Safa boss Jordaan, co-accused seek to have fraud case struck off the roll

05 December 2024 - 14:10
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South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan appears in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court where he is facing R1.3m fraud and theft charges.
South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan appears in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court where he is facing R1.3m fraud and theft charges.
Image: Veli Nhlapo

South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan and CFO Gronie Hluyo want their fraud case struck off the roll.

Jordaan, Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling made their second appearance in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court on Thursday, where their lawyer, advocate Norman Arendse, informed the court about the application to have the matter removed from the roll.

Among the reasons for wanting their matter removed is they are challenging their arrest.

“The investigating officer was aware of the pending application [to interdict the arrest]. Nonetheless the matter was set down [before the application was heard] while the application is pending and it will result in the criminal matter being delayed,” Arendse said.

“So it will not make sense that we waste state resources by postponing the matter from time to time while those applications are pending and we know the outcome of those [pending] applications.”

Sowetan previously reported Jordaan had filed an urgent application to interdict his arrest and prosecution. However, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the application was flawed, hence the arrest was effected.

“The application had [defects] as it did not have a case number,” said the NPA's Phindi Mjonondwane at the time.

“So though we were served, the application had flaws and nothing was stopping the Hawks from executing the warrants of arrest. It was an application and not a court interdict.

Jordaan is alleged to have violated Safa statutes prejudicing the organisation to the loss of R1.3m paid to PR firm Grit Communications to influence the media to push a positive narrative about Safa and himself at the height of scandals and damaging allegations, including rape, he faced.

Neethling owns the company. He is alleged to have used the organisations's resources without authorisation.

The trio made their first appearance last month and were released on R20,000 bail.

Magistrate Shirley Soko postponed the matter to Tuesday.

“Your matter has been postponed because of the application brought by accused 1 and 3 in terms of [the] section 342A application, your bail is extended,” she said.

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