South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan
(Photo Credit: SAFA.net/Facebook)
In a build-up to a crucial round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches, South African football has been rocked by news of the association’s president Danny Jordaan making a court appearance over fraud and theft charges.
Jordaan and two co-accused appeared in court on Wednesday, and were granted bail. He told the court he intended to plead not guilty to the fraud charges related to using the South African Football Association’s (SAFA) resources for personal gain, which included hiring a public relations company and a private security company without consent from the FA’s board.
The office politics come at a time when South Africa are on the verge of qualifying for the next edition of the continent’s biennial showpiece in Morocco from December 2025 to January 2026. Bafana Bafana are second in Group K, four points clear of third place side Republic of Congo. They face log leaders Uganda away on Friday and round off their campaign with a home clash against South Sudan on Tuesday.
South Africa, undefeated in four qualifying matches, still have work to do.
(Photo Credit: SAFA.net/Facebook)
These could prove tricky ties for the country that finished third in the last showpiece in Ivory Coast in 2023. Bafana Bafana needed a stoppage time goal to bank a point in the first round match against Uganda that ended 2-2 at home in September. Winless and pointless South Sudan also tested South Africa in their first round meeting in September when another optional time goal secured a 3-2 away win for the COSAFA giants.
This final round of games began on a bleak note for the Southern Africa region. Namibia, bottom of Group J and already out of contention following four straight defeats, drew 0-0 with log leaders Cameroon in a match hosted in South Africa.
There is still hope for the second-placed team in the group, Zimbabwe, to qualify. The Warriors tackle third-placed Kenya on Friday night in another match that will also be played in South Africa. Hosted just across the border from Zimbabwe, at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, the venue should provide sufficient home advantage for German coach Michael Nees to dismantle the East African nation. A draw will be sufficient for Zimbabwe to advance, while a victory will take them level with Cameroon on 11 points before they face off in Yaoundé on Tuesday in the final group game.
Walter Musona and Zimbabwe only need to avoid defeat against Kenya on Friday to qualify.
(Photo Credit: Zimbabwe Football Association/Facebook)
The other big hope for the COSAFA region lies with Botswana. The Zebras need three points from two games to reach the AFCON finals for the first time since 2012. They host bottom side Mauritania on Friday in their penultimate match, before they round off their Group C commitments with a trip to log leaders Egypt.
Should the Zebras do the business it will mark a new chapter for interim coach Morena Ramoreboli. The South African has coached his home country’s national team in the regional Cosafa Cup, but qualifying for Afcon will be his biggest achievement. He was handed the reins following Frenchman Didier Gomes Da Rosa’s resignation last month.
The Zebras of Botswana will secure their ticket to Morocco if they win at home against Mauritania on Friday.
(Photo Credit: Botswana Football Association/Facebook)
In Group G, second-placed Zambia can also take a step towards qualification with a positive result at home against log leaders Ivory Coast. They visit Sierra Leone for their final match on Tuesday.
Angola are the only side from the COSAFA region that have already qualified for Morocco 2025.
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