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- The former SAFA vice-president called on FIFA to act on the controversial association whose offices were raided by the Hawks earlier this month.
- The Hawks' raid relates to a criminal case they are investigating around allegations that SAFA president Danny Jordaan used the association's money for personal gain.
- Ledwaba has been involved in a protracted fight with SAFA, which initially saw the association label her persona non grata, only to lift the ban. She is demanding that SAFA apologise to her.
- For more sport news, go to the News24 Sport front page.
Ria Ledwaba was in fighting mood on Wednesday when she called on world football governing body FIFA to disband the leadership of the South African Football Association (SAFA) and install a normalisation committee.
The former SAFA vice-president is involved in a protracted legal battle against the association she deputised for from 2018 until 2022, when she failed to topple Danny Jordaan in the race for SAFA's presidency.
Ledwaba challenged the constitutionality of the organising surrounding the 2022 elections, arguing that the process was flawed – and thus, the elections ought to be declared null and void.
The Pretoria High Court ruled against Ledwaba, but she has taken the matter on appeal, which is why it then came as a surprise to her and her legal team to receive a letter from SAFA on 6 March banning her from all football activities and declaring her persona non grata.
Ledwaba's lawyers wrote to SAFA challenging that ban, which was based on the ruling of Judge John Holland-Muter because since the matter has been taken on appeal, that ruling has been suspended.
Instead of responding to the lawyers, SAFA instead wrote back to Ledwaba on 20:20 on Tuesday telling her they have lifted the ban but added a disclaimer that hinted that the battle is far from over.
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"…(B)y virtue of the fact that you are nowhere within the structures of SAFA with no locus standi and as such we have no jurisdiction over you, we regret having sent you the letter dated 06 March 2024 which is hereby withdrawn," SAFA, through their chief executive Lydia Monyepao, wrote to Ledwaba.
"However, if and when you wish to become active in South African football or any of its structures, then we reserve our right to take the appropriate legal action in terms of the SAFA Statutes and regulations."
Ledwaba and former SAFA chief executive Leslie Sedibe slammed the association for the handling of the matter.
"This is a demonstration of an organisation that has collapsed completely. They don't know what they are doing. I don't even believe that this decision, for persona non grata was taken by the NEC (National Executive Committee)," said Ledwaba.
The first woman to own a professional club in South African football, and also the first to be SAFA's vice-president, is going ahead, full steam with her fight with the association.
"I want my lawyers to write to SAFA and ask for a public apology," said Ledwaba.
"They have to apologise to me, South Africans, Africans and to the world – to say that they made a mistake. They must go out there and apologise. I want that apology.
"They have defamed me. I am being portrayed as someone who is hungry for power and angry because I have lost the elections. That's what they put in the letter (on 6 March). Nowhere in my dispute have I spoken about the elections, whether someone won or not. It's all about corporate governance."
Sedibe was less diplomatic. "Mr Jordaan, I am not going to call him doctor. Danny boy, we demand an apology. You must unreservedly apologise to Ms Ria Ledwaba, and you must explain to the people of South Africa why you took such an irresponsible decision together with the members of the NEC," said Sedibe.
The Ledwaba ban and U-turn come on the heels of the Hawks' raiding the SAFA's offices.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation seized a laptop, external hard drives, a USB and documents. This relates to a criminal case they are investigating around allegations that Jordaan used the association's money for personal gain in appointing a security company for himself without following proper procurement procedures before the 2018 elections.
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The second matter regards the appointment of Grit Communications to handle the association's public relations, but those with knowledge of the matter allege that the firm was appointed to defend Jordaan following accusations by former ANC Member of Parliament Jennifer Ferguson.
William Mooka, who opened the criminal case, also wrote to FIFA along with Gay Mokoena to lay a complaint about how Jordaan is running the association.
Mooka and Mokoena's complaint highlights governance failures from the association and also adds the accusation that SAFA money was used for Jordaan's personal gain.
It's because of those allegations, mixed with the Hawks raid that Ledwaba called on FIFA to disband the leadership of SAFA and install a normalisation committee while the association is cleaned up and new leaders are restored.
"I can say to SAFA if they are listening to me, wherever they are, you will not be able to silence me. The issues that I raise will remain a thorn for the organisation," said Ledwaba.
"I am calling on FIFA. I saw that CAF wrote a letter. But I am calling on FIFA, I am saying to FIFA, you have done it in many federations where there is mismanagement of funds and poor governance in a federation.
"They come and establish what they call a normalisation committee. Meaning that they normalise the federation, so that they can have checks and balances (for good governance). They have done it to many federations in the world. I am calling on them to do exactly that. Let's save our football."
The alleged use of SAFA's money for the president's personal gain are grounds for FIFA to act, having done so in various parts of the continent and the rest of the world.
That's why the Confederation of African Football also said they were "concerned" by what is happening at SAFA and the reputational damage because of the raid. CAF instructed SAFA to write a report and convince them that the association and Jordaan "at no stage and under no circumstances violated or breached the CAF and FIFA statutes and regulations".
Mooka and Mokoena copied CAF into the complaint they sent to FIFA. None of these bodies did anything about the complaint.
"I am saying the first thing that FIFA must do, they must look at the constitution of SAFA," said Ledwaba.
"Does it really serve the purpose of football or do they serve the purpose of an individual? An individual who puts things there, brings things there and changes things. I don't know how many times that constitution has been changed. Where have you seen a Constitution that is changed every year, before the elections?"
