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No last-minute surprises in Morocco: Safa expects Patrice Motsepe to become Caf president on Friday

Patrice Motsepe and Danny Jordaan during the Dr Patrice Motsepe CAF Manifesto launch at Sandton Convention Centre on February 25 2021 in Johannesburg.
Patrice Motsepe and Danny Jordaan during the Dr Patrice Motsepe CAF Manifesto launch at Sandton Convention Centre on February 25 2021 in Johannesburg.
Image: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images

The SA Football Association (Safa) anticipates no last-minute hitches to the deal that was agreed on that will see Patrice Motsepe elected president unopposed at the Confederation of African Football's (Caf) 43rd General Assembly in Morocco on Friday.

Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe‚ who has arrived in Rabat‚ Morrocco for the assembly‚ which also serves as the elective congress for the presidency and Caf and Fifa Council positions‚ said he expects Motsepe’s election to be confirmed between noon and 1pm South African time.

A deal was concluded over the past month that saw Motsepe’s rivals – Senegal’s Augustin Senghor‚ Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya and Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast – withdraw their candidacies in exchange for leadership and executive positions. Senghor and Yahya have been offered vice-presidencies‚ and Anouma an advisory role.

The General Assembly is due to start at 10am Moroccan time‚ which is 11am in South Africa.

Motlanthe said the process‚ given Motsepe will not have opposition candidates‚ is for him to stand unopposed. That means the 54 African football association heads will forego the formality of the voting process.

“Alone it will not be a question of voting for confirmation. Because once there is confirmation that there is no contender then in terms of the constitution he is pronounced the incumbent‚” Motlanthe said.

He said he expects Motsepe’s election to be confirmed at before 1pm in SA.

“Remember at 10am [Morocco time] there is the congress agenda‚ so I think I think it should be done between 11 and 12 [Morrocco time‚ 12pm and 1pm SA time]‚” Motlanthe said.

Safa’s CEO said Motsepe has arrived in Rabat. He said no backtracking or hitches are expected from the deal agreed with Senghor‚ Yahya and Anouma.

After the conclusion of selecting the president‚ the Caf executive committee is elected. Then Caf’s six representatives at the Fifa Council are voted on (one of the vice-presidents also serves automatically). Following that the various Caf committees are elected.

Motlanthe’s expectation of a presidential outcome by 1pm in SA‚ however‚ may be ambitious.

Caf’s official running order includes addresses‚ roll call‚ an activity report since the previous assembly‚ presentation of the audited accounts‚ report of the audit committee‚ approval of the annual revised budget‚ appointment of auditors‚ and proposals for amendments to statutes as preceding the presidential matter.

Motlanthe said‚ with plenty of intense campaigning ongoing for executive and committee positions on the day before the congress such jockeying has been what he has encountered in Rabat‚ more than congratulations on Motsepe’s imminent election.

Caf has said the General Assembly will be broadcast on its YouTube channel (Caf TV) and other official digital platforms.