In a fiery parliamentary exchange that put South African Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan on the defensive, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Liam Jacobs accused the long-serving football boss of alleged irresponsibility and a lack of accountability regarding his travel expenses and leadership conduct.
The confrontation erupted during a portfolio committee briefing on SAFA’s 2023/24 annual report this week, where Jacobs – known for his forensic style – zeroed in on Jordaan’s international travel bills, questioning both their cost and purpose.
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Jacobs’ tone turned razor-sharp as he challenged Jordaan’s financial oversight, asking bluntly: “Do you consider yourself a responsible leader?”
Holding up what he claimed was a record of Jordaan’s travel costs, Jacobs detailed a series of trips that racked up hundreds of thousands of rands.
“In my hands as I sit here, I‘ve got something I know you don’t think I have,” Jacobs began.
“You list an amount of R131 000 to go to Ivory Coast and London from the 11th of January to the 14th of February… You’ve been to Qatar twice on flights that could be no more than R15 000, that cost R56 000 and R31 000… What are we as South Africans doing in Vietnam at the Oceania Congress of an organisation that only has 13 members, thousands of kilometres away?”
He continued: “You travelled to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations at R105 574 when a ticket to Yaoundé can cost no more than R14 000. You’ve also travelled to Morocco for R82 833... That is why I ask if you are responsible – because when we hear the financial standing of your organisation, it becomes apparent that there’s a lack of responsibility and a lack of accountability. Who’s actually holding you to account, sir?”
Jordaan responded by framing the travel as part of SAFA’s global football diplomacy efforts, particularly around South Africa’s bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“You may know or may not know that South Africa made a bid for hosting of the Women’s World Cup. We were in Vietnam, we made the presentation, we were lobbying to get the votes,” Jordaan explained, adding that SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao and board member Tumi Dlamini had accompanied him.
On Qatar, Jordaan defended the trips as justified due to their connection to the FIFA World Cup: “You can’t pick major events that I have attended and put the costs. The World Cup is once every four years… I’d like to travel on your plane and pay R20 000 to go wherever, it’s not real.”
He concluded defiantly: “By the way, I’m going to the World Cup again, in the United States, and I don’t think it’s going to be R20 000 to go to the United States.”
The exchange also veered into deeper questions of governance.
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Jordaan, who has led the organisation since 2013, has faced growing criticism over SAFA’s financial health and his extended stay at the helm.
While Jordaan stood his ground, the sharp scrutiny from Parliament – and the pointed nature of Jacobs’ questions – suggests increasing pressure on SAFA to answer for both its financial practices and its leadership culture as it continues to operate in the glare of public accountability.
