Ria Ledwaba heads to court to stop Safa elections

SA Football Association (Safa) vice-president Ria Ledwaba and her supporters have served court papers seeking to stop the Safa elections on June 25.  

Sources from within Ledwaba’s camp said this is because they allege several constitutional irregularities surrounding the elections. They allege some constitutional changes made at a March 26 ordinary congress were aimed at entrenching incumbent Danny Jordaan as president.

Ledwaba, Jordaan and Safa Tshwane president Solly Mohlabeng were announced by Safa as cleared by the governance committee to stand for the Safa presidency in the elective congress.

Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe on Tuesday sent a letter to the body’s national executive committee (NEC) informing them of the court papers being served.

“Please be informed that the vice-president of Safa, Ms Ria Ledwaba has approached the court on an urgent basis to stop the Safa elections scheduled for June 25,” Motlanthe wrote.

“The matter is between Ms Ledwaba, Safa, all members of the governance committee and the chairperson of the ethics committee justice Sisi Khampepe. This matter is brought on behalf of Ledwaba and Safa Vhembe.

“Safa has already filed a notice for an intention to oppose this matter.

“Please further note that another application to the Western Cape Division of the high court has been filed for the same intention so that the election must be postponed.”

Motlanthe wrote that Fifa and Safa statutes “prohibit taking football matters to ordinary courts. The final arbiter for sport disputes is the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)”.

Motlanthe referred to article 13.1.6 of the Safa statutes, which he said states that “any dispute requiring adjudication involving itself or one of its members ... and decisions of the member, Safa, Caf and Fifa shall come solely under the jurisdiction of the appropriate dispute resolution tribunal of the member, Safa, Caf or Fifa and that any recourse to ordinary courts is prohibited subject to Article 59.5”.

Ledwaba was reached for comment but said she could not say anything on the matter. She said she would address the court issue in her media conference on Wednesday.