Two Ghanaians have asked the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to initiate a continental process to review the suitability of Confederation of African Football (CAF), President Patrice Motsepe.
They cited what they call a contradiction between CAF’s anti-discrimination stance and his South African nationality amid recurring xenophobic violence.
The petition, addressed to the GFA President through the Executive Council, was filed by political activist Solomon Owusu and Andrew Appiah-Danquah, Esq.
It argued that CAF, as “one of Africa’s most visible continental institutions,” promotes African unity and rejects discrimination, and that its president serves “not merely as an administrator but as a symbol of African unity.” The petitioners contend that South Africa’s record on xenophobia weakens that symbolism.
“This Petition is not directed against Dr. Patrice Motsepe on account of his nationality, race, or personal background,” the document stated.
It continued: “Neither is it a challenge to his business achievements or personal accomplishments.
Rather, it is founded upon the growing contradiction between CAF’s stated commitment to African unity and inclusion and the continuing association of its highest office with a state that has, over many years, become associated in the minds of many Africans with recurring xenophobic hostility toward fellow Africans.”
The petition listed repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence in South Africa, saying citizens of several African countries have suffered physical attacks, destruction of businesses, displacement, intimidation, and loss of life.
It noted that while responsibility “does not automatically attach to any individual citizen,” the persistence of the incidents has created a “crisis of confidence among many Africans regarding South Africa’s commitment to Pan-African ideals.”
“Leadership of a continental institution requires more than administrative competence. It requires moral legitimacy and symbolic credibility,” the petition reads.
“When a significant number of Africans perceive a contradiction between those values and the national environment from which the President emerges, CAF’s moral authority is weakened,” it added.
The document outlined South Africa’s historical debt to the continent, stating that African nations contributed resources and political solidarity to the anti-apartheid struggle.
“Consequently, expectations of Pan-African solidarity from South Africa are necessarily higher than those imposed upon many other states,” it stated.
The petitioners said the GFA has a “moral authority and historical responsibility” to raise the issue, citing Ghana’s Pan-African legacy and role as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
The petition asked the GFA to place concerns before CAF regarding the “continuing contradiction” between its anti-discrimination principles and the symbolism of its current leadership.
It also called on the GFA to initiate consultations with other African football associations on the suitability of CAF’s leadership structure, sponsor a formal CAF review on leadership accountability, and promote stronger ethical and Pan-African criteria for future office holders.
Where appropriate after consultations, it asked the GFA to support a motion for leadership renewal at CAF.
“African football must remain a vehicle for African unity. Where legitimate concerns arise regarding the credibility of those ideals, member associations have both the right and the responsibility to raise them,” the petition read.
