South African football has been rocked by the arrest of its president, Danny Jordaan, on charges of fraud and theft totalling R1.3-million. The 73-year-old administrator was taken into custody alongside Safa’s chief of finance, Gronie Hluyo, and a 46-year-old businessman on 13 November 2024. The arrests follow an extensive investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Johannesburg.
“Warrants… issued for the arrest of two prominent South African Football Association executive officers, aged 73 and 55, together with a 46-year-old businessman, were executed this morning, 13 November 2024, following an intensive investigation… into allegations of R1.3-million fraud and theft,” confirmed Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale.
The charges stem from alleged misuse of Safa resources between 2014 and 2018. “The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of Safa used the organisation’s resources for his personal gain, including hiring a private security company for his personal protection and a public relations company without authorisation from the Safa board,” Mogale explained.
The Hawks’ investigation was triggered by criminal charges laid in 2020 by Willie Mooka, a former Safa National Executive Committee (NEC) member. Mooka’s actions, which ultimately led to his departure from Safa, were a last resort.
“We took that step because we… were convinced that Safa was being turned into a milk cow for personal gain by those who wield power,” Mooka stated, highlighting his concerns about alleged financial mismanagement within the organisation. “We could not keep silent when such an important sports body was being run down and its reputation smudged by theft allegations.”
Mooka’s claims are not new. A recent anonymous document, circulated to various media outlets, details numerous allegations of financial mismanagement and poor governance at Safa, many echoing issues raised previously. These include the well-publicised dispute with Banyana Banyana players over their remuneration before the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The players' threatened strike action was eventually resolved with intervention from the Motsepe Foundation, which covered the shortfall between the players' demands and Safa’s offer. The document cites this incident as an example of Safa’s failure to effectively resolve internal conflicts. Further allegations include the collapse of several Safa standing committees under Jordaan's leadership.
Safa responded to these allegations with a press conference on 8 November, vehemently denying the accusations.
“We have noted that there are certain individuals who are continuing to damage the Safa brand, and they are using certain media platforms to wage this war and smear the names and reputations of our members. The campaign has noticeably picked up in the last few weeks and enough is enough,” said Tankiso Modipa, head of Safa’s safety and security protocol committee.
They also expressed concerns about the risk these leaks posed to Safa's operations, finances, sponsors, and the safety of its members, vowing to take strong action against those responsible.
In March 2024, the Hawks raided Safa’s Nasrec headquarters, seizing several items. Jordaan at the time described the raid as “illegal and unlawful.” However, the Hawks clearly secured sufficient evidence to proceed with the arrests.
In a brief court appearance at Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Phillip Venter, Jordaan pleaded not guilty to the charges. Danny Jordaan, Safa chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo, and businessman Trevor Neethling have been granted bail of R20,000 each.
Jordaan, 73, Hluyo, 55, and Neethling, 46 made their first court appearance on Wednesday.
Magistrate Venter said Neethling and Hluyo must hand over their passports to the investigating officer for the duration of the case.
He said Jordaan can retain his passport due to his constant travel stemming from his Safa presidential duties. Jordaan must, however, provide the investigating officer with a written itinerary whenever he travels out of the country, he said.
Jordaan, who has been Safa president since 2013 and was re-elected for a third term in 2022, recently hinted at seeking a fourth term. This arrest throws his ambitions into serious doubt, and casts a long shadow over South African football's future.
