Safa president Danny Jordaan appears before the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on 10 December 2024. Picture: Nigel Sibanda / The Citizen
The fraud case against South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan and his co-accused has been postponed to 15 August 2025, as all suspects seek to have their charges dropped.
On Friday, Jordaan, Safa chief financial officer (CFO) Gronie Hluyo, and businessman Trevor Neethling appeared briefly before the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ridge, Gauteng.
The three men were charged with fraud and theft, accused of misusing R1.3 million of Safa’s funds for personal benefit.
Arrested on 13 November 2024, the accused are currently out on R20 000 bail each.
During Friday’s proceedings, Advocate Norman Arendse, representing Jordaan and Hluyo, informed Magistrate Sheron Soko-Rantao of an agreement with the state for a lengthy postponement to address potential delays.
Arendse revealed that the defence had filed a review application against a 10 December ruling that dismissed their section 342A applications to have the case struck off the roll.
“So that inevitably will result in a delay,” said Arendse, confirming that appeal court papers had been filed on Thursday.
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Additionally, the lawyer revealed that the state had provided an amended charge sheet, withdrawing charges five to seven involving R888,335.05 in alleged theft against Jordaan and Hluyo.
“So we sit now, hopefully with a final charge sheet,” he said.
Arendse further indicated the defence may seek further particulars from the state, potentially leading Jordaan and Hluyo to submit representations to Johannesburg Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Andrew Chauke, to have the charges withdrawn.
“On that basis, we have agreed to postpone the matter,” he concluded.
Arendse also requested a relaxation of Jordaan’s bail conditions, which require him to report any travel plans 72 hours in advance.
“He remains a special adviser to the president of [CAF] Confederation of African Football [Patrice Motsepe] and to the executive, and sometimes arrangements have to be made at short notice.
“I recall personally from a few weeks ago; he was panicky because he wasn’t able to get a hold of the prosecutor and of my instructing attorney.
READ MORE: Safa boss Danny Jordaan’s lawyer stays after state’s application fails
“It was an awkward time of the year, and it was a question of ‘does he go or not?’. We don’t think that there’s any prejudice that this condition can be relaxed or removed,” Arendse explained.
The lawyer emphasised Jordaan’s compliance with this condition, having travelled twice already.
“He is not going to go anywhere, and it just should be removed in its entirety.”
James Ndebele, attorney for Neethling and his company Grit Communications (the fourth non-juristic accused person in the case), confirmed that his client had submitted representations to the DPP on 23 January to have charges dropped.
“On the 24th of January, Advocate Chauke himself acknowledged receipt of the representations and gave an undertaking that he will require until the first week of March this year to properly consider the representations and make an informed decision,” Ndebele said.
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He also supported the proposed postponement date while requesting that Neethling’s bail be extended.
“It is just to allow the interlocutory applications as well as the decision to be made insofar as [my client’s] representations or possible representations for accused one and three.
“Accused two is on bail, and I will request that his bail be extended, and he be forewarned for the 15th of August.
“However, bearing in that, should the outcome be favourable, we will be here sooner than later,” the attorney added.
State prosecutor Moagi Malebati confirmed the postponement arrangements but indicated that he was unaware of the review application until Friday morning.
He also clarified that four charges, including conspiracy to fraud and theft and the charges of fraud, remain.
Furthermore, Malebati expressed opposition to relaxing Jordaan’s bail conditions.
“This was kind of struck as a compromised position that accused one report 72 hours before departing as the state was completely opposed to him even leaving the country,” he stated.
Magistrate Soko-Rantao, however, indicated that any amendment to bail conditions would require a formal affidavit application under section 63 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
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