Corruption claims against SAFA head to court

Forensic investigator Bart Henderson is pursuing a case against SA Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan.

Henderson has secured a court order compelling SAFA President Danny Jordaan and the association’s CFO to hand over financial records linked to a $10 million payment suspected of being used to bribe FIFA officials for South Africa’s successful 2010 World Cup bid.

The order also demands full disclosure of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust accounts, the R600 million fund meant to support football projects and development after the World Cup.

This ruling could finally shed light on long-standing corruption claims haunting SAFA.

"It wasn't supposed to be depleted. That was supposed to be a living legacy," explains Henderson.

"It's supposed to be a fund that grew over time, funding grassroots developments, funding coaches in rural development areas.

"After a period of 10 years, it's simply gone.

"You've got coaches in the rural areas, who are impoverished themselves, who are spending their own money to pay for petrol to get kids to competitions. I don't think that's meant to be the spirit of what the Legacy Trust was supposed to achieve, and I don't think SAFA is being entirely fair with the way they're treating soccer in the country,"notes Henderson.

"The allegations made in my report are not my allegations; these are well-documented facts, going back 15 years. I think it's time that SAFA play ball, open their books, and discuss this in an open forum.

"When I drafted the report, it was really done to say, what is going on with SAFA? Where are the issues in SAFA? Why is it in such disarray? I provided a 44-page report. Of course, Danny Jordaan and his crew responded with a Defamation Suit. I'e been waiting for two years to get into court. We have served him with a Discovery Motion, and we've had no response. Why are they hesitating to bring these documents?

To listen to Bart Henderson, forensic investigator, in conversation with Lester Kiewit on CapeTalk's Breakfast show, use the audio player below: