Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa raises concerns over Hawks raid at SAFA

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa has raised concerns over the recent raid by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit (Hawks) at SAFA house.

The search and seizure execution by the Hawks is part of an investigation into fraud and theft charges of R1,3-million, allegedly linked to the organisation’s president Danny Jordaan.

Kodwa has revealed that he has written a letter to Jordaan seeking answers on the latest developments at SAFA headquarters over the last couple of weeks.

“When I said that I’m concerned about developments at SAFA, it’s precisely those issues (Ledwaba ban and Hawks raid) that I raised earlier,” he said to Thabiso Mosia on Radio 2000.

“I said let’s avoid things that might just not be of interest to any investor and sponsor because an investor has the right to protect their brand. They can’t be associated with some of the issues that have happened and the raid concerns me a bit.”

Kodwa also raised questions about the ban on former SAFA vice-president Ria Ledwaba from football activities that declared her persona non grata. The association made a dramatic U-turn on the ban following a legal challenge by Ledwaba’s lawyers and rescinded the decision. 

‘I’m really concerned about the situation’

“I did write a letter to the president (of SAFA) a few days ago to ask what was happening, that was before the withdrawal of the decision on Ria. I have not received a response and I’m really concerned about the situation at SAFA,” he lamented

“I was also concerned about the tone of the letter that was written to mama Ria Ledwaba. I’m not suggesting that we should interfere with the running of the federation but words like banned and persona non grata. I was saying that in the 30th year of democracy, which federation can still use that language and people said it was within the rules. Now, that was before the withdrawal of the ban and I then wrote to the attention of the president (Jordaan) because I got worried about that tone given the history of this country. 

“I hope now it’s water under the bridge but I will need to understand beyond that issue. There are many issues around the federation that I would like to discuss with the leadership. The president was obviously with Bafana Bafana (in Algeria) and I would like to have a meeting with the federation in his presence.”