South Africa's ANC MPs Protect Jordaan Over FIFA Bribery Scandal

Danny Jordaan. Image by: Sunday Times

Danny Jordaan has once again escaped being called before parliament's sports committee to answer questions about the FIFA bribery scandal.

DA MP Solly Malatsi had written to the committee to request that Jordaan, who was head of the Local Organising Committee at the time of the bid for the 2010 World Cup, be called to account for South Africa's alleged part in the scandal.

BDN Wires reports:

But the ANC vetoed the move, claiming, among other things, that the FIFA matter was sub-judice. It said the request was a political ploy by the DA to win the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, where Jordaan is now mayor.

The ANC said Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula was the one who needed to explain the FIFA matter.

It is the second time Malatsi has made the request. Last week the committee blocked the move, saying it was best left until the investigation had been completed.

Yesterday's meeting had moments of childishness, including when ANC MP Duduzile Manana turned off the microphone of UDM MP Mncedisi Filtane while he was speaking.

Committee chairman Beauty Dlulane ordered Manana to apologize.

In arguing for Jordaan to account, Malatsi said that, with new information emerging in the media about the bribery scandal every day, the committee should get the information first hand from those who were there at the time.

But ANC member Samuel Mmusi said new information would continue to come to light "and we don't want to get the information in bits and pieces".

He claimed that because a South African investigation had been indicated the matter was "sub judice".

Malatsi said this was obfuscation and the matter was not being investigated by any South African law enforcement agency.