Jake White ‘Cracking’

Mukoni Ratshitanga, spokesperson for the Presidency, has confirmed that Jake White will meet with SA President Thabo Mbeki. He said the “courtesy call” between the two would take place in Cape Town on Friday.

White is reportedly seeking Mbeki’s intervention as pressure mounted on him from all sides. His ‘transformation’ record has been criticized and now there are allegations of a drunken night club assault in which he was supposedly indirectly involved.

He is to appear before South African Rugby Union managing director Jonathan Stones on Monday in connection with an incident in which he allegedly verbally abused ‘journalist’ Adnaan Mohamed of Die Son, in the News Café in Sandton last Thursday night.

“The allegation is that Jake verbally abused Mohamed and that this led to a third party, Francke, assaulting him,” Stones said. He told The Johannesburg Star: “Raucous behaviour is unacceptable but we are still dealing with allegations here, so I don’t want to pre-judge anyone.”

Saru president Oregan Hoskins promised that the investigation would be as thorough as possible. He confirmed that if White was found guilty of bringing South African rugby into disrepute, he could be fired. He said nothing about his and Mike Stofile’s own recent successful attempts at bringing rugby into disrepute.

SARU manager of national teams Andy Marinos told reporters that ‘Jake White is not being grilled as has been suggested, but we have launched an internal investigation, our legal officer is speaking to all parties and once he has done his work, we will take a decision on what further course of action might be taken.”

Mohamed laid a complaint of assault with Joburg police against Colin Francke, one-time Mamelodi Sundowns masseur for allegedly attacking him in a toilet at a News Cafe in Sandton on Thursday.

He claims White questioned him about his “negative reporting” of the Springboks and White personally. He alleges that a third party, Francke (the masseur), who had been sitting at White’s table assaulted him in the toilets.

Mohamed believed Francke’s actions were a direct result of White’s earlier altercation with him. “I honestly believe if Jake did not verbally abuse me the way he did, I would not have been assaulted,” he said.

According to Mohamed, White was “completely drunk” when their altercation took place. He also claims the alleged attack by Francke left him bleeding profusely from the ear (that’s some massage!).

White faces questioning by police and being called as a potential court witness over the incident.

The SA Rugby Union is preparing to face a tough session in Parliament on Tuesday, when the three presidents and 14 provincial chief executives will appear before the sports portfolio committee over representivity in rugby and the Springbok team. Already they are looking for a scapegoat.

White is said to be “cracking under the strain” of mounting controversies in rugby and could not be reached for comment on Sunday. Springbok media manager Vusi Kama said he knew nothing about a meeting with Mbeki.

White is in Cape Town preparing his side for the opening Tri-Nations match of the season. And cracking under the strain…Allegedly…