The fraud, corruption, and conspiracy to commit fraud case involving South African Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan and co-accused Gronie Hluyo has been postponed to September 12.
Jordaan is accused of misusing SAFA funds for personal benefit, including allegedly hiring a private security firm and a PR company without board approval.
State prosecutor, Advocate Moagi Malebati, informed the court on Friday that a new Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Advocate Mzukisi Sakata, has been appointed to replace the suspended Andrew Chauke. Sakata will only assume office on September 1, after which he will review defense representations seeking to have the case struck off the roll.
Malebati stressed that SAFA’s separate High Court challenge to the March 2024 search and seizure at its Nasrec headquarters has no bearing on the present case.
However, defense lawyer for Jordaan and Hluyo, Victor Nkwashu, pushed back, accusing the state of attempting to humiliate his clients if the raid is unrelated. He argued that the defense was within its rights to challenge the seizure before trial proceedings began, and maintained that ongoing delays justify removing the matter from the roll.
Representing co-accused Trevor Neethling and Grit Communications, Advocate James Ndebele claimed his clients were caught in the political crossfire between Jordaan and his detractors. He gave the state until September 12 to decide whether to drop the charges against them, warning that he would file for removal of the matter under Section 342 if the delays persisted. Ndebele also criticised Chauke for failing to decide on the representations for more than five months, calling him “incompetent.”
Magistrate Shirley Soko-Rantao granted the postponement and urged the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure the new Acting DPP treats the matter as a priority.
