Former NEC members expect more arrests as Safa rallies behind embattled Danny Jordaan

A group of former South African Football Association (Safa) national executive committee members (NEC) expect more arrests after Danny Jordaan appeared in court this week on charges of fraud and theft involving R1.3m.

Other charges against Safa president Jordaan include hiring a private security company for his personal protection and a public relations company without authorisation from the Safa NEC. 

Jordaan with his co-accused Safa CFO Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling were granted bail of R20,000 each after they appeared in the specialised commercial crimes court sitting in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court on Wednesday. 

The group, that includes former NEC members such as Fanyana Sibanyoni, Xolani Mtumtum, Zola Dunywa, Buti Lerefolo, Truman Prince, Abel Rakoma and Lucas Nhlapo said there was a well-orchestrated system of patronage within the Safa NEC.

“We have long expressed our concern at the poor state of governance in Safa and believe that this decision reflects the interests of justice and fairness,” read the group's statement. 

“As former members of the national executive committee of the South African Football Association (Safa NEC), we have noted with interest the long overdue arrest of the Safa president Danny Jordaan following a criminal complaint laid by Willie Mooka, a former Safa NEC member, against the Safa president on May 20 2020 at the time when Mooka was still a member of the Safa NEC. 

“Mooka’s complaint followed the Safa NEC’s rejection of a report by the former Safa CEO Dennis Mumble which contained damning and serious allegations against Jordaan after Mumble’s refusal to sign a contract to employ the Safa president’s personal public relations agency to clean up his image following rape allegations levelled against him in October 2017.

“Mumble as the CEO refused to sign the contract on the basis that the rape allegations faced by Jordaan was a personal matter and had nothing to do with Safa’s mandate to develop football in the country.

“Despite Mumble’s refusal to sign the contract, an agreement was signed behind his back by Jordaan himself, without the knowledge and consent of Mumble. After the NEC rejected Mumble’s report, Mooka, in fulfilment of his fiduciary duty and at great cost to his role as a member of the NEC, then lodged a criminal complaint with the SA Police Service (SAPS). 

“Mooka’s complaint also included Jordaan’s unilateral engagement of a private security service for his personal protection at Safa’s expense in June 2018 without the knowledge and consent of Mumble and or the Safa NEC.” 

Safa released a strongly worded statement on Friday condemning attempts by what they called disgruntled former members who want to throw the association into disarray. 

“The South African Football Association (Safa) wishes to condemn in the strongest terms the underhand dealings and tactics that saw Safa president Dr Danny Jordaan, CFO Gronie Hluyo and Grit communications director Trevor Neethling appear before the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court in the east of Johannesburg this week,” read a statement by Safa. 

“The allegations and/or charges of fraud, theft, corruption are therefore frivolous and baseless, driven more by personal vendettas by disgruntled former members of Safa who carry a clear agenda to mischaracterise facts and thereby damage the respective good names and reputations of Safa and its current leadership.

“It’s a familiar tactic and cowardly attempt to pressure Jordaan to step down amid mounting public scrutiny. This strategy is not new and was similarly employed during the build-up to the 2018 Safa elections,” added the Safa statement.