The race for the SAFA presidency could be decided by a relatively small swing in votes when Danny Jordaan and Sandile Zungu face off at Saturday’s election.
While the two candidates remain the focus of the contest, former SAFA CEO Dennis Mumble has highlighted another crucial factor: the structure of the SAFA Congress and the enormous influence held by regional associations.
With hundreds of votes potentially available, securing support across the country’s regional football structures could prove decisive.
How Many Votes Are at Stake?
According to Mumble, the SAFA Congress has a potential voting pool of 264 votes.
However, four NEC members who were expelled have not been replaced, reducing the effective total to 260 votes.
The largest voting bloc comes from SAFA’s 52 regional associations.
Each regional association has four votes, meaning the regions collectively account for 208 votes.
That figure alone makes the regional structures arguably the most important battleground in the presidential race.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL), formally the National Soccer League, contributes another six votes, while 40 SAFA NEC members have voting rights following the restoration of their eligibility.
The numbers demonstrate just how important the wider SAFA structure will be when the ballots are cast.
Regional Associations Could Hold the Key
If either Jordaan or Zungu wants to secure the presidency, building a strong base among the regions will be critical.
Mumble highlighted several provinces with particularly significant voting power.
KwaZulu-Natal has 11 regional associations, translating into 44 votes.
The Eastern Cape has eight regions and therefore controls 32 votes, while the Western Cape has six regions, accounting for 24 votes.
Together, these major regional blocks represent a substantial portion of the available votes.
That means the presidential contest cannot simply be viewed as a national popularity battle between Jordaan and Zungu. Much of the election could be determined by support built within SAFA’s regional structures.
Why Promised Votes May Not Be Enough
Campaign teams are naturally monitoring the numbers and attempting to establish where their support lies.
But Mumble offered an important warning: having a candidate’s support pledged does not necessarily mean that vote will be delivered on election day.
According to the former SAFA CEO, delegates can indicate that they will support one candidate before ultimately making a different choice when they enter the voting process.
That makes predicting the final result particularly difficult.
Even if one campaign believes it has enough support to win, changes in voting intentions or unexpected decisions by delegates could dramatically alter the final outcome.
Jordaan’s Experience vs Zungu’s Challenge
For incumbent Danny Jordaan, familiarity with SAFA’s structures and years of involvement in the organisation could prove valuable in a contest where regional relationships matter.
Zungu, meanwhile, is attempting to turn calls for change into enough votes to challenge the incumbent.
The key question is whether opposition to Jordaan can translate into a sufficiently strong voting coalition across the 52 regional associations and other voting blocs.
With 208 votes controlled by the regions, even relatively small shifts in support could have a major impact on the final result.
Could a Few Votes Decide the Presidency?
The numbers suggest that Saturday’s election could be far tighter than headline support levels might indicate.
Campaigns may have their own assessments of the race, but the final result will depend on what delegates actually do when they vote.
The regional associations will be particularly important, with KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape among the largest voting blocs.
Ultimately, the election comes down to a simple equation: 260 effective votes, two presidential candidates and no guarantee that every promised vote will be delivered.
Will Danny Jordaan retain the SAFA presidency, or can Sandile Zungu turn the numbers in his favour and produce an upset?
Share your prediction in the comments.
