Danny Jordaan contests for Safa president under fraud charge cloud

The fraud case involving South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan has once again been postponed.

This time, it was not the court that decided to suspend proceedings. The defence and the State reached an agreement to again pause the matter to allow for a high court hearing that may have a direct impact on the proceedings at the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court. 

The latest appearance by Jordaan and his three co-accused was supposed to be for the hearing of a fresh Section 342A application, brought by the Safa leader alongside the federation’s chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo. 

Their two co-accused, businessman Trevor Neethling and former Safa CEO Russell Paul, are not part of the proposed 342A hearing and are waiting for the formal trial to begin, to defend themselves. 

The trial within a trial

In the Criminal Procedure Act, Section 342A reads: “A court before which criminal proceedings are pending shall investigate any delay in the completion of proceedings which appears to the court to be unreasonable and which could cause substantial prejudice to the prosecution, the accused or his/her legal adviser, the State or a witness.”

Jordaan and Hluyo’s previous attempt at having the matter struck off the roll on these grounds was dismissed by the sitting magistrate at the time, Sheron Soko-Rantao. It came in December 2024, shortly after their arrests, and the State successfully argued for its dismissal. However, the duo appealed against the matter at the high court, and it is set to be heard on 31 August.

“Both the State and the defence have mutually agreed that the matter which was supposed to be heard today be remanded,” State prosecutor Moagi Malebati told Soko-Rantao. “Sometime in 2024, a Section 342A was brought by accused one (Jordaan) and three (Hluyo). The said inquiry was heard before your worship, which you duly dismissed.”

“Accused one and three then decided to take the matter on review to the high court. Up to date, the high court has not dealt with that review. And your worship (Soko-Rantao) has been cited as a respondent in that matter,” Malebati said.

“We are also aware that the high court matter may not be finalised on Monday (31 August), especially as it will be sitting before a full bench. So, to mitigate this, we have decided to remand the fresh 342A for two months. Which means we will come back on 27 November 2026. We believe that by then, the high court judgment will have been given and we’ll know where to go from there,” the State advocate said. 

Jordaan’s presidential ambitions

Jordaan was arrested alongside Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling by the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation unit on charges of fraud. 

The State alleges Jordaan breached Safa protocol when the federation hired Neethling’s public relations company, Grit Communications, ahead of the 2018 Safa elections. A year before that, Jordaan had been accused of rape.

The 74-year-old, who turns 75 on 3 September, has always insisted that Safa’s relationship with Grit was above board and was for the benefit of the federation. However, the State alleges that he hired Neethling’s company to polish his personal image ahead of the 2018 elections. 

Jordaan eventually went on to win those elections, as he did again in 2022. He was first elected in 2013. In 2026, despite this dark cloud of corruption hanging over his head, the former Nelson Mandela Bay mayor is the favourite for re-election. Businessman and AmaZulu owner Sandile Zungu is his challenger in the elections, which are scheduled to take place on 12 September 2026. 

Bennet Bailey wants Jordaan out

One of Safa’s four vice presidents, Bennet Bailey, was initially interested in challenging Jordaan for the highest seat at Safa House. However, the Safa Cape Town boss has since withdrawn his candidacy and thrown his support behind Zungu.

When Safa appeared before the sport, arts and culture parliamentary committee on 25 August 2026, Bailey attacked the incumbent and his supporters. The Safa Cape Town president alleged that he had been deliberately excluded from Safa’s post-Fifa World Cup parliamentary appearance as a result of not being behind Jordaan. 

“What else can [Jordaan] bring into the organisation? We need to look at bringing young and new people in so that we can have a generational renewal,” Bailey told Parliament. “This man is leading an organisation of disunity and factionalism. It’s evident.”

“The organisation of Safa needs a new face. Some people will say Safa is doing well, better than other times. But Bafana Bafana qualified for their first World Cup in 16 years. How is that doing better when [Jordaan has been around for so long]? We should be regularly qualifying for the World Cup.” Bailey said. 

“Now that we have qualified, you want to compare us to Cape Verde, a small island of fishermen. You cannot say we are at that level. We should be at a higher level,” the Safa vice president said. 

“Therefore, I have no confidence [in Jordaan]. We need new leadership, fresh faces, a new mandate and renewed trust to be installed in Safa,” said Bailey. DM