Appearing in court on Wednesday after a failed attempt to halt his arrest and subsequent prosecution, beleaguered Safa president Danny Jordaan stood beside a former Gqeberha journalist in the dock where they pleaded for bail.
The 11th-hour application by Jordaan, a former Nelson Mandela Bay mayor, to stop his arrest had been flawed and did not have a case number.
This was revealed by National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane on Wednesday after Jordaan and his co-accused — Safa chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, a former journalist — appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
Mjonondwane said: “Though we were served, the application had flaws and there was nothing stopping the Hawks from executing the warrants of arrest.
“It was an application and not a court interdict.”
The three, who were charged with three counts of fraud, three counts of theft and conspiracy to commit fraud and theft, were granted R20,000 bail each.
At the centre of the case is the allegation that Jordaan and Hluyo spent R1.3m of Safa money without authorisation.
A search-and-seizure operation at Safa’s offices on March 8 was related to the appointment of two service providers, Grit Communications, owned by Neethling, and Badger Security.
Grit was hired to spruce up Jordaan’s image at the height of damning allegations against him.
At the time, he was facing allegations including rape accusations made by singer Jennifer Ferguson.
In its report to Safa in the first 16 months of its work, the PR firm detailed how it sought to soften the blow of perceived hostile media coverage, and to place Jordaan at the centre of revival of the battered image of the football controlling organisation.
Jordaan said Grit was appointed to safeguard “the good name and reputation of Safa” between October 2017 and August 2019, and paid R1.3m over a three-year period.
He said the payment was accounted for in Safa’s annual financial statements.
In his affidavit, Jordaan said the intended arrest was communicated on November 7 to his attorney, Victor Nkwashu, by a “Captain Magano”.
Jordaan argued in his affidavit that the case was based on the search-and-seizure operation, which he was currently challenging in court.
He argued that the case could only be on the court roll after a determination had been made on that matter.
During the bail application on Wednesday, he said: “I intend to plead not guilty to the charges. I have not committed those offences.
“I have no intention to live abroad. It is in the interest of justice for me to get bail.
“My release will not disturb public order.”
Neethling told the court that the charges were set to fight internal battles at Safa.
“It’s clear these allegations are from people who have a personal vendetta with Jordaan,” he said.
Neethling worked at The Herald and then-sister paper Weekend Post for about eight years between 2000 and 2008.
He went on to become a deputy chief sub-editor for Weekend Post before moving to Johannesburg where he worked for two publications before starting his own company.
In 2018, together with his business partners, he founded Gravitas Africa — a design-centred strategic communication company to help organisations navigate the complexities of building a reputation and engaging with stakeholders.
Granting the trio bail, magistrate Phillip Venter said it was safe to say all the applicants were verified and that they were not flight risks.
Jordaan was ordered to keep his passport because of his job, while Neethling and Hluyo were ordered to hand in theirs.
Venter said Jordaan could travel for work.
“Mr Jordaan, any travels of which I am going to discuss in a moment now, you need to make yourself available for court,” he said.
“If that means you cannot attend a trip representing Safa, unfortunately that’s how it is going to be.
“You must provide the investigating officer with a written itinerary of your departure and return flights and your destination at least 72 hours prior to your departure ...
“These travels must be limited for official duties affiliated to Safa only ...
“Applicant number 2 and 3 [Neethling and Hluyo] ... when the need arises to travel beyond the borders of SA, you can approach the court, not the investigating officer, for such a bail condition to be considered and possibly amended.
“Such travels are ... not for holidays.”
The case was postponed to December 5.
HeraldLIVE
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