Safa NEC members are taking the fight to president Danny Jordaan, who appeared at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday for fraud and theft amounting to R1.3-million and for irregularly using the association’s funds.
A number of NEC members, who spoke to Sunday World are calling for Jordaan, who was released on R20 000 bail, to step down pending the outcome of the case.
Jordaan will appear again in court on December 5. He appeared with co-accused, Safa’s chief executive officer (CFO) Gronie Hluyo and Grit communications director Trevor Neethling.
NEC member Gladwyn White has written a letter, which the Sunday World has seen, to the association and NEC, requesting that Jordaan be temporarily suspended, together with the chief executive officer (CEO) Lydia Monyepao for failing to fulfil her role as the sole accounting officer of the association.
Jordaan’s arrest has split the association in the middle because those backing him said that he should continue running the association, arguing that there is no step-aside policy at Safa. His adversaries are calling for him to be internally charged and suspended.
Reads White’s letter: “Pursuant to the authority vested under the Safa Statutes, I hereby submit this motion requesting an urgent convening of the NEC. This requisition is prompted by the impending court appearance of the Safa president on charges of fraud, theft and maladministration.
“The circumstances necessitate immediate review and deliberation by the NEC to uphold Safa’s governance integrity and to ensure continuity in leadership and operations.”
White stated that the meeting items should include the suspension of the two.
“Suspension of the Safa president and CEO for ethical and governance compliance.
“The Safa president should be temporarily suspended to allow an unimpeded investigation and to restore partner confidence.
“Similarly, the CEO should be suspended for failing to fulfil her role as the sole accounting officer, especially given financial and operational lapses,” she wrote.
White added that the suspension of Jordaan is also part of reinforcing stakeholder confidence.
“Suspending the president aligns with Fifa’s mandate to prevent any suspicion of misconduct, while providing reassurance to Safa’s partners of the association’s commitment to ethical governance,” reads the letter.
Said another NEC member: “We will pursue at least between 18-30 Safa regions to submit motions for an extraordinary congress. Both processes will run parallel, and we’ll explore a variety of articles to charge him, then suspend him and eventually force him to resign,” said an anonymous NEC member.
“We cannot be led by someone who is out on bail – what kind of an organisation is this? People should not be blinded by loyalty, and we owe it to the country to do the right thing and charge him for bringing the association into disrepute. The National Prosecuting Authority says it has a strong case, he added.”
Safa vice-president Bennett Bailey hit back at Jordaan’s antagonists: “We are fully behind the president. And that’s why we are supporting Jordaan.
“The way forward is simple. We continue with business as usual and the business of football. Bafana Bafana are playing important fixtures this weekend.
“We are aware that some NEC members and former employees and members are involved in causing chaos and they want the president to step aside.
“People can plot and try and put motions in place, but we are not worried – it is just frivolous things and accusations. They are just clutching at straws. And we know that when we get to the court to respond, we will respond and show that they have no leg to stand on,” added Bailey.
