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Safa has laid fraud charges against the former leaders of its eThekwini region after they allegedly diverted more than R1.2 million in organisational funds and donations out of the football association’s bank account.
The football mother body is also pressing the municipality to evict ousted regional leaders, including president Alpha Mchunu and secretary-general Eric Smith, from its offices in the Hoy Park football complex near North Beach.
The Mchunu-led faction, which has controlled Safa in the province for more than a decade, has refused to move out of the offices after the April 11 regional elective conference at which new leadership was elected.
As a result, the executive, led by newly elected president Mazwi Mkhize, has been forced to hold meetings at the Curries Fountain stadium, despite repeated instructions being issued to the Mchunu group to move out.
The April congress was called by Safa after Mchunu’s executive and their supporters in a series of parallel local football associations went ahead with an elective conference – in defiance of orders from the Safa head office.
The mother body had refused to recognise the rebel leadership and instituted a forensic audit into the organisation’s finances over the past three years, placing the region under administration until new leadership could be elected. On Thursday, Safa vice-president Lucas Nhlapo, who – along with administrator Andile Ndengezi – had been dealing with the crisis in the influential region, confirmed that criminal charges had been laid against Mchunu and Smith for opening another account and diverting funds into it on May 5.
Nhlapo said the charge had been laid by Safa national officials but declined to provide further detail, referring City Press to the police.
Safa sources in the city said the charges had been laid after the duo allegedly diverted R1.5 million, including R500 000 in investments, from the Safa account after securing a preliminary order at the high court in Durban under false pretences.
“National [leadership] laid the charges after the money was diverted into another account, which was opened despite Safa providing the bank with indemnity,” the source said.
Mkhize confirmed they were awaiting the municipality’s decision on Hoy Park and that criminal charges had been laid.
“We are waiting for the council to take action so we can move into the offices. In the meantime, we are making use of other facilities for our meetings. We want this resolved as soon as possible so we can go about our business, ensuring football in the region moves ahead after years of paralysis,” said Mkhize.
Safa spokesperson Dominic Chimhavi confirmed that Mchunu’s group was still occupying the offices illegally.
“The property belongs to parks and recreation and they are attending to this matter,” he said. “The region has stabilised, the new leadership is focusing on its work. They have overseen the elections in KwaMashu, done play-offs and held meetings with clubs. There are still a few individuals who have shown their intentions but they will be dealt with accordingly.”
SA Police Service spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane confirmed that a fraud charge had been laid on May 2 about the transfer but no arrests had been made yet.
In a letter to all stakeholders involved in regional football, including the provincial government, the eThekwini municipality and the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble confirmed Mkhize and his executive were the legitimate leaders of Safa in the region and asked for “cooperation” with them.
In a subsequent letter to Smith and Mchunu on May 5, Mumble ordered them to vacate the offices and hand over all Safa property or face action by the police and private security.
The letter appeals to them to avoid further embarrassment. “We have tried to be considerate and avoid embarrassment to you.”
Smith, for the Mchunu faction, promised to get back to City Press on Thursday but made no comment by the time of going to press.
