SAFA President urged to step down as court case looms

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Not In My Name International(NIMNI) has urged South African Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan to step down as a case against him is expected to start this week in court. 

The civil society organisation said Jordaan has been criminally charged for fraud and theft and will be appearing at the Palm Ridge magistrate court on Wednesday.

According to NIMNI, a former vice-president of the association and one of its long-serving NEC members, William Mooka, opened a criminal case against Jordaan in 2020.

This was apparently supported with affidavits from another former vice-president, Lucas Nhlapo, along with the association’s longest serving CEO, Dennis Mumble. 

NIMNI secretary general, Themba Masango revealed that this was followed by the Hawks executing search and seizure warrants at the association’s offices in Nasrec earlier this year. 

He also stated that the warrants were prompted by allegations of fraud and theft amounting to R1.3m.

“The Hawks seized a laptop, external hard drives, a USB, and documents in a five-hour raid. The raid was a culmination of an extensive probe into Jordaan’s alleged widespread maladministration and abuse of office

“He is alleged to have employed a communications company using SAFA’S resources, without the permission of the board to clean up his image following the 2017 allegations by former ANC MP Jennifer Ferguson that he had raped her.

“He also allegedly employed a security firm to guard himself, using Safa funds. The elite police unit confiscated Safa CFO’s laptop and hard drives from the IT department. The Hawks’ initial charges might just be the tip of the iceberg,” he explained. 

Demands for Jordaan to step aside from SAFA

Masango stated that the crime-busting unit is likely to add more charges related to the alleged inflated R70m paid for the Fun Valley Resort and Entertainment Centre in the south of Johannesburg as well as the controversial winding down of the 2010 Fifa World Cup Legacy Trust. 

He continued; “The $100m legacy fund was set up after SA had hosted the continent’s first World Cup. The Hawks have reportedly drawn up a comprehensive charge sheet, and Jordaan and co will have to provide answers in court on Wednesday.”

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Masango called on the minister of sports and all progressive citizens who care about justice and the future of football administration in South Africa to take a stand.

“We demand Danny Jordaan to step aside from SAFA until this matter has been cleared by a competent court of law,” he concluded.