Dressed in her colourful Bafana Bafana regalia and a South African flag draped around her waist, the country’s famous and die-hard sports fan Joy “Mama Joy” Chauke heaped praises on embattled Danny Jordaan after the state dropped the theft charges against the Safa president, Trevor Neethling, and CFO Gronie Hluyo on Friday.
The three accused will now face charges of three counts of fraud and conspiracy to
commit fraud.
After the conclusion of the court proceedings at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, Mama Joy said Jordaan was innocent.
“Some of the charges were withdrawn. When we come back to court in August, all the charges will be withdrawn.”
She said Jordaan should not step aside because he is “doing great work” as Safa president.
“It is a bonus to have a president like him. I support him. I do not think he will step aside. Bafana Bafana has qualified for Afcon [2025], and Banyana Banyana will be playing in Wafcon [2025]. He is doing well.”
Mama Joy was seated behind Jordaan throughout the court proceedings. Jordaan (73), Hluyo (55), and businessman Neethling (46) were charged with three counts of fraud, three counts of theft, and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft.
The charges stem from allegations of R1.3-million fraud and theft of Safa’s financial resources between 2014 and 2018. All accused are on R20 000 bail.
Neethling’s company, Grit Communications, is the fourth accused in the matter.
Magistrate Sheron Soko-Rantao postponed the matter to August 15 to allow for the high court to hear and decide on the review application that Jordaan and Hluyo intend to bring to challenge her decision to dismiss their application to have their case struck off the roll.
The matter was postponed for an outcome on Neethling and Grit Communications’ representations to Johannesburg director of public prosecutions, advocate Andrew Chauke, to have all charges withdrawn.
Jordaan declined to comment, saying the matter was still in court and he would talk once it had been concluded.
