With incumbent Molefi Olifant stepping down as president of Safa, his successor will, by this time next year, be holding the strings of a purse containing the profits from next year's Fifa showpiece. While the exact amount is obviously still up in the air, one can only go on the figures of the last event, the 2006 showpiece held in Germany. The DFB (the German Football Association) pocketed some 56.5 million Euros (roughly R600-million) after the event. The entire 2006 World Cup netted 140-million Euros (R1530 m) of which Fifa got R440-million and the German government pocketed R480-million in taxes. The DFB president Theo Zwanziger said at the time that they would use its share to serve the public good, otherwise they would risk of losing their association status. "The money is linked to community service projects. We cannot turn those funds over to an operating business. We're not a joint-stock company. We'll have to talk to the League." Safa's 52 regions go to the polls in Kempton Park tomorrow and, judging on media reports, LOC CEO Danny Jordaan and PSL chairman Irvin Khoza are the main contenders for the top post although Kirsten Nematandani has also been nominated by the Football Transformation Forum (FTF). Contenders for the two Safa vice-presidential spots which are up for grabs could be the pro-Khoza duo of Nakedi Lekota and Mubarak Mohamed and Mwelo Nonkonyana and Mandla Mazibuko who are said to be backing Jordaan. Safa was asked by Fifa to postpone the elections until after the World Cup, in order to give continuity in overseeing the event, however Safa declined, stating that it would be unconstitutional as the elections had to be held every four years. Molefi's reasons for stepping down have not been made clear, which adds to the intrigue. The bitterness surrounding the poll is also reflected in the fact that Safa is to hear two protests tomorrow involving the validity of Khoza and Jordaan's nominations to stand as candidates, before voting begins. Their standings are being contested on the basis that they are allegedly currently employed by Safa and thus ineligible in terms of the association's constitution. Jordaan's supporters say Khoza should be disqualified due to his links with the PSL and the Iron Duke's backers point to the fact that Jordaan is part of the 2010 LOC. Safa's CEO Raymond Hack has already confirmed that Nematandani is also in the running for the post, however most observers do not rate his chances highly.
