South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged on Wednesday with fraud and theft, accused of misusing the organization’s resources for personal benefit, amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000), police reported.
Jordaan, who led South Africa’s bid for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges during a court appearance in Johannesburg.
“Between 2014 and 2018, the SAFA president allegedly used the organization’s resources for his own gain,” a police statement noted.
He is accused of hiring a private security firm for personal protection and a public relations company without board authorization, the statement added.
Reportedly, Jordaan, 73, hired the PR firm to manage his reputation after a South African singer and former lawmaker accused him in 2017 of sexual assault dating back 25 years, an allegation he denied.
The arrest followed an in-depth investigation by Johannesburg’s Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit into the alleged 1.3 million rand fraud and theft, police said.
Jordaan, SAFA president since 2013 and re-elected in 2022, was arrested alongside SAFA’s chief financial officer, Gronie Hluyo, and Trevor Neethling, head of the communications firm implicated in the case. All three denied the accusations and were granted bail.
