Gayton McKenzie seeks Gianni Infantino meeting on Danny Jordaan situation
South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Gayton McKenzie, says he has requested a meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to discuss the appropriate course of action regarding the Danny Jordaan situation.
SAFA president Danny Jordaan was arrested earlier this month on charges of theft and corruption.
He appeared in court earlier this month along with his two co-accused, former SAFA CFO Gronie Hlunyo and owner of Grit Communications, businessman Trevor Neethling. The trio will be back in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on 5 December.
Jordaan, who has been SAFA’s boss since 2013, is facing the music of using the association’s funds without proper authorisation. He is accused of having used R1.3 million of the SA Football Association’s money to pay for his security ahead of the 2018 elections.
McKenzie is aware that the world football governing body, FIFA, frowns upon government interference. If the government is deemed to be interfering in football matters, South Africa faces a possible ban from international football.
In light of that, McKenzie says he has written to FIFA boss Infantino, seeking a meeting to get his guidance on the matter.
WHAT GAYTON MCKENZIE SAID ABOUT MEETING WITH GIANNI INFANTINO
“I’m concerned by what’s happening. I’ll not be a leader and a minister if I’m not concerned,” he said on Friday. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Medallists’ Ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
“But I must also say to you that rules are rules. FIFA has rules of non-interference by politicians. So the same people that want me to interfere are the same people that will hate me tomorrow if we get expelled by FIFA.”
He added that he was not turning a blind eye to the situation at SAFA. There have been growing calls for the 73-year-old Jordaan to step down.
“So what I’ve done is I’ve made contact with the president of FIFA through SAFA to have a meeting with him. In that meeting, I want to be guided by him on what is to be done with this situation.”
The Minister went on to congratulate SAFA for Bafana Bafana’s qualification for AFCON 2025. Bafana booked a place at the Morocco 2025 AFCON after topping group K of the qualifying campaign. This means they will appear in back-to-back AFCON finals, having finished third in Ivory Coast earlier this year.
“So I’m not turning a blind eye to it. But I must congratulate Bafana Bafana; during the circumstances, SAFA has done well.
“We mustn’t take that away from them. They’ve done well that we qualified, but I’m waiting for the date for my meeting with Infantino. I’m going to ask him to tell me, ‘I do not want to be in breach of your rules’. What is to be done now.”
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