SOWETAN SAYS | Jordaan must just step aside

The picture of Danny Jordaan in the dock on Wednesday, facing serious charges including theft and fraud, should have been enough to trigger the South African Football Association (Safa) into realising the crisis facing the country’s foremost football organisation.

As Safa president is the highest-ranking football official in the country, and to have him appearing before courts on serious accusations should have called for his immediate removal from the position, which requires him to represent SA in key world football events.

Disappointingly though, some Safa officials emerged from the courtroom vowing Jordaan would stay put, with vice-president Bennet Baily saying Jordaan won’t step aside because “Safa doesn’t have such a policy”.

For years, Sowetan has lamented that Jordaan has wittingly planted obsequious lackeys within the Safa national executive committee (NEC), probably to protect him in times of trouble like this. The NEC can prove us wrong by requesting he temporarily take leave of absence while he attends to the case.

Jordaan has been protected for far too long, even in the face of serious allegations. He didn’t step aside when faced with rape allegations made by Jennifer Ferguson a few years ago. Nor did he see the need to recuse himself from the Safa top job following the Hawks’ raid on Safa House in March.

It has been his strategy to ride the wave of scandal, hoping it subsides with time and continue with his job as normal. Yesterday’s events, with him officially in the dock, cannot be business as usual. He’s effectively the face of South African football, having to traverse the world to engage with important stakeholders such as Fifa president Gianni Infantino and CAF’s Patrice Motsepe.

He has to represent our national teams at key events such as Fifa and CAF Congress, draws, tournaments and even matches. Can SA afford to have Jordaan flying our flag after being officially charged?

We say no. The Safa NEC should hold an emergency meeting and call for his temporary removal – and he can resume his duties after clearing his name. We’re not saying he’s guilty and, indeed, it’s the prosecution that must prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

But to have Jordaan conduct business on behalf of the country, amid the scandal, would be suicidal for an already embattled Safa, which has struggled to project a good image mainly due to his alleged misrule.

If he had any credibility left, Jordaan would offer to take temporary leave but, as we know he won’t, we call on Safa’s NEC to do it for the sake of the country.