Safa boss Jordaan, co-accused want fraud case removed from roll

SA Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan and CFO Gronie Hluyo have applied for their fraud case to be struck off the roll.

Jordaan, Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling made their second appearance at Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Thursday where their lawyer, Norman Arendse, informed the court of their application.

Among the reasons cited is that they had challenged their arrest.

“The investigating officer was aware of the pending application [to interdict the arrest], nonetheless the matter was sat 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.”

The 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 and the arrest was therefore effected.

“The application had [defects] as it did not have a case number,” the NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said 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, which was paid to Grit Communications to influence media reporting about Safa and himself at the time Jordaan faced several allegations, including rape.

Neethling, who owns Grit Communications, is alleged to have used the company’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.

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