FORMER SA Football Association vice president Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana wants to make Bafana Bafana great again!
And Nonkonyana announced yesterday that he was prepared to run for Safa president at the SA Football Association’s congress in March, where members will vote for a new executive and president.
Said Nonkonyana yesterday: “I have been asked by certain regions if I would consider running for Safa president. I indicated I would be keen to run for president. I told them I’m ready to lead South African football to new and greater heights.”
Nonkonyana, a prominent advocate in the Eastern Cape who had two terms as Safa vice president, was expelled in October 2013 after he publicly stated that Safa should fire then Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund should he fail to reach the final of the African Nations Championship (Chan) in 2014.
Bafana failed to get past the first round of Chan, which was staged in Mzansi. The team reached the quarterfinals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations under Igesund. Nonkonyana was chairman of that tournament.
Said Nonkonyana: “I was suspended for misconduct after that statement and then expelled. But I was proved right in the end with Igesund. I did nothing wrong.”
Igesund’s contract was not renewed later that year.
Added Nonkonyana: “The matter of my expulsion as vice president will be finalised at the High Court in Joburg in the new year and will not affect my nomination to become president of Safa.”
Nonkonyana said he had plans to make Bafana great again. He said he would outline his plans once he received an official nomination to stand as Safa president.
But he added: “As early as 2006 at the Afcon in Egypt things started to go wrong for Bafana. We failed to score a goal or get a single point.
“We need to make Bafana a powerhouse again and I believe I am the man for the job. We need to run Bafana more professionally and generate money for the national team.
“We need to have a world class administration and produce a world class national team. I believe I can play my part in reviving Bafana and I’m energised by the support I have received.
“Now I’m ready to lead SA football back to its glory days.”
