Defiant Danny Jordaan claims court case has no basis

A defiant Danny Jordaan emerged from the SA Football Association’s (Safa’s) congress at the weekend declaring he’s done “tremendously well”, despite fraud charges still hanging over his head and the association’s dire financial situation.

Jordaan did not have to endure a motion to step aside over his court case, after it was withdrawn by the four regions that had proposed it due to a lack of support. 

“We had to take a step back because some of the regions which we had banked on for support abstained when we had an earlier vote, which went 23-17 against us. Ten regions opting to sit on the fence was an indication that we had to withdraw the motion [for Jordaan to step aside],” a regional leader said.

“Some regional presidents opted not to vote with us as they have regional elections soon, so they want to be returned to office,” another regional leader said.

“Hence, we decided to restrategise. We will continue to insist that the president must step aside to protect Safa’s image.”

The failure of the motion seemed to have given Jordaan renewed vigour as he reiterated that his court case was baseless.

“It doesn’t exist,” he responded to a direct question from this reporter, accusing him of working for one of three publications that “in the last year have been beating the same drum”.

Jordaan and Safa’s CFO, Gronie Hluyo, are out on bail and are scheduled to appear in court again in August. Theft charges against the two were withdrawn in February, but prosecution authorities said they were confident fraud charges would stick.

As cash-strapped Safa battles to attract new sponsors despite national teams excelling, Jordaan insisted his arrest in 2024 couldn’t harm the image of the association, which reported a R5m deficit in a financial report presented by Hluyo to its congress.

“No executive in the history of Safa has achieved what we have. We have done extremely well. Safa is intact, but if you read the three newspapers, you will see something different. You’re still beating the same drum,” Jordaan said.

But questions regarding his suitability for the Safa presidency are unlikely to disappear soon as the association faces a cash crunch, which also led to Banyana Banyana downing tools as they begin their defence of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations this week.