Liam Jacobs Questions SAFA President Danny Jordaan on Expenses and Bloated NEC

Initial Scrutiny and Conduct

• 💡 The session began with Liam Jacobs questioning SAFA President Danny Jordaan on his belief in democracy and the importance of term limits.
• 📌 Jacobs highlighted Jordaan's long tenure, stating he is one of the longest-serving presidents of any football association globally, nearing 12 years.
• ⚠️ A point of order was raised regarding Jacobs's condescending conduct (pointing a finger), leading to an apology from Jacobs and a request for decorum.

Questioning Travel Expenses

• ✈️ Jacobs presented detailed records of Danny Jordaan's travel expenses, including trips to Ivory Coast, London, Qatar, Vietnam, Cameroon, and Morocco, totaling significant amounts.
• 💰 He questioned the high costs, such as 131,000 rand for Ivory Coast/London and 105,574 rand for Cameroon, especially given SAFA's financial state.
• 🌍 Jordaan defended his travel to Vietnam as part of a campaign to lobby votes for hosting the Women's World Cup, and Qatar for the World Cup, stating he attends as a delegate.

SAFA's Financial Challenges

• 📉 The CFO acknowledged that SAFA is not in a strong financial position but stated that challenges are being addressed.
• 🤝 Leadership accepted responsibility for SAFA's financial decline, noting that equity had worsened from negative 7 million to negative 14 million rand.
• 💸 Jacobs highlighted a FIFA loan approved in 2022, requiring repayments of $250,000 twice a year, equivalent to 8.9 million rand, which drains SAFA's funds.

Bloated National Executive Committee

• 👥 Jacobs questioned the size of SAFA's National Executive Committee (NEC), citing a 2013 FIFA letter that recommended approximately 18 members while SAFA currently has 47.
• 💲 This large NEC contributes to bloated honoraria costs, which were 2.5 million rand in 2023 and projected to be 6.1 million rand in 2024.
• 📊 Jacobs calculated that reducing the NEC to 18 members would significantly cut honoraria expenses, saving millions, an amount comparable to a bailout from the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

Leadership's Stance on NEC Size

• 💬 Danny Jordaan dismissed the 2013 FIFA letter regarding NEC size, stating the matter was discussed and dismissed by FIFA and that the current statutes were approved by members.
• ✅ He indicated that the composition of the NEC and allocation per province are outlined in SAFA's statutes, implying the current structure is legitimate.