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FIFA has confirmed that the South African Government, in agreement with the South African Football Association (SAFA), requested that FIFA pay $10 million to the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association (CONCACAF) for their ‘Diaspora Legacy Programme’. The funds were originally intended for use by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2010 World Cup.

The DA will write the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, and the President of SAFA, Danny Jordaan, to request the reports they surely would have received on how this vast amount of money was to be spent by the Diaspora Legacy Programme.

We will also request the subsequent reports on how the money was then spent after CONCACAF received it.

If this money was really meant for the development of football in the CONCACAF region, and was not a bribe, SAFA and the Government would surely have insisted on receiving reports on how the $10 million was intended to be spent and how it was later spent on football development.

The 2010 World Cup is an event that will live forever in the hearts and minds of all South Africans as one of our crowning achievements. It is, however, important to get to the bottom of the allegations of corruption hanging over those entrusted with the tournament’s organisation.

Issued by DA