Safa boss Danny Jordaan denies rape allegations

Former Safa boss and Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Danny Jordaan. PHOTO: GCIS

Former Safa boss and Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Danny Jordaan. PHOTO: GCIS

Published Nov 1, 2017

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Port Elizabeth - Soccer boss and a former mayor Danny Jordaan has finally come out on Wednesday to deny rape allegations levelled against him by singer and former African National Congress (ANC) MP Jennifer Ferguson. 

Up until now the soccer boss has remained mum on the allegations, which came to light last month, after Ferguson made the allegations on Facebook and later repeated them on Talk Radio 702.

In a statement, Jordaan's lawyer Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi said her client's perceived silence in the face of such serious allegations was because of his "empathy with victims" of gender-based violence. 

"In light of the scourge of gender-based violence in this country and Dr Jordaan’s sensitivity toward the issue he had to consider carefully his response, if any, in public to the allegations made by Ms Ferguson." 

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Mohlala-Mulaudzi said that Jordaan has, however, after careful consideration decided to assert his innocence. 

"Whilst Dr Jordaan supports public debate as an essential tool to highlight the issue of gender-based violence, however, in this case there are two opposing versions that cannot be resolved in the media, or elsewhere, in substitution for a court of law," said the statement, which has a letterhead from Mohlala Attorneys.

"Mediation, as suggested by Ms Ferguson, runs the risk that the public will perceive that there is a cover-up away from the glare of public scrutiny; and that there is one law for the powerful and another for the masses. 

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"We have accordingly, as his attorneys, advised Dr Jordaan that he must not participate in a public discourse of the allegation made against him by Ms Ferguson. From a legal viewpoint, serious allegations of the kind made by Ms Ferguson can only be ventilated in a court of law, where the rights of all parties are protected." 

Ferguson alleges that the sports boss raped her 24 years ago at a Port Elizabeth hotel. She had joined the social media campaign #MeToo, which encourages women to share their experiences and speak out against rape and sexual assault.

During a radio show on Radio 702 on Tuesday night, it emerged that two other anonymous women, have also accused the sports administrator of sexually inappropriate behaviour. 

However, Jordaan's lawyer who called into the radio station, declined to comment on the new allegations because they were made by "faceless" individuals.

Ferguson said that that there was clearly no intention of mediation efforts from Jordaan's side and she was considering going the legal route. 

African News Agency

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