Crime-fighter come City councillor for the National Coloured Congress (NCC), Hanif Loonat (pictured) has launched a scathing attack on Safa Cape Town’s President, Bennett Bailey regarding the missing Palestine funds.
Loonat took to social media where he called out Bailey to account what the Safa CT boss did with the proceeds of the Palestine initiative.
Loonat revealed that he had a telephonic conversation with Bailey on Monday (9 March), where Bailey told Loonat that the funds were raised for development in South Africa under the banner of SAFA.
“My biggest mistake I ever made,” Loonat pointed out to No Bones with Jones. “Not knowing I had brought on an unscrupulous individual. I am shocked by this misrepresentation by someone I had great respect for.
“The funds are now the assets of SAFA Cape Town. All this done under false pretense and accounting misdemeanors. I am not here to defend any partners, I’m here to present the truth. I hope the courts will vindicate me. I have nothing to benefit from this. I do this for the justified truth,” Loonat’s post further stated.
No Bones with Jones in turn probed Loonat regarding his comments made on Facebook, where the former Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairman vehemently stated that Bailey’s unscrupulous behaviour is indicative of that of a mafia organisation.
“He is no different than (Benjamin) Netanyahu and (Donald) Trump,” Loonat further elaborated to No Bones with Jones. “They are working on the same basis and with the same modus operandi – eliminate the opposition.”
The Sport Stepping Stones (SSS) Foundation, in conjunction with the Safa CT, arranged a football festival dubbed ‘Football for Humanity’ in February 2024 to show their solidarity and support for the ongoing Palestinian struggle.
It was also Loonat who recommended that SSS partner with Safa CT – as any football-related matters must be cleared by the region and are the mother body for footballing affairs – who in turn sanctioned the ‘Football for Humanity’ initiative. This event was also supported by Safa National and the national government, given the historic and auspicious occasion – with president Cyril Ramaphosa also in attendance.
Needless to say, the event was a huge success following the Palestine national team’s two matches, one on 11 February 2024 against a Cape Town Invitational X1, followed by a South African Invitation side a week later on 18 February.
This event raised over 1.5 million in total. Some funds were correctly deposited into an account agreed by all parties. Unfortunately the bulk was dubiously deposited into SAFA’s account. Why would an account specifically be opened for the event by all the parties and have all of them signatories to it?
Clearly showing the agenda, Bailey had by him getting some of the funds deposited into SAFA’s account.
This initiative raised in excess of R1.5 million, however, the funds never reached the intended recipients which was for the plight of the people suffering in Gaza at the hands of Zionist Israel.
According to Loonat he did not anticipate that Bailey and his organization would stoop so low and steal from the suffering and destitute people of Palestine and other parties to the event.
“I really did not know that I’m bringing on a dishonourable person,” Loonat further explained. “He mismanaged the funds that were mainly meant for the Palestinians to foster his own agenda and ambitions, you know. I know they raised over R1.5 million in total, as he told me so personally some time ago. He also informed me that their (Safa CT) expenses were about three hundred and odd thousand rands.
“So, there were still about nine hundred and something thousand left. So, where is that money? What expenses were three hundred and something thousand? If SAFA is caught wanting, then the funds must be redirected to its correct recipients.
“I further want to warn SSS that they too produce proper financial records to ensure funds were properly managed. We cannot allow the plight of the Palestinian people to be used for personal and devious agendas. I personally will not rest till this saga gets sorted,” Loonat concluded.
