New evidence emerges in Danny Jordaan's R1. 3 million fraud case, thwarting his attempts to have charges withdrawn
In the ongoing fraud case against South African Football Association (Safa) President Danny Jordaan, state prosecutors revealed on Friday that compelling new evidence has emerged during their investigation, effectively thwarting attempts by Jordaan and his co-defendants to have the charges withdrawn.
The revelations came during a session at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, where the prosecution outlined the findings that now bolster their case against the trio.
Jordaan, Safa Chief Financial Officer Groni Hluyo, and businessman Trevor Neethling have been embroiled in a legal battle since November 2024, when they were arrested and charged with multiple counts of fraud, theft, and conspiracy related to the alleged misappropriation of R1.3 million in Safa resources.
Despite the defendants’ representations to have the charges dismissed, prosecutor Moagi Malebati announced that an unprecedented 64 gigabytes of new evidence had emerged that not only strengthened the prosecution’s case but also undermined the defence’s earlier claims.
Malebati detailed that the breakthrough occurred when prosecutors delved deeper into email correspondence submitted by the defence to support their representation. “After we received the accused’s representation, we realised that the emails attached in support of their application were selective. They did not paint the full picture,” he explained.
In response to this inquiry, Afrihost, the email hosting company, complied with a section 205 subpoena, revealing a wealth of data that extended from 2017 to the present. “This provided us with more evidence for this matter,” Malebati stated, emphasising the comprehensive nature of the emails received from the hosting service.
The decision to reject the defence’s representations was made by Livingston Sakata, the recently appointed acting South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions. This ruling came after a lengthy period of uncertainty following the suspension of the previous director, Andrew Chauke, in June 2024.
Defence attorney James Ndebele, representing Neethling and his company Grit Communications, expressed frustration, noting that he had requested a meeting with Sakata prior to the decision being made but received no response. Ndebele stated, “We were practically ambushed with documents which were not disclosed to the defence.”
Defence attorney Victor Nkwashu, who represents Jordaan and Hluyo, challenged the state’s claims regarding readiness for trial, pointing out inconsistencies in the acting prosecutor’s admissions that investigations were still ongoing.
He further argued that the prosecution’s preparedness was undermined by the presence of unresolved high court applications challenging search and seizure operations conducted at Safa House.
As the case proceeds, Malebati asserted that the state is prepared to move forward with a solid case, indicating confidence that they possess sufficient evidence to ensure a successful prosecution, regardless of the ongoing high court applications. “Our case is ready. With or without such decision information, we are prepared,” he said.
Magistrate Soko-Rantao postponed proceedings to November 21, 2025, instructing the prosecution to provide a progress report on outstanding issues.
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