Johannesburg – The South African Football Association (SAFA) boss Danny Jordaan has been granted R20 000 bail hours after he was arrested for fraud.
The 73-year-old football supremo appeared Wednesday, (13 November 2024), alongside his co-accused SAFA CFO Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
All three were arrested earlier on Wednesday following an intensive investigation by the Hawks into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft from SAFA.
The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, SAFA president, Jordaan, unlawfully used the organization’s resources for his gain including hiring a private security company for his protection, and a Public Relations company.
Charges against the three accused included three counts of fraud, three counts of theft, and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft.
After pleading their cases to the court, which involved disclosing the property and cars they own as well as their income, the court granted the fraud-accused trio bail.
Jordaan said he only has an honorarium from SAFA, Hluyo, who is a Zimbabwean with a permanent residence permit, said he earns R62 000 a month and Neethling said he earned R45 a month.
They all stated that they were married and had children. The accused listed various properties they owned to persuade the court that they would not flee.
The court granted all three accused bail of R20 000 each with conditions.
Magistrate Phillip Venter allowed Jordaan to keep his passport because his position at SAFA requires him to travel outside the country to attend meetings and sporting events that involve football.
The matter was adjourned to 5 December 2024.
At least 19 witnesses have been listed in the matter, but all the accused deny any wrongdoing and intend to plead not guilty.
However, the state alleges that a 12-month Service Level Agreement (SLA) allegedly entered by SAFA, represented by Jordaan, and Grit Communications in December 2017 for the provision of Public Relations (PR) and communication services to SAFA, was unlawful.
The state alleges that Jordaan, in contravention of the SAFA statutes, signed the SLA that was neither sanctioned nor approved by the board.
Jordaan is alleged to have employed Grit Communications to protect his image following allegations of rape levelled against him in 2017.
Neethling, the sole director of Grit Communications, allegedly backdated the SLA to 1 October 2017.
Furthermore, Jordaan allegedly acquired protection services worth over R40 000, purported to be for SAFA from Badger Security, during the SAFA 2018 elective congress, whilst these protection services were allegedly exclusively rendered to him.
According to SAFA statutes, Jordaan as president was precluded from
signing such contractual agreements, as only the CFO and CEO of the football organisation were authorised to do so.
Investigations revealed that PR services were already rendered to SAFA by its existing department.
Despite full knowledge of the unauthorised and unlawful nature of the actions of both Jordaan and Neethling, it is alleged that Hluyo approved the payments to Grit Communications and Badger Security.
