By Dylan Bettencourt
- Safa president Danny Jordaan is accused of shoving executive Simphiwe Mkhangelwa outside a meeting in Bloemfontein. Both men opened assault cases.
- Jordaan is already facing fraud charges. The new case could sink his chances of running again as Safa president.
Danny Jordaan has been accused of assaulting fellow Safa executive Simphiwe Mkhangelwa during a heated clash in Bloemfontein.
Mkhangelwa, who leads Safa’s Nelson Mandela Bay region, has accused Jordaan of assault. He says Jordaan shoved him outside a Safa national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Bloemfontein.
The alleged fight happened just hours before Bafana Bafana’s World Cup qualifier against Nigeria.
Mkhangelwa opened a common assault case at Park Road Police Station. Police confirmed that both Jordaan and Mkhangelwa laid charges. “Both parties opened assault cases, and police are investigating,” said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele.
Witnesses claim Jordaan was the aggressor, saying he pushed Mkhangelwa so hard he almost fell. In a letter to NEC members, Mkhangelwa wrote that Jordaan “manhandled” him by “pushing, shoving and pulling,” City Press reported.
This adds to Jordaan’s troubles. He is already out on bail for fraud charges involving Safa’s former CFO and a service provider.
The new assault case may damage his chances of running for a fourth term as Safa president. According to Safa rules, presidential candidates must be nominated by their region. But Mkhangelwa, who leads Jordaan’s home region, is reportedly not backing him.
Just before the NEC meeting, Mkhangelwa was suspended by Nelson Mandela Bay vice-president Clive Kilian. Mkhangelwa says the suspension was illegal and politically motivated.
In retaliation, he suspended Kilian and another vice-president.
Pictured above: Safa president Danny Jordaan.
Image source: File
