Jordaan not going anywhere, says Safa after fresh sexual abuse claim

Safa President Danny Jordaan Photo: Denis Farrell/AP

Safa President Danny Jordaan Photo: Denis Farrell/AP

Published May 21, 2018

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Johannesburg - The SA Football Association (Safa) has thrown its weight behind its president Danny Jordaan and maintains its leader is not going anywhere, as the football dirty war escalated at the weekend, with fresh allegations of sexual abuse brought against the soccer boss.

According to a Sunday newspaper report, a case of sexual harassment has been opened against Jordaan.

This is the second case of sexual abuse being investigated against him. Singer and former ANC MP Jennifer Ferguson opened a rape case against Jordaan early this year. She made the claim last year, saying Jordaan had raped her in Port Elizabeth 25 years ago.

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In the latest incident, Jordaan is accused of sexually assaulting a woman on three occasions.

Jordaan, who has not been arrested or appeared in court, has dismissed the claims against him, saying they were being orchestrated by his opponents within Safa.

Asked whether Jordaan would be asked to step down while police investigate the sexual abuse allegations, Safa spokesperson Dominic Chimhavi said: “One is presumed innocent until proven otherwise by the courts of law.”

Jordaan’s lawyer Mamodupi Mohlala said there was a conspiracy against her client, who next weekend is standing for re-election for his position as Safa president.

Jennifer Ferguson claims Danny Jordaan raped her. Picture: Facebook

She said: “We verily believe that these so-called new allegations form part and parcel of what we previously said is an orchestrated campaign. We remind the media that previous allegations levelled against Dr Jordaan have been proven to be false.

“The latest allegations follow a worrying and disturbing trend of accusations levelled against our client literally days before a significant Safa event.”

Jordaan will over the weekend stand for re-election as the head of the supreme football body in the country.

“It can never be in the interest of justice, the legal system, the complainant in any criminal matter or the accused... to have the purported fact dealt with outside of the legal justice system. In the interest of all concerned, we implore the media to allow the legal system to take its course,” Mohlala said.

Last month, Jordaan opened a case of defamation of character and conspiracy against Premier Soccer League chairperson Irvin Khoza. He claimed Khoza had bought flight tickets and paid for accommodation for Ferguson, who lives in Sweden, to come to the country.

Khoza dismissed the allegations levelled against him by Jordaan as “wild imaginations”.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said he could not confirm the latest matter.

The Star

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