Newly re-elected SAFA President Danny Jordaan and CEO Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe have issued an apology to the media for an incident that occurred on Friday.
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Media and SAFA NEC members clashed on Friday, after the NEC members verbally-abused and manhandled journalist at a press briefing.
The incident saw the South African Football Journalists Association request an apology from the national FA.
After the disturbing scenes at Sandton Convention Centre on Friday, June 24, #SAFJA condemns attack on members and demands apology from @SAFA_net officials. pic.twitter.com/knc2Avf9ad
— Safja (@The_Safja) June 25, 2022
Now after the election on Saturday, won by Jordaan, the SAFA President has apologised for the incidents – offering their unconditional apology to eNCA journalist Hloni Mtimkulu while also offering their apology to other members of the media who had a spat with SAFA members.
“We had a Press Conference yesterday (on Friday) and we had an incident there which we condemn totally,” Dr Jordaan said in the SAFA press statement
“You know that my own history is a history of struggle for freedom of press, freedom of speech and therefore as an institution, as an organisation we have to apologise for what happened on Friday.
“I think it is the first time in my long memory of football and we do not want it to happen again.”
Motlanthe also apologised for the incident.
“As the president said, when we deal with media we have always said as our valued partners, we have an open door policy,” the SAFA CEO Advocate Motlanthe said.
“I want to again say we apologise for what happened yesterday. We have spoken to the members concerned and we apologise on their behalf.”
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