Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan on Saturday dismissed claims that his brother was benefiting from the Soccer World Cup.
“I cannot comment on that. All I know is that we are focused on dealing with the World Cup,” he said during a media conference at Soccer City.
He dismissed as “nonsense” the fact that some local media had insisted on referring to the South African Football Association elections to insinuate there was tension between himself and Safa chairperson Irvin Khoza.
He also refuted the Mail and Guardian‘s report that he had submitted an affidavit to his lawyers in an effort to take legal steps against the newspaper.
“Do you know the lawyers?” he asked.
“I’d be happy if you gave me their names.”
The M&G established that a company belonging to Jordaan’s younger brother, Andrew, was appointed by Match Event Services, the tournament’s exclusive provider of hospitality packages, to act as its liaison in Port Elizabeth for R200 000 a month.
Match Event Services (Pty) Ltd is the local subsidiary of Match Services AG, a Zurich-based company appointed by Fifa to provide ticketing, accommodation and event information technology for the Soccer World Cup.
The job entails being the the go-to between Match and hospitality business owners in Port Elizabeth.
Andrew Jordaan’s close corporation, Sapphire Dawn Trading 154, was appointed venue liaison officer for Match Event Services in April last year by Match’s Johannesburg head office. As the only member of the CC, he stands to gain more than R3-million by the time his contract ends in August. The close corporation was registered in March 2007 and Andrew Jordaan became its sole member on May 15 that year.
A source privy to the negotiations told the M&G that Andrew Jordaan’s appointment was kept a secret until he made a surprise entrance at a top management meeting in Port Elizabeth, where a Match official introduced him as the city’s venue liaison.
Match’s human resource official in Johannesburg, Coral Collins, said that rumours that Andrew was head-hunted for the post were unfounded.
“He was not head-hunted but interviewed in March 2009 and found to be extremely well qualified and suited to fulfil the role within Match,” she said.
She could not tell the M&G where the job was advertised, but did say that Andrew Jordaan’s close corporation was being paid less than R250 000 a month for the contract.
Another source close to the negotiation said that the contract was worth R200 000 a month. Errol Heynes, Nelson Mandela Bay’s 2010 director, told the M&G that Match did not formally tell him about Jordaan’s appointment but that it was “not necessary” for it to have done so.
Jordaan said his and Khoza’s focus was on ensuring a smooth tournament for players and fans.
He said however the failure of most African teams to qualify for the knockout round had been a disappointment.
‘Perfect’ World Cup
On the current labour dispute between security guards and their employer, Jordaan said that Fifa would pay the costs relating to the redeployment of police officers at stadiums.
Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke hailed South Africa as the best host to date of the soccer tournament.
“South Africa will always be a plan B for any World Cup,” Valcke said, referring to reports ahead of the tournament that Fifa had a back-up plan should hosting the tournament in SA go awry.
He said that South Africa was one of the best attended World Cup’s in 20 years.
He said that there would be additional security at the Free State stadium for Sunday’s match between Germany and England.
He said Fifa had experienced transport problem at the beginning of the tournament and that it was now focused on organising the July 11 closing ceremony.
“It’s been a perfect World Cup. The number of foreign visitors and tickets sales were beyond expectations,” said Valcke. – Sapa and M&G reporter