Jordaan Disappointed With Africa’s Performance

Dr Danny Jordaan, Chief Executive Officer, 2010 World Cup Organising Committee, at the weekend expressed disappointment that only Ghana of the six African countries made it to the second round.

Jordaan told journalists in Johannesburg that it was not envisaged the continent’s representatives would perform poorly in the competition which was holding in Africa for the first time.

Only Ghana from the six — Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Nigeria, and hosts South Africa — scaled through to the last 16.

The Ghanaians were through the quarter-finals with a 2-1 defeat over the U.S.

He said it was hoped that teams from the continent would advance to the crucial stages of the competition.

“It shows that a lot of work still needed to be done in the continent. It is not what we had envisaged at the beginning of an African World Cup,” he said.

Jordaan said it was an exciting tournament with record crowds watching it is on big television screens in various parts of the world.

He added that the results of matches showed that reputation meant nothing at the World Cup.

Jordaan was referring to the early exit of 2006 finalists, Italy and France.

Asked about the alleged forcible removal of street children from Durban, Jordaan said he was unaware and promised that it would be looked into to find out if it was true.

“I am not aware that children had been removed from the streets of Durban. We have never hidden the fact there were poor people in this country,” he said.

On security following the police take over, he said the committee invited them because there was a labour dispute involving the private security outfit contracted for it and its employees.