OPINION: Jordaan’s re-election raises a bigger question for SAFA

Jordaan has certainly had his time in the spotlight. The outrage over Danny Jordaan’s re-election for a fourth term as South African Football Association (SAFA) president is understandable. There is an old saying that a good dancer knows when to leave the stage. Jordaan has certainly had his time in the spotlight. After all, this is a man who previously said he would leave office at the end of his third term and hand over the baton to someone else. There are obvious reasons why his re-election has been met with resistance. One of them is the fact that Jordaan is facing fraud charges. Yes, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but having a football association led by someone with such a cloud hanging over him is hardly ideal. A SAFA president should not be judged solely by the performance of the national team. The entire football ecosystem needs to function from grassroots football. Some SAFA Local Football Associations have reportedly not received their grants, while clubs such as Mathaithai FC have even pulled out of the ABC Motsepe League because of non-payment. Jordaan did not re-elect himself. That is why the bigger question should be, why are some SAFA regions and NEC members so convinced that a 75-year-old Jordaan remains the best person to lead the future of South African football? I am not one to speculate, but it is difficult to believe there is nothing to be gained by those who continue to back him. Questions around the reported R153,000 honorarium paid to NEC members ahead of the elective congress only add to the suspicion. Then there is Jordaan’s relationship with the football-loving public. He rarely makes himself available for live interviews where he can engage directly with supporters and answer difficult questions. Perhaps, just perhaps, if he did, the public would better understand why he is so hell-bent on remaining SAFA president. Leadership means accessibility and accountability. Instead, Jordaan plays politics and we saw this when Jordaan unveiled coach Pitso Mosimane. He accused the media of not speaking to SAFA. Yet the irony is that Jordaan himself can be extremely difficult to access. One thing is clear, the majority of public want change, but it looks like those entrusted with leading the game have different ideas.