Home sweet home for Danny

By Sam Mkokeli

HUNDREDS of jubilant fans thronged the Port Elizabeth airport yesterday to welcome home World Cup Bid hero, Danny Jordaan.

“I have never seen so much chaos here,” said a Port Elizabeth Airport official. The atmosphere was electric, with young and old dancing and blowing their vuvuzelas (horns) as they welcomed one of Port Elizabeth’s most famous sons.

Mr Jordaan has also now been given a new nickname – “heel extension” a soccer-style mastered by South African football legend, Jomo Sono. Placards inscribed with the words: “Well done Danny,” “Viva Danny”, “Madiba Magic” and “Welcome Home Heel Extension” were hoisted up high as the huge crowd thronged the airport arrivals hall.

Mr Jordaan, flanked by his wife Roxanne, who had accompanied him to Zurich, were taken aboard a tourism bus for a tour of the city. They were then whisked off to the city hall for a press conference, before heading home.

“I missed everyone, including people of the metro and my dogs, Nellie and Yoshi,” said Mr Jordaan.

Immediately after the success of the bid announcement at the weekend, Mrs Jordaan said she was eager to get her husband into a Jacuzzi and ensure he be reunited with his two Dachshund dogs.

Mr Jordaan jets off to Paris tomorrow for Fifa centenary celebrations. Earlier Mr Jordaan had the media in stitches when he explained how former president Nelson Mandela had defied his doctors’ orders to rest by joining the bid committee members in Zurich, for the presentation to the Fifa executive. President Thabo Mbeki had in fact requested Mr Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to be part of the delegation.

Impersonating Mr Mandela’s voice Mr Jordaan related what Madiba had said: “If my President says I must go, then I’ll go.”

The delegation had also battled when a stubborn Mr Mandela refused to board a foreign airliner to Zurich. Mr Mandela had apparently asked how it could be possible for him to argue South Africa’s case on a foreign plane.

The delegation was given only 30 minutes to make their presentation last Friday.

Mr Jordaan said they had to “strategise” on where to have Mr Mandela seated because he liked shaking hands with people, and asking them how their wives were – something that could have taken up some of the 30 minutes.

Mr Jordaan said they had made sure Mr Mandela did not enter at the main entrance where everybody was accommodated.

Instead, they had him placed in the centre next to the entrance where there was a table separating the charismatic leader from the guests. Before the presentation, Mr Mbeki had arrived and stole the show, becoming the unofficial bid executive president. He had even edited the speeches of bid chairman Irvin Khoza and former Ghanaian soccer star and one of South Africa’s bid ambassadors, Abedi Pele.

Before the announcement, the South African delegation had made it clear to Fifa that Mr Mandela should be protected from shock if South Africa lost the bid, said Mr Jordaan.

If South Africa were going to lose the bid, Mr Mandela would have to be excused from proceedings.

But when Mr Mandela arrived 15 minutes late before the final announcement on Saturday – thus holding up proceedings – South Africans in Zurich were doubtful of the victory, and thought his absence had signalled defeat.

Mr Jordaan said if South Africa lost the bid, they would have criticised the Fifa executive and had speeches ready.

“We had a prepared speech and told Mr Mandela: ‘You hit them Madiba!’ ”

Mr Mandela was left behind in Switzerland to rest after the announcement.

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