Another sexual harassment case opened against Jordaan

Another case of sexual harassment has been opened against SA Football Association (Safa) boss Danny Jordaan – this times by a prominent author, who is also the niece of a top politician. According to the Sunday Times, the 40-year-old research consultant opened the case at Parkview police station, Johannesburg, just over a month after former ANC MP and musician Jennifer Ferguson opened a case of rape against Jordaan, which he has denied. The author alleges that Jordaan groped her, tried to force himself on her and attempted to rip off her underwear in the boardroom of a five-star Sandton hotel in March 2011, where she was interviewing him for her soccer-related book project. The woman says she was saved by a waiter knocking at the door. This was one of three occasions Jordaan had sexually assaulted her, according to the woman’s affidavit to police. Jordaan’s lawyer, Mamodupi Mohlala, said the allegations seemed to be ‘an attempt to render Dr Jordaan ineligible to stand for the Safa presidency on Saturday’. Mohlala added: ‘The latest allegations follow a worrying and disturbing trend of accusations levelled against our client literally days before a significant Safa event. We believe that the events ... (are) not coincidental and have one aim and one aim only and that is to prevent Dr Jordaan from standing for the position of Safa president.’ Jordaan recently opened a case of defamation and conspiracy against PSL chair Irvin Khoza, alleging the Orlando Pirates boss paid for Ferguson’s flights from Sweden and her accommodation, through a third party, a claim Khoza has denied. Jordaan named Khoza, former PSL general manager and referee Ace Ncobo and Ferguson as those conspiring to defame him.

Safa has thrown its weight behind its president and maintains Jordaan is not going anywhere, says a Cape Times report. 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.’