Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday addressed the allegations that South Africa paid roughly R120 million ($10million) to secure the hosting rights to the Fifa 2010 World Cup.
The biggest scandal to have ever rocked the football world came to light on Wednesday after US officials arrested a number of Fifa executives in Zurich, Switzerland, for their alleged involvement in corruption worth millions of dollars.
Among the allegations in the US investigation, is that the South African government paid a bribe to Fifa executives Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer ahead of its successful bid for the 2010 World Cup.
The biggest scandal to have ever rocked the football world came to light on Wednesday after US officials arrested a number of Fifa executives in Zurich, Switzerland, for their alleged involvement in corruption worth millions of dollars.
Among the allegations in the US investigation, is that the South African government paid a bribe to Fifa executives Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer ahead of its successful bid for the 2010 World Cup.
“We have not transferred any money to any individual of that sort. To say that our Government is involved in transferring an amount of 10-million dollars is a matter that we don’t take lightly and is a matter that we want to stay clear about.
“We are not in any way involved as Government in the tranferring of illegal money for the purposes of the 2010 World Cup. We have not been in touch with Jack Warner. We know he is one of the cited people with regards to what the US Government is pursuing.
“We only want the processes that are there between government to government to be respected,” said Mbalula.
He reiterated: “No such amount was paid by the Department of Sport or Government to any individual.
“Our books for 2010 before and after the period of the World Cup have been audited and no such amount has been found on our books.
“The funds transferred by the LOC were also accounted for and at the close of the tournament the Government received the report from reputed financial firm Ernst and Young.
“The financial statements were clean.
“In the interest of transparency the Government also finalised its own closed-out report which was approved by cabinet and duly revealed to the public in 2012.
“We have duly noted the Attorney General of the US and will follow up. We will request a copy of the indictment to establish a basis on which the allegation was made as this could tarnish the image of our country and question the competence of our country in organising events.
“We will study the copy of the indictment once received from US Government through the diplomatic channels and will pronounce further after carefully studying as such.
“As this is a matter of national importance, we call on people to afford the Government through the Department of Sport and Recreation to handle this matter through diplomatic channels through all spheres of influence in the national Government.”
“We are not in any way involved as Government in the tranferring of illegal money for the purposes of the 2010 World Cup. We have not been in touch with Jack Warner. We know he is one of the cited people with regards to what the US Government is pursuing.
“We only want the processes that are there between government to government to be respected,” said Mbalula.
He reiterated: “No such amount was paid by the Department of Sport or Government to any individual.
“Our books for 2010 before and after the period of the World Cup have been audited and no such amount has been found on our books.
“The funds transferred by the LOC were also accounted for and at the close of the tournament the Government received the report from reputed financial firm Ernst and Young.
“The financial statements were clean.
“In the interest of transparency the Government also finalised its own closed-out report which was approved by cabinet and duly revealed to the public in 2012.
“We have duly noted the Attorney General of the US and will follow up. We will request a copy of the indictment to establish a basis on which the allegation was made as this could tarnish the image of our country and question the competence of our country in organising events.
“We will study the copy of the indictment once received from US Government through the diplomatic channels and will pronounce further after carefully studying as such.
“As this is a matter of national importance, we call on people to afford the Government through the Department of Sport and Recreation to handle this matter through diplomatic channels through all spheres of influence in the national Government.”
By: Farai Diza
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