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Sport, art, and culture minister Gayton McKenzie has distanced himself from calls for South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan to step down amid fraud and theft charges totalling R1.3m.
Jordaan, along with Safa CFO Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, appeared in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Wednesday, securing R20,000 bail each.
Hluyo and Neethling were ordered to surrender their passports to the investigating officer, while Jordaan was allowed to keep his for duties that may require him to travel beyond South Africa’s borders.
“We will meet Safa upon their return next week, not to interfere but to understand how this latest development will affect soccer. Fifa rules don’t permit government interference,” McKenzie said.
He said attention should rather be focused on the upcoming Bafana Bafana matches against Uganda on Friday and South Sudan on Tuesday.
“The next five days are the most important days for Bafana in regards to qualification.”