Danny Jordaan was born in Port Elizabeth, and received his primary and high schooling in the city. Dr Jordaan holds a BA degree from the university of the Western Cape and an Honours degree from the University of South Africa and Education Diploma. He has been the recipient of four honorary Doctoral degrees: namely, Doctorates of Philosophy from Nelson Man dela University as well as his alma mater, the University of the Western Cape, and a
image by The Southern Times
Doctorates of Administration from the University of South Africa and Doctorate of Administration from the University of Fort Hare.
On completion of his studies at the University of the Western Cape, Dr Jordaan began his professional career as a lecturer in Port Elizabeth. He also excelled pin sport and from 1970 to 1983 he was a provincial cricket and football player. In the latter sport, he achieved professional status for a brief period. His political and sport interests soon overlapped and the trajectory of his public life was defined, as he became an activist in various organisations fighting to break racial barriers in sport and society in South Africa.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to excellence in sports administration in South Africa. Through his activities in sport administration Dr Jordaan has consistently, and publicly, advanced the ideals of democracy, human rights and non-racialism.
His service in the advancement of association football in South Africa has been outstanding. From 1983 to 1992 he served as president or vice president of various football boards. Dr Jordaan has also served FIFA in several capacities: as General Coordinator of the World Youth Cup (now know as the FIFA Under 20 World Cup) and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2001 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan.
He was a FIFA Match Commissioner for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany as well as being a member of the FIFA World Cup Organising Committee in 2006;; he also served on the Marketing and television committee of FIFA since 1998, as well, as a member of the FIFA World Cup Organising Committee for the 2010 and 2014.
The breath of his range in sport administration was well evident when, in 1993, he was appointed as a director of the Cape Town Olympic Bid Company. In 1997, he was elected as the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Football Association (SAFA), a position in which he increased the organization’s annual income from approximately R32 million to
R350 million. He subsequently headed South Africa’s unsuccessful 2006 FIFA World Cup Bid, narrowly losing to Germany, but gaining great respect internationally for his work. But the 2006 experience stood him in good stead, as a crowning moment in his sport administration career was realized when he successfully led South Africa’s 2010 FIFA World Cup Bid. Danny Jordaan became a household name in South Africa during that glorious episode in the country’s recent history.
Dr Jordaan continued in service of football after the World Cup. On 28 September 2013, Jordaan was elected President of SAFA. Given his exemplary stature in national and international football as outlined, Dr Jordaan has been an outstanding servant in advancing the cause of social cohesion in the Republic of South Africa.
In terms of his provincial and national profile in politics, Dr Jordaan became involved in anti-apartheid activities by joining the South African Students’ Organization (SASO) in the early 1970s, an organiSation founded by Steve Biko in order to defend the rights of black students. Later, Jordaan also became a member of the United Democratic Front and the African National Congress (ANC). In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the realisation of a non-racial democracy in South Africa, Dr Jordaan has been the recipient of numerous awards. He received a Special Presidential Award from President Nelson Mandela in 1994 as well as the Presidential Sport Achievement Award from President Thabo Mbeki in 2001. He won South Africa’s Marketing Person of the year award in 2000. In 2004, he was voted number 44 in the Top 100 Great South Africans as well as Newsmaker of the year. He received a mayoral achievement award from the Mayor of Los Angeles, California on 24 October 2004. Jordaan was also awarded and given the Freedom of the City of Maraciabo in Venezuela. He also received numerous awards from South African cities. After
the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Dr Jordaan was honoured by the State President, Mr Jacob Zuma, with the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold the highest award in South Africa for his excellent work in seeing to the success of the World Cup itself.
Dr Danny Jordaan has been recently appointed Executive Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
Source
SAFA, 2017. SAFA. [Online] Available at: https://www.safa.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SAFA-President-PROFILE-19Apr.pdf [Accessed 09 November 2017]
Readmore:
- http://whoswho.co.za/danny-jordaan-434934
- https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/jordaan-appointed-nelson-mandela-bay-mayor-1860093
- https://www.safa.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/SAFA-President-PROFILE-19Apr.pdf
- https://www.safa.net/presidents-corner/
- http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/national-orders/recipient/daniel-%E2%80%9Cdanny%E2%80%9D-jordaan-1951?page=2#!slider
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/04/danny-jordaan-world-cup-south-africa
- http://www.youthvillage.co.za/2013/10/10-things-dont-know-danny-jordaan/
Incorrect information? Or want to add more? email: projects@napdi.org.za