Both the South Africa Football Association's (Safa) vice-presidents were removed in an apparently dramatic and emotional national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Saturday.

Long-time SA football administrator Ria Ledwaba was removed by the NEC, the official reason being that she had written a letter to Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa asking for intervention in the manner in which some controversial affairs have been handled, specifically by president Danny Jordaan.

SowetanLIVE is informed that Ledwaba specifically was unhappy with the response that has come in the wake of a damning report sent to the NEC by former acting CEO Gay Mokoena.

The second vice-president removed on Saturday was Mokoena. His axing is less surprising and the official reasoning given by Safa was this was related to the report he authored.

"Don't forget the VPs are appointed by the NEC. They are not elected by the congress," Safa communications director Dominic Chimhavi said late on Saturday night, confirming the dismissals of both vice-presidents.

"And as a result the decision that was taken by the NEC was unanimous to say their contract is not serving football. It's self-serving.

"And as a result it was resolved, unanimously, that they should be removed from their positions."

SowetanLIVE is informed the matter of Ledwaba's letter to the sports minister was raised by Mthethwa in an online Zoom meeting that was also attended by Jordaan.

Chimhavi confirmed the letter was the reason for Ledwaba's dismissal.

"Ja, but you know, football matters are resolved within football. You can't ask for political interference," he said.

"And if you do that you are breaching one of the fundamental laws of the game."

Mokoena had been asked to stand down by Jordaan after several differences between the two, which the acting CEO did on April 15.

A detailed report making several allegations against Jordaan sent by Mokoena to Safa's NEC was subsequently leaked to the media.

Chimhavi was asked for confirmation that Mokoena's removal as vice-president - which he had continued to occupy after standing down as acting CEO - came as a result of his damning report.

"Not a damning report - it's a report which was found to be not factual and it was dismissed as well," Chimhavi said.

The removal of the two vice-presidents apparently left Safa in a morbid atmosphere.

Successive bombshell reports making startling allegations of abuse of office against Jordaan have emerged this year, as a second, 71-page document, from former CEO Denis Mumble followed that by Mokoena.

These have apparently rocked the association to its foundation.

An insider, who did not want to be named, said there has been widespread unhappiness at the removal of Mokoena as acting CEO in April, and the manner in which the fallout from it has apparently been poorly dealt with.

This comes at a time when impending retrenchments, which have been denied by Safa, are apparently imminent at the cash-strapped association in the midst of the economic fallout from the coronavirus.