Jake White cleared of misconduct

SARU has cleared Jake White of breaching their Code of Conduct on Tuesday, following a heated argument with a journalist in a News Café bar in Sandton, Johannesburg last Thursday.

SARU’s lawyer Christo Ferreira was tasked with investigating allegations that the argument between White and Adnaan Mohamed of Die Son had led to the journalist being assaulted by masseur Colin Francke in the toilets of the News Café.

The allegations were made by Andrew Koopman, editor of Die Son.

White, who had apparently been drinking, berated Mohamed about his negative coverage of the Bok team and of White personally. Also mentioned was a recent article which appeared in the Bloemfontein edition of Die Son. It alleged that Luke Watson had been forced out of the Sharks because he had become too friendly with John Smit’s wife.

Mohammed retaliated to Jake’s outburst with a strong statement of his own. He has since said he did not write the article in question. Mohammed later said that while he could not say for sure that White had been behind the alleged assault, he did believe that he would not have been accosted if it had not been for his argument with White.

SARU’s statement clearing White was brief: “The designated official [Ferreira] determined that the conduct of White did not constitute any breaches of the Code of Conduct. The findings of the designated official are based on a thorough investigation of the available evidence.”

Meanwhile Mohamed is pressing charges of assault against Francke.