Just who exactly is in Tokyo Sexwale’s corner? The former political prisoner has kept everyone, including the SA Football Association (Safa), guessing at such a critical stage of the Fifa presidential elections on February 26 in Zurich.
Sexwale came out of hiding this week when he granted Metro FM an exclusive interview and fired numerous shots at his detractors using the radio platform. He later joined host Robert Marawa on one of his TV shows at SuperSport to further elaborate on why he does not have to answer to anyone regarding his presidential campaign.
Sexwale is one of five candidates gunning for world football’s top job following a 90-day suspension and subsequent eight-year ban from the beautiful game slapped on Sepp Blatter.
But the suits at Safa, who you would assume to back Sexwale all the way, are not convinced the only African contender is on the right track to success. The national executive committee members said this week they felt their candidate owed them an explanation regarding what has so far been a lacklustre election campaign. But the man of the moment couldn’t give a flying toss. He was summoned to explain himself for Safa, who believe charity begins at home as this is “their” South African candidate before anything else, only to learn that the businessman was globetrotting.
Sexwale was in Doha watching the semi-final of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 championship between hosts Qatar and South Korea while being wined and dined by Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who is also one of the five hopefuls for the Fifa presidency next month. Sexwale maintains they are bosom buddies and they will have a big party if either wins the election to succeed Blatter. He returned to Doha soon after his brief radio and television appearances and will be watching the final of the AFC championship later today.
While the other candidates have been actively trying to win over different member associations, Sexwale, despite claiming this week he, too, was busy lobbying behind the scenes, has been as quiet as a mouse in this neck of the woods. But don’t you dare ask him for the ABC’s of his manifesto and how he plans to transform a federation that has sunk deep into the claws of corruption.
“Win or lose, it is a celebration. If I win, it will be a nice thing, but if any of my colleagues, who are not my enemies and aren’t from different political parties, it is also a celebration because all of us are trying to restore Fifa as an organisation,” Sexwale quipped. “I have been absent from the country going on roadshows and meeting presidents from different football associations. I don’t have to hold press conferences about these things. You cannot give out a lot of information because this is an election like no other. Contrary to what the sceptics and ill-informed have been saying, throwing stones at my house and trying to poison the waters, I am very sure about what needs to happen.”
He wasn’t finished, folks. “My message and strategy is the following: come February 26, there should be an Asian or African president with Europe’s support. It’s not about me, but about one candidate from Asia or Africa winning.” That wasn’t convincing was it?
To be fair, some of his points were interesting and refreshing to chew on, but he has simply run out of time. For a man who has been involved with Fifa for 11 years in various capacities, Sexwale should have had us eating from the palm of his hands by sharing his ideas to turn the world governing body into a democratic organisation, for instance. But judging by reports and even murmurs within Safa corridors, Sexwale has been playing his cards too close to his chest.
I have not been schooled at Fifa like Sexwale, but I know Europe will be looking out for one of their own in Gianni Infantino, the general secretary of Uefa and a man who has already been to Africa to try and win over the CAF vote, the same endorsement Sexwale is unlikely to get. He may have been pushing for backers during his sojourn outside Africa, but he simply doesn’t get it that he owes it to his country to at least give some kind of an update to inspire a little bit of confidence.
Mr Sexwale, cease the name-dropping and give us – the only country guaranteed to welcome you back with open arms even if you fail to claim the Fifa hot seat – the time of day. - Saturday Star