January 29 – The Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) has endorsed the candidature of South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe (pictured) for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidency, just days after FIFA concluded the vetting process for the March elections.
In a statement COSAFA said: “At a meeting of COSAFA Executive Committee on 27 January 2021, it was unanimously resolved that Dr Patrice Motsepe is the only candidate endorsed by the 14-member regional body to run for the CAF Presidency in March this year.”
“We are confident that once we take a unanimous decision to back one of our own, other members who want real change in CAF will join the winning party. In Dr Motsepe we have a candidate who will usher in a new era for African football,” said COSAFA president Phillip Chiyangwa, who once staged an infamous birthday party to rally support for the now disgraced Ahmad Ahmad.
In 2017, COSAFA was also the first block to endorse Ahmad. The regional body once again moved to back a candidate unanimously and the endorsement of Motsepe on Thursday didn’t come as surprise, but represents a first major milestone for the South African, who now enjoys the support of a block that holds 14 votes, presuming the endorsement and vote holds strong.
Motsepe is next scheduled to visit the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) to lobby for their support. Earlier this month, the mining magnate courted FA presidents and rubbed shoulders with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino on the sidelines of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Cameroon.
Motsepe announced last November that he would run in the CAF presidential elections and while he is not officially affiliated to any national association he has strong support from both SAFA president Danny Jordaan and Nigerian Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick on the campaign trail.
However, Motsepe faced some scrutiny early on when CAF said that the candidacy of the South African, along with Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya’s candidacy, needed “further checks” before they could run. Earlier this week, world federation FIFA cleared both candidates as eligible to sit on the FIFA Council – a position that comes automatically with the CAF presidency. FIFA’s Review Committee also green lighted the bids of both Ivorian Jacques Anouma and Senegal FA president Augustin Senghor.
The CAF presidential elections will take place on March 12 in the Moroccan capital Rabat.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1731840947labto1731840947ofdlr1731840947owedi1731840947sni@o1731840947fni1731840947