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Story audio is generated using AI Allegations of fraud, vote-buying, and forgery continue to dog the much-anticipated SA Football Association elective congress, which takes place in Midrand tomorrow. As Safa president Danny Jordaan faces his challenger, AmaZulu owner Sandile Zungu, Sowetan has been told of fresh claims of attempts to influence some of the more than 300 delegates who will cast their ballots. “Just this week, there was an official caught red-handed with R100,000 in cash, which was supposed to influence one region,” a Safa NEC official claimed but requested they not be named because a police case was in the process of being filed. There were also claims of forged signatures emanating from a regional congress at the Sarah Baartman region in the Northern Cape and belated attempts to change the delegation from the Amajuba region in KwaZulu-Natal. “All that failed, and the delegates are coming to congress,” the official added. Interestingly, NEC members also confirmed receiving due honoraria payments for the first time in two years, with over R150 000 deposited into their accounts last week. But the biggest controversy, which could come to the fore when the NEC meets today (Friday) ahead of tomorrow’s poll, has centred on Safa chief executive Lydia Monyepao allegedly distributing a pack containing amended statutes that had not been agreed to. Monyepao, it has emerged, has since apologised to the Safa regions for what she called a genuine error, but that did not stop NEC member Lebogang Riet from laying criminal charges against her. “The CEO [Monyepao] lied again, trying to correct her initial mistake,” said Riet of an article which was sent to membership last week, which stated incumbent Jordaan could be nominated by any region instead of his home branch, as per the known statutes. “There was no statute which she quoted from. That’s why she couldn’t tell us where she took that extract from. There’s no Safa statute like that,” Riet told Sowetan yesterday. “They have already used this statute to eliminate people who go on the ballot. We are not planning drama, but drama might come from them [Safa’s hierarchy] because we are just here to defend our constitution and make sure things are done according to the constitution.” Riet said he won’t withdraw the case he opened against Monyepao. “I am waiting for action from the police, and our lawyers have already interacted with them,” said the chairperson of Force For Change, which backs Zungu. But Jordaan, it is believed, has been laying the groundwork for longer, having campaigned for two years, while Zungu’s train only started rolling this year. In spite of that, Riet echoed the AmaZulu owner’s belief that their faction would win. “We are very positive that our man will emerge. We’ve worked very hard to mobilise people who will vote for him,” he said. Zungu expressed reservations this week about attempts to buy delegates, although he did not provide specific evidence. “Notwithstanding all this, we will win convincingly,” he said. Click here to join Sowetan’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered to you on the move Sowetan