football, Mohlabeng aims to tackle this to make them more useful in helping to raise the standard of the game.

"The legends need developing - some might be administrators, others might be coaches, others might be just a strong image, those who cannot coach or be in administration but can be an ambassador by motivating kids with just his/her presence," he added.

"In that process, you'll be able to get into and raise the profile of our school football - sometimes when you listen to Jomo [Sono] and Trott [Moloto] talking about the late Chippa [Phil Masinga] and how they were competing at school level - it's encouraging.

"Imagine having legends there, coming and assisting. But don't just send people, develop them so that when they go there, they are of value."

READ: Broos slates standard of PSL football

Mohlabeng says SAFA also needs to start getting some revenue from its own products and not only rely on sponsorships while adding that there are enough platforms for the local football mother body to prioritize job creation within its own structures.

His other aim is to push for the implementation of club licensing for more structured and progressive professional club operations, with his final pillar to ensure sustainable international and continental glory for the various national teams.

By Velile Mnyandu