The president of the South African Football Association (Safa) Danny Jordaan will on Thursday 28 May be inaugurated as the new mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan.
The president of the South African Football Association (Safa) Danny Jordaan will on Thursday 28 May be inaugurated as the new mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan.
The inauguration is expected to start at 9am at the Nangoza Jebe community hall in New Brighton, and will be graced by several ANC heavyweights at national, provincial and local levels, as well as business and religious leaders.
Jordaan’s appointment comes at a time when the municipality is beset with problems ranging from failing service delivery, corruption and factional fights among ANC councillors in the metro.
Jordaan organised the successful 2010 soccer World Cup.
Although PE-born Jordan has strong leadership credentials , the United Front, which represents Numsa and seven other unions, does not believe he has the ability to repair the damage done to the Metro in recent years.
“Danny [Jordaan] knows… his presence in the higher echelons of football bodies in the country and abroad did not benefit the people of the Metro generally, but more particularly the Northern Areas where he hails from in any specific way,” the United Front said in a 23 May statement.
“He knows he has lost touch with people on the ground for years now.”
Jordaan replaces veteran politician Ben Fihla, who held the position for two years.
Businessman Bicks Ndoni has been appointed as Jordaan’s deputy.
The appointments are part of a big reshuffle of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan political leadership by Luthuli House as it struggles to keep the metro in ANC hands.
The DA came close to winning in Port Elizabeth during the 2011 local government elections, with 40.2% of the vote against the ANC’s 52.1%.
Opposition parties the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are expected to perform well in next year’s local government elections and could form a coalition government if the ANC fails to win more than 50% of the vote.
The ANC has confirmed that Jordaan will retain his role at Safa.
