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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA has congratulated the new Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe and pledged its full support for the new African football boss.
Motsepe was elected unopposed as the new Caf president last Friday after his challengers pulled out of the race in a deal brokered by Fifa president Giovanni Infantino.
Zifa board member Philemon Machana thanked all those that made it possible for the South African to become Caf president, including the other candidates, who stepped aside for Motsepe to ascend to the most powerful position in football administration on the African continent.
Machana attended the Caf Congress together with Zifa president Felton Kamambo in Rabat, Morocco, last Friday. It was at this meeting that Motsepe was confirmed as the new Caf president.
“We thank everyone who made this a reality, including the contribution of those that later saw our vision. We are grateful the majority later changed tact and bought into the vision, including the competitors of the new Caf president who unselfishly chose to support the best man available for the job.
We say well done to Motsepe. We as Zifa will do whatever we can to support his tenure and vision for the development of the game in Africa,” said Machana.
Machana said they take credit together with their South African and Nigerian counterparts for Motsepe’s ascendency to the Caf presidency.
“It’s Safa (South African Football Association), Zifa and Nigeria whicc made the Motsepe dream a reality. After 48 countries had been railroaded to endorse Ahmad, Zifa refused to do the so. Should Zifa had done that Motsepe would not have found sufficient nominators to stand in the election as one can’t nominate two candidates for the same post,” Machana said.
Zifa chose to back Motsepe because of his passion for football as well as his astuteness in the business world.
“We went for Motsepe because of his rich reputation as a professional, a deal broker, stable family man and a football mad individual whose footprints in both commerce and sport are there for all to see.
This gentleman, who is a philanthropist of note, is easy going, firm and effective. We rather celebrate what the incumbent Caf president is going to do for our football with his team of dedicated men and women.” – @Mdawini_29
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter