Orlando Pirates secures court order to freeze over R20 million linked to former finance manager - IOL

Orlando Pirates Football Club has secured a court order to freeze the accounts of former financial manager Darryl Brook Joselowsky.

Orlando Pirates Football Club has reportedly obtained an urgent High Court order freezing more than R20.2 million across four bank accounts linked to its former finance manager, Darryl Brook Joselowsky, after a probe uncovered approximately R43 million in allegedly unauthorised or suspicious payments spanning a decade.

The interim order, granted by the Johannesburg High Court on September 22,  also compels Standard Bank to provide detailed electronic and physical bank statements, including beneficiary identities and account information for outgoing transfers.

The application was brought by Orlando Pirates Football Club, Orlando Pirates Retailing and Orlando Pirates Properties.

Joselowsky, who reportedly served as the club’s finance manager for 30 years, and Standard Bank were cited as respondents.

According to the club’s founding affidavit, internal forensic reviews identified approximately 742 questionable payments between 2016 and 2026.

The transactions allegedly involved fictitious supplier descriptions and bypassed secondary authorisation controls.

The investigation gathered momentum in July when commercial manager Mpumelelo Khoza reportedly noticed discrepancies while reviewing the group’s management accounts.

Cash proceeds recorded in the accounts did not match expected sales volumes, prompting closer scrutiny of bank statements.

“Payment references on bank statements reflected descriptions corresponding to legitimate supplier or rental expenses, but the associated monetary figures did not tally with actual or expected supplier payments,” the founding affidavit states.

The club subsequently approached Standard Bank after certain transactions were flagged by the bank’s monitoring systems.

The court’s order seeks to preserve the funds while the investigation continues and requires the bank to disclose information that could help establish where the money went and who received it.

However, the order is not a final determination of fraud, liability or wrongdoing.

The respondents may approach the court, on at least 48 hours’ notice and upon showing good cause, to seek to have the relief set aside or varied.

Orlando Pirates spokesperson Thandi Morafe said the proceedings were a precautionary measure intended to safeguard funds during an active investigation.

The club stressed that the legal action should not be interpreted as a finding of guilt against Joselowsky or any other party.

Morafe also confirmed that the club’s day-to-day business, operations and commitments to sponsors continue as normal.