DA jumps on Safa politics
Opposition party calls on Danny Jordaan to vacate his position
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has renewed calls for the suspension of SA Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan and the setting up of an inquiry to investigate the running of the national football controlling body.
The official opposition party’s sports spokesman, Tsepo Mhlongo, on Friday made serious allegations against the beleaguered Jordaan – not for the first time.
The Safa chief is accused of failing to address allegations of corruption within the soccer organisation following the sacking of two vice-presidents – Gay
Mokoena, who was also the acting CEO, as well Jordaan’s woman deputy Ria Ledwaba – in recent months.
Mokoena penned a letter that was leaked to the media in April before it was tabled before the Safa NEC, accusing Jordaan of running the financially ailing organisation like his own fiefdom‚ thus flouting corporate governance principles and violating Safa statutes‚ among a host of other serious allegations.
At a drama-filled and explosive Safa NEC meeing in June, Ledwaba was accused of disregarding football protocols and stepping outside the sport’s strict internal procedures when she wrote a letter to Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa asking for government intervention. Mhlongo said the party’s renewed call stems from a complaint of abuse of power, allegations of corruption and other violations against Jordaan, sparked by Mokoena and another former CEO Dennis Mumble’s explosive letters.
“Jordaan is not fit to lead Safa in this era. We are told that he is running Safa like his own business and [is accused] of flouting his organisation’s constitution and corporate governance principles, an accusation the football controlling body’s office did not take kindly to, with particular concern that the letter was leaked to the media before it could reach Safa’s national executive committee,” reads Mhlongo’s statement.
The latest call comes at a time when the Safa executive members are preparing to appear before the committee to present the football association’s annual financial report and brief MPS on the impact of the dreaded Coronavirus on football.
Responding to the latest demand for him to step down, Jordaan said: “It is rubbish, you know it is defamation.”
Safa’s head of communications Dominic Chimhavi asked: “Since when does football listen to opposition politicians and those who lost elections?
“The story of the week should be the resumption of football instead of listening to opportunists like Mhlongo. Danny [Jordaan] has the support of 52 regions, has the overwhelming support of the football structures of those who elected him, and the DA will not change that,” said Chimhavi.
He continued: “The DA and Mhlongo are just opportunists and should not be taken seriously. Last week, former Proteas star Makhaya Ntini spoke about how he was discriminated [against] during his playing days. Why didn’t the DA speak about the matter?”