Danny Jordaan's biography: All we know about the controversial president of SAFA
Danny Jordaan was a lecturer, anti-racism activist, and ANC politician before becoming president of the South African Football Association (SAFA). He won the bid for South Africa to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He has notable awards, such as the presidential awards from Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki in 1994 and 2001, respectively.
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The former SAFA CEO, Dennis Mumble, has accused Danny of his power. According to SABC News, he is allegedly corrupt and hungry for power. These allegations have made him a hot topic for many interested in the case proceedings. Discover more about Danny and his latest news.
Danny Jordaan's profile summary
| Full name | Daniel Alexander Jordaan |
| Nickname | Danny Jordaan |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 3 September 1951 |
| Age | 73 years old (as of 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Place of birth | Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Current residence | Johannesburg and Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height | 5’8’’ (173 cm) |
| Weight | 165 (75 kg) |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Father | Max Jordaan |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Partner | Roxanne Jordaan |
| School | Gelvandale High School |
| College | University of the Western Cape (UWC) |
| Profession | Sports Administrator, former politician, educator |
Danny Jordaan's biography
Daniel Alexander Jordaan was born on 3 September 1951 in Port Elizabeth. He earned a BA degree and a diploma in Higher Education from the University of the Western Cape. In the 1970s, he joined the South African Student Organization (SASO) to defend black scholars against injustices like apartheid.
Danny Jordaan's family
His parents are Maxine and Alexandre Jordaan. In 2015, Danny Jordaan's wife, Roxanne, claimed that the media was meddling in their private life. Danny’s tax returns, electricity bills, and voting eligibility were under investigation. He also faced a bribery scandal involving FIFA.
Despite the controversy, the former politician and his daughter, Luana, participated in the 2016 campaigns to retain Nelson Mandela Bay.
Career
In 1974, Jordaan began his career as a lecturer. From 1970 to 1983, he played cricket and football and fought against racism in sports. He later joined the United Democratic Front (UDC) and the African National Congress (ANC). Between 1983 and 1992, Jordaan headed several football boards. In 1993, he was appointed Director of the Cape Town Olympic Bid Company.
In 1990, he was elected ANC Port Elizabeth North branch chairperson. After winning the 1994 national elections, he served as an ANC Member of Parliament until 1997. That same year, he was elected as SAFA Chief Executive Officer.
From 2015 to 2016, the prominent activist served as Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay. Under his leadership as SAFA president, South Africa successfully hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2010.
Source: Original
Since 1998, Jordaan has served at various levels in FIFA, including the FIFA marketing and television board. In 2001, he was the acting General Coordinator for the FIFA U-20 World Cup and the FIFA Confederations Cup.
In 2002, he worked on the FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan. He became the Match Commissioner of the FIFA World Cup and joined the FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee in 2006.
In 2010, Jordaan was the South Africa FIFA World Cup CEO. He was also part of the organising committee for the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009. In 2013, he won the SAFA elections and became its president.
What is Danny Jordaan’s net worth?
Danny Jordaan’s salary is not publicly available. However, he stated in court:
As president of SAFA, I render my services on a volunteer basis with no salary paid to me. I’m, however, offered an honorarium payment once a year, ranging from no cent to approximately R100,000, depending on the performance of the association.
His Johannesburg property is valued at R6 million, and he owns a house in the Eastern Cape worth R4 million. The fittings and appliances in both homes are valued at an accumulated R2 million. Jordaan also owns two cars, a Mercedes-Benz and a BMW, which are worth over R700,000 collectively.
Danny Jordaan's power abuse accusation
Danny Jordaan, SAFA president, suspended all soccer leagues until 4 April 2020 to control the spread of the coronavirus. He also announced plans to find a permanent SAFA CEO after several resignations.
Dennis Mumble resigned in 2019, and Russel Paul took over as acting CEO. After Paul resigned in November, Gay Mokoena, SAFA's vice-president, replaced him but left in March 2020.
Jordaan claimed that Mumble retired, but Mumble disputed this, citing disagreements over his alleged financial mismanagement of SAFA. Former SAFA Vice-President Lucas Nhlapo supported Mumble’s claims, further fuelling concerns about Jordaan’s leadership.
Danny Jordaan's raping cases
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In October 2017, singer and former ANC MP Jennifer Ferguson accused Jordaan of raping her years earlier. Jordaan denied the allegations. Another author allegedly accused him of attempted rape in a Sandton hotel, and a third woman later filed a similar case against him.
Jordaan was also accused of shielding a senior SAFA official who allegedly sodomised a male intern twice. His lawyer, Mamodupi Mohlala, dismissed the accusations as a political setup aimed at derailing Jordaan’s re-election bid in the March 2018 SAFA elections.
Was Danny Jordaan arrested?
The South African Football Association (SAFA) president, Danny Jordaan, has faced multiple controversies during his career. In March 2024, he was arrested alongside SAFA's chief of finance, Gronie Hluyo, and Trevor Neethling, the director of Grit Communications.
The charges include three counts of fraud, three counts of theft, and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft, amounting to approximately R1.3 million.
Danny Jordaan’s case
The allegations against Jordaan centre on financial misconduct within SAFA. In early 2020, former SAFA officials Gay Mokoena and Dennis Mumble highlighted governance issues and financial irregularities. They accused Jordaan of bypassing SAFA’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and violating corporate governance rules.
NEC member Willie Mooka filed a criminal case in May 2020. The investigation escalated when the Hawks raided SAFA House in March 2024, seizing documents and software related to SAFA’s finances.
Evidence revealed that Jordaan had signed a contract with Grit Communications despite objections from Mumble, who argued that the contract served Jordaan’s interests rather than SAFA’s objectives. Jordaan allegedly bypassed standard procedures to authorise the deal.
What happened to Danny Jordaan?
The former lecturer rose to prominence for transforming the South African football administration. He played a key role in organising Africa’s first FIFA World Cup in 2010 and became SAFA president in 2013. However, his legacy has been marred by controversies.
In 2015, Jordaan faced criticism for serving as both SAFA president and the mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay. Critics questioned his ability to balance both roles. He defended his record but was replaced by Athol Trollip and returned to SAFA full-time.
In 2018, Jordaan was re-elected as SAFA president, but critics accused him of manipulating systems to retain control. Reports in 2020 further alleged that Jordaan managed SAFA as his personal domain.
Danny Jordaan’s news
Source: Getty Images
SAFA defended Jordaan, dismissing the allegations as baseless and driven by disgruntled former employees. They claimed the Grit Communications contract predated the raping allegations and was legally authorised.
However, the State argued that the contract was backdated and that Jordaan lacked the authority to approve it. The ongoing fraud and theft case continues to challenge his reputation and career.
In November 2024, Jordaan was released on bail amid accusations of misusing SAFA funds for personal gain. Investigations by Hawks into fraud and theft at SAFA between 2014 and 2018, totalling R1.3 million, remain ongoing.
FAQs
- Who is Danny Jordaan? Danny Jordaan is the president of the South African Football Association (SAFA) and a former politician.
- What is Danny Jordaan charged with? SAFA president Danny Jordaan faces charges of fraud, theft, and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft, which are linked to financial misconduct at SAFA.
- When did Danny Jordaan become SAFA president? Danny Jordaan became SAFA president in 2013.
- Who is Danny Jordaan’s wife? Danny Jordaan’s wife is Roxanne Jordaan.
- Where is Danny Jordaan? Danny Jordaan resides in Johannesburg and the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Danny Jordaan’s career has been marked by significant achievements, including bringing the FIFA World Cup to South Africa in 2010. However, allegations of financial mismanagement and misconduct have overshadowed his contributions. His ongoing legal battles raise concerns about governance and accountability within SAFA.
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