The South African Football Association (Safa) has appointed its first woman Chief Executive Officer, Lydia Monyepao who took over following the shocking resignation of Tebogo Motlanthe.
Monyepao was appointed SAFA COO in May 2021 until Sunday 7 May 2023 and has made great strides in her position and that has led to her latest appointment.
At the press conference on Monday, Motlanthe simply said he had resigned for “personal reasons” and reiterated that the resignation letter circulating on social media over the past weekend is not the one that he sent to Safa.
“I have tendered my resignation; I’ve sent a letter which I’ve signed. The one which you saw on social media, I would like to categorically say, it’s not my letter. I don’t know, mine has a signature,” said Motlanthe.
SAFA President Danny Jordaan said Monyepao, the former Banyana player was well equipped for the job as she has held several positions at the association.
“We wish her all the best. Certainly, at the SAFA Emergency Committee meeting yesterday (Sunday, 8 May 2023, the decision was unanimous. Everyone agreed to the appointment of Lydia Monyepao as the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Football Association. So, congratulations, and you have to hit the ground running. The first engagement is tomorrow (Tuesday, 9 May 2023) in Cape Town with the government,” Jordaan said.
The 42-year-old Monyepao holds a BCom degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, a BCom Honours in Accounting from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and a Masters in Sport Management from Loughborough in England.
‘Skills’ as Monyepao was popularly known during her playing days says she was aware of the challenges of the new role but was up to the task.
‘’It is big shoes that I am filling, and I have to hit the ground running,” she said.
“I am capable of hitting the ground running, I will accept the task and take the work forward. I am not naïve in terms of what is required for this job. I know the challenges that surround any CEO of the South African Football Association, I am not blind to that”.
Monyepao is dedicated to mentoring young women in football and promoting the leadership of women in sports. In November 2019, Monyepao attended the FIFA Women in Football Leadership Programme in Zurich, recommended to her by Safa.
Monyepao becomes SAFA’s seventh CEO since 2010 and her first engagement will be with the government on Tuesday to discuss Safa’s bid for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
