South African Football Association (Safa) President, Danny Jordaan, has been arrested for alleged fraud and embezzlement of funds within the federation.
The 73-year-old was taken into custody on Wednesday morning and is currently being processed at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
Jordaan’s arrest follows a five-hour raid conducted by Hawks officers at Safa’s headquarters, where several items were seized, including laptops, documents, USBs, and external hard drives, all of which are believed to be crucial to the investigation.
The charges stem from allegations that Jordaan misused the Federation’s resources between 2014 and 2018 for personal gain. It is claimed that he misappropriated approximately R1.3 million of Safa’s funds.
Co-Accused in the Case
Alongside Jordaan, two other individuals have been arrested in connection with the alleged fraud. These include Safa’s Chief Financial Officer, Gronie Hluyo, and businessman Trevor Neethling, who was once a journalist. All three are expected to appear in the Specialized Commercial Crime Court in Palm Ridge on Wednesday.
The Hawks have explained that the charges involve Jordaan allegedly using Safa’s resources for personal benefit, including hiring a private security company for his protection and a public relations firm, both without proper authorization from the Safa Board.
In a previous raid in March, Hawks officers searched the Safa offices for evidence but were unable to secure any tangible materials. The latest developments suggest they may now have the necessary evidence to pursue charges against Jordaan, who was hoping to run for a fourth term as president of Safa.
