We apologise unreservedly to members of the media for impeding their work: SAFA

“I think it is the first time in my long memory of football and we do not want it to happen again,” adding that members of the media are valuable partners and similar unsavoury scenes cannot be allowed to happen ever again.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has unreservedly apologised to members of the media following an incident they call 'unfortunate' that happened on Friday, in Sandton, ahead of the association's elective congress.

Following a press conference, a heated exchange - filmed by eNCA sports journalist Hloni Mtimkhulu, took place between a national executive committee member and other members of the media, which led to a spat between the two parties, and Mtimkulu having to fend off a SAFA official.

Have Safa acknowledged that members of their own executive were trying to intimidate members of the media?

What gives this man the right to use his body to push me back while I'm working, trying to take MY PHONE out of MY hands when I'm recording AT A MEDIA EVENT?! https://t.co/BEjsfADUoG

— ✨ Hloni Mtimkulu ✨ (@HloniMtimkulu) June 25, 2022

“You know that my own history is a history of struggle for freedom of the press, freedom of speech and therefore as an institution, as an organisation we have to apologise for what happened on Friday," said Danny Jordaan - shortly after his re-election to SAFA President on Saturday.

“I think it is the first time in my long memory of football and we do not want it to happen again,” adding that members of the media are valuable partners and similar unsavoury scenes cannot be allowed to happen ever again.

SAFA says it has also directly spoken to and apologised to the members of the media concerned.

This article first appeared on EWN : We apologise unreservedly to members of the media for impeding their work: SAFA

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