JOHANNESBURG – Irvin Khoza, the Premier Soccer League chairman, on Thursday hit back at
allegations made by the SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan that he
was a co-conspirator in the recent rape allegations made by Jennifer Ferguson,
a former ANC MP and singer.
This
follows reports at the weekend that Jordaan laid charges against Khoza as he
believes the PSL boss paid for Ferguson to come to South Africa from Sweden,
her current country of residence.
Ferguson,
who has accusing Jordaan of raping her at a Port Elizabeth hotel room more than
20 years ago, earlier this week said that her trip was paid for by an anonymous
donor.
“I have
never met Ms Ferguson or spoken to her. I have never had any association with
her,” said Khoza at a press conference from the league’s headquarters in
Parktown.
“I found it
bizarre on Sunday morning when I read that I was being accused of being part of
this conspiracy by Dr Danny Jordaan, who has always had wild imaginations of
me.”
“I first
heard about this on Thursday last week in a meeting of the national executive
members of Safa as we prepared for the congress on Saturday. Dr Jordaan said I
have to wait for the weekend to find out what is going to come out, but he said
nothing more.”
Jordaan has
lodged complaints with police of defamation against Ferguson and Khoza, who had
not made any public comments until Thursday despite various calls from
journalists to get his side of the story.
Safa boss Danny Jordaan has lodged complaints with the police of defamation against Ferguson and Irvin Khoza. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
“I have
asked all these journalists to give me the documents that have apparently been
presented as proof. At the moment. I am chasing a black cat in the dark.”
“I need to
see what this is about. I have asked that my banker check if my credit card was
used without my knowledge, and the same with my email account,” said Khoza.
He said he
had called the press conference at the PSL offices because this was more than
just a personal matter as it involves football.
Jordaan and
Khoza have a long history of tiffs, some public and others private.
“But I have
not responded in the past because of the interest of football. But this is
damaging, and I need to clear my name,” the PSL boss explained.