CRACKS have started developing at Safa in the build-up to next year's elections following the suspension of top national executive committee member David "Brains" Zulu.

Zulu was suspended by the Safa Mpumalanga provincial executive for allegedly participating in a meeting to unseat national president Kirsten Nematandani without their consent. That meeting allegedly took place in Johannesburg two weeks ago.

Sowetan has learnt that Safa Mpumalanga is angry with Zulu for attending the gathering and for claiming that the province supported the move to oust Nematandani. Zulu was suspended after failing to attend a provincial executive committee meeting at the weekend to explain himself.

"Safa Mpumalanga is fully behind Kirsten as president, hence we suspended Brains for participating in caucuses to oust him," said a Safa official in the province, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We invited him to a meeting as the Safa Mpumalanga provincial executive, but he chose not to come to explain his actions."

Approached for comment, Zulu said: "I don't know what you are talking about, but the issue of national president should be dealt at national level." Nematandani urged Safa bosses in Mpumalanga to sort out their differences.