Zimbabwe Football Association and the rest of the COSAFA members have endorsed South African businessman and Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe in the upcoming CAF presidential polls.

The decision was made at an Executive Committee meeting held on Wednesday.

COSAFA president Philip Chiyangwa confirmed the development and declared his confidence in Motsepe.

He said: “We are confident that once we take a unanimous decision to back one of our own, other members who want real change in CAF will join the winning party. In Dr Motsepe we have a candidate who will usher in a new era for African football.”

Motsepe announced his candidacy in November and could contest against fellow Southern African Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar who was reinstated as CAF president by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday.

Ahmad had been banned from all football activities by FIFA after he was found guilty of fraud but will need approval from CAF to participate.

Other participants are Augustin Senghor, 55, of Senegal and Jacques Anouma, 69, of Cote d’Ivoire.

The polls will be held at an Elective Extraordinary General Assembly on March 12, 2021, in Morocco.- Soccer 24 Zimbabwe