SAFA’s Hawks Raid Challenge Crumbles After No Show in Court

The South African Football Association’s (SAFA) attempt to challenge the Hawks’ 2024 raid on its Nasrec headquarters fell apart before it even began. On Wednesday morning, the High Court in Johannesburg struck the matter off the roll after SAFA’s legal team failed to show up.

A No-Show That Raised Eyebrows

Acting Judge CB Bhoola had little choice but to remove the case from the roll following SAFA’s absence. The football body had been seeking to have the Hawks’ March 2024 search and seizure declared unlawful, arguing that investigators overstepped their mandate.

Instead, their absence sparked confusion and a fair bit of ridicule online as many South Africans questioned how the country’s top football governing body could miss its own court date.

“SAFA missing their own court case? That’s a red card for professionalism,” one user joked on X (formerly Twitter).

A Blow for Jordaan Amid Corruption Troubles

The timing could not be worse for SAFA president Danny Jordaan, who was just appointed to FIFA’s Competitions Committee days ago. Jordaan, along with SAFA CFO Gronnie Hluyo and Grit Communications boss Trevor Neethling, is currently facing corruption and fraud charges at the Palm Ridge Commercial Crimes Court.

The trio allegedly used SAFA funds to pay for image management services following rape allegations against Jordaan in 2018, and for personal security expenses unrelated to SAFA’s operations.

The High Court challenge was seen as a potential boost to their defense, as a ruling in SAFA’s favour could have weakened parts of the prosecution’s evidence gathered during the Hawks’ raid.

A Setback That Strengthens the NPA’s Case

The no-show has handed a public relations win to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which has repeatedly accused Jordaan’s camp of stalling proceedings.

With the matter now off the roll, SAFA will need to reapply to have it heard and provide reasons for its failure to appear a process that could take months given the court backlog.

The NPA, meanwhile, maintains that its corruption case is solid, regardless of what happens with SAFA’s High Court efforts.

Hawks Raid That Started It All

The Hawks’ investigation began in March 2024 when officers descended on SAFA’s headquarters at Nasrec, seizing documents and digital evidence. Eight months later, Jordaan, Hluyo, and Neethling were arrested.

The case has since become a flashpoint for debates over governance and accountability within South African sport, with calls for greater transparency at the country’s football association.

Public Reaction: “Football Deserves Better”

South Africans took to social media to express frustration and disbelief.

“We can’t even get our football house in order,” one fan posted.
“How can we expect progress on the field when leadership is this messy?” another added.

Many supporters have voiced concern that the ongoing scandals are distracting from football development and South Africa’s international reputation.

What Happens Next

For now, SAFA’s legal misstep leaves the Hawks’ raid and the evidence it produced uncontested. Unless the association provides a convincing explanation and re-enrolls the case, this could further complicate the defense strategy for Jordaan and his co-accused.

As one sports commentator put it: “It’s not just a missed court date it’s a missed opportunity to clear their name.”

{Source:SABC Sport}

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