Danny Jordaan’s late bid to halt arrest was flawed: NPA
‘Safa president's application had defects ... it did not even have a case number’
by Herman Moloi · TimesLIVESouth African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan’s 11th-hour attempt to halt his arrest and prosecution failed because it had flaws.
This is according to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane, after Jordaan and his co-accused — Safa CFO Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling — appeared in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Wednesday.
The three, who were charged with three counts of fraud, three counts of theft and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft, were granted R20,000 bail each.
On Tuesday, Sowetan reported that Jordaan had filed an urgent application to interdict his arrest and prosecution. The application was scheduled to be heard on Thursday at the Johannesburg high court.
“The application had defects as it did not have a case number,” said Mjonondwane.
“So, though we were served, the application had flaws and there was nothing stopping the Hawks from executing the warrants of arrest. It was an application and not a court interdict.”
At the centre of the case is the allegation that Jordaan and Hluyo spent R1.3m of Safa money without authorisation. A search and seizure operation at Safa offices on March 8 was related to the appointment of two service providers, Grit Communications, owned by Neethling, and Badger Security.
Grit was hired to spruce up Jordaan’s image at the height of allegations against him including rape accusations made by singer Jennifer Ferguson.
In its report to Safa in the first 16 months of its work, the PR firm detailed how it sought to soften the blow of perceived hostile media coverage, and to place Jordaan at the centre of revival of the battered image of the football controlling organisation.
Jordaan said Grit was appointed to safeguard “the good name and reputation of Safa” from October 2017 to August 2019 and paid R1.3m over a three-year period. He said the payment was accounted for in Safa’s annual financial statements.
During his bail application on Wednesday, Jordaan said: “I intend to plead not guilty to the charges. I have not committed those offences.”
Neethling told the court that the charges stemmed from “internal battles” at Safa. “It’s clear these allegations are from people who have a personal vendetta with Jordaan,” he said.
Granting the trio bail, magistrate Phillip Venter said it was safe to say they were verified and were not flight risks. Jordaan was permitted to keep his passport because of his job, while Neethling and Hluyo were ordered to hand in theirs.
Venter said Jordaan could travel for work. “Mr Jordaan, any travels of which I am going to discuss in a moment now, you need to make yourself available for court. If that means you cannot attend a trip representing Safa, unfortunately that’s how it is going to be,” he said.
“You must provide the investigating officer with a written itinerary of your departure and return flights and your destination at least 72 hours before your departure ... These travels must be limited for official duties affiliated to Safa only.”
He warned the accused not to make any contact directly or indirectly with the witnesses. “If for any strange reason you see one of these people [witnesses] approach you in the mall or wherever you are walking, please turn and walk off.”
The case was postponed to December 5.