The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has launched a scathing attack on South African Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan, following his arrest on charges of fraud and theft this week.
Jordaan, alongside SAFA Chief Financial Officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, allegedly misused R1.3 million of SAFA's funds for personal gain.
The EFF has long accused Jordaan of being a corrupt ANC-deployee, lacking expertise in football or sports.
His transition from Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to SAFA President raises eyebrows, suggesting political connections rather than merit, the EFF said.
“Under Jordaan's leadership, football development in South Africa has stagnated,” The party wrote in a statement, hours after Jordaan’s arrest.
The EFF criticises his neglect of grassroots football”, pointing to the individual efforts of Patrice Motsepe, Dr. Irvin Khoza, and Dr. Kaizer Motaung to sustain football development.
To throw the spanner in the works the EFF said Men's and women's football wages remain unequal under Jordaan and football development had declined.
They further said there was widespread secrecy surrounding national team bonuses and salaries and that SAFA money was used for personal protection and PR.
The party demanded a thorough, independent probe into SAFA's finances under Jordaan's tenure, focusing on procurement and payments to service providers linked to the ANC.
“The EFF is not surprised by the reported arrest of SAFA Danny Jordaan…The EFF has long identified Danny Jordaan as a corrupt ANC-deployee in SAFA, who has no sophisticated knowledge of football or sports in general, and exists in the association as a proxy for corrupt ANC interests. It has been a wonder for all logical citizens of this country how someone can move from being a Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, to a President of a footballing association, without any verifiable track-record in the footballing world,” the statement read.
The trio appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ridge and were granted R20,000 bail each.
Jordaan, 73, faces serious allegations of misusing SAFA resources for personal gain between 2014 and 2018.
Specifically, he is accused of hiring a private security company for personal protection and a public relations firm without authorization from the SAFA board.
If convicted, Jordaan could face severe consequences, including imprisonment and potential removal from his position as SAFA president.
The charges stem from a 2017 Service Level Agreement between SAFA and Grit Communications for public relations services, allegedly signed by Jordaan without proper authorization. Additionally, Jordaan is accused of acquiring protection services worth over R40,000 from Badger Security for personal use during the 2018 SAFA elective congress.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority, Jordaan, Hluyo, and Neethling face three counts of fraud, three counts of theft, and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft.
The prosecution alleges that Jordaan's actions contravened SAFA statutes, which only authorise the CFO and CEO to sign contractual agreements.
This development comes amidst growing criticism of Jordaan's leadership, including allegations of financial mismanagement and poor internal conflict resolution. A recent anonymous document circulated to media outlets highlighted several concerns, including the mistreatment of Banyana Banyana players over remuneration and the collapse of SAFA's standing committees under Jordaan's watch.
Jordaan has maintained his innocence despite numerous allegations against him. However, if convicted, he could face serious repercussions, damaging his reputation and potentially ending his tenure as SAFA president.
The case has been postponed to December 5 for docket disclosure.
Conditions of bail include not interfering with witnesses, surrendering passports for Hluyo and Neethling, reporting to the court before travel for Jordaan and changing verified addresses.
Saturday Star