Safa continue with business while CAF watch on

HERMAN GIBBS

IT WAS business as usual on Saturday when Safa hosted its ordinary national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Sandton this past weekend, despite a looming legal battle hanging heavy over the association.

In light of the search by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) at Safa House in Nasrec, Johannesburg, at the beginning of the month, some had labelled Saturday’s meeting as a “special” ordinary NEC meeting.

An insider told Independent Newspapers that the meeting was “a normal quarterly meeting” and the only deviation was the attendance of the two national team coaches, Hugo Broos and Desiree Ellis. They awarded Safa vice-presidents Irvin Khoza and Natasha Tsichlas with Africa Cup of Nations bronze medals.

Furthermore, the meeting heard reports from various committees, such as finance, school football and other technical matters.

Safa president Danny Jordaan, who the Hawks are reportedly investigating in a case involving R1.3 million fraud and theft, said he was pleased that the meeting had proceeded without a hitch.

“This meeting was very successful, and the spirit of the engagements made us very happy,” said Jordaan.

In a rather strange turn of events, however, Safa’s parent body, CAF, has weighed in on the Hawks saga. In a media statement on Saturday, CAF said it was concerned about the respect and image of football in South Africa.

The African governing body’s statement reads: “CAF is looking into this matter based on and by the CAF and Fifa Statutes and Regulations and has requested Safa to provide CAF with a report, indicating that Safa and their president (Jordaan) at no stage and under no circumstances violated or breached the CAF and Fifa statutes and regulations.

“Whilst the allegations made by the (Hawks) are serious, in line with international legal principles and jurisprudence, Safa and Dr Danny Jordaan are presumed to be innocent until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise,” the statement read.

CAF has also requested Safa to provide it with any other information or facts which Safa and Jordaan would like to bring to the CAF’s attention. CAF’s call is for Safa and Jordaan to submit a report to it showing that the association and Jordaan did not violate CAF and Fifa statutes.

It has now transpired that the Hawks’ raid emanates from a criminal case opened in 2020 by former Safa executive member Willie Mooka against Jordaan.

Mooka’s efforts have already passed through the courts, and nothing has come of it.