The power struggle for South African soccer took a new twist this week when Danny Jordaan, president of the South African Football Association, opened a case of defamation against Orlando Pirates boss Irvin Khoza, who is also chairman of the Premier Soccer League.
Jordaan claims Khoza was the catalyst in the rape case opened against him last month by singer and former ANC MP Jennifer Ferguson, who has accused Jordaan of raping her in a Port Elizabeth hotel 25 years ago.
Ferguson, who is living in Sweden, laid the rape complaint with police in Parkview, Johannesburg last month. The case was transferred to Port Elizabeth.
Jordaan said Khoza had paid for Ferguson's flights and accommodation through a third party.Yesterday Jordaan said he had opened a case of defamation, criminal collusion and conspiracy but refused to give details.
"I can't talk about the substance and details," he said. "Police must investigate it and get to the bottom of it."
The Sunday Times has it on good authority that Jordaan named Khoza and former PSL general manager Ace Ncobo as among those who allegedly conspired to defame him.
Khoza could not be reached for comment. Ferguson has said her flights were paid by an anonymous donor.
She made her rape allegation public in October last year at the time of the international #MeToo campaign, when women began to share their sexual assault stories on social media following the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Jordaan's sympathisers are questioning Ferguson's motive and timing.
"Jennifer first made the allegations against Danny just weeks before the Safa annual general meeting last year and now she opened the rape case on the eve of the Safa elections," a Jordaan sympathiser said yesterday.
Jordaan has previously said Ferguson's claims were unfounded.Ferguson yesterday told the Sunday Times that Jordaan "made a wrong move".
"The war has begun. Let's hope that truth shall triumph and the good shall win," she said.
The feud between Jordaan and Khoza, which is of long standing, seems to be about which man will take total control of South African football.
"While these two soccer heavyweights are fighting, football-loving South Africans are losing and now, believe you me, their fight is going to get ugly, muddy and bloody," a local soccer team owner who asked to remain anonymous said yesterday.
Ncobo yesterday denied that he had conspired to defame Jordaan.
"It is very strange that Danny can accuse me because I have publicly said everyone in South Africa is innocent until proven guilty by the court of law and that we must stop casting suspicions on crime victims."
Ncobo also denied that he was challenging Jordaan for the presidency of Safa.
"I am not available to stand against Jordaan because I know there are people within Safa structures who can stand for that position and do better than me."
Ncobo said linking him with Ferguson was just "pure speculations".
He said he had nothing to do with the musician opening the case of rape against Jordaan...