FIFA President Joseph Blatter has congratulated the newly-elected President of the South African Football Association (Safa), Kirsten Nematandani.

In a letter faxed to the SAFA head office in Johannesburg on Thursday, Blatter also extended an invitation to Nematandani to the FIFA headquarters in Zurich to discuss matters of common interest.

"Following your election to the Safa presidency during the elective Annual General Meeting held in Johannesburg on 26 September, I would like to extend to you my sincerest congratulations as well as my best wishes of success at the helm of South African football for the four years to come," wrote Blatter.

"Your long experience in the pyramid of South African football as the President of the SAFA Vhembe region, Chairman of the Referees Committee, member of the Executive and Management Committees, and former Chairman of the Competitions Committee, among other positions, will undoubtedly constitute a huge asset to accomplish this new, exciting and complex mission.

"Eight months before the kick off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the first one to be held on the continent, the South African football community now needs unity around SAFA, resolve and hard work to meet the expectations for the organisation of our most important competition and full support behind Bafana Bafana.

"Allow me finally to ask you to convey my congratulations as well to the two Vice Presidents and six national members from the national list elected with you last Saturday," Blatter's letter continued.

In his response to the congratulatory note and the invitation to Zurich, Nematandani said he appreciated FIFA's goodwill.

"We are humbled by President Blatter's invitation to meet and discuss matters of mutual interest, in particular the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. We have committed ourselves to stage a successful World Cup tournament next year, and we intend to keep our eyes on the ball in order to achieve our objective," commented Nematandani.