Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa on Tuesday told the National Council of Provinces that he couldn't launch an investigation into the FIFA 2010 World Cup Legacy Trust.

He said he couldn't act "willy-nilly" on allegations when no one had opened a case.

On the same day, a forensic investigator lodged a formal petition to Parliament to investigate the matter.

The forensic report contains a letter from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), stating that "investigations are ongoing" and that South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was required to present a warning statement.

Daily Maverick reported in July that Jordaan had provided his warning statement to the Hawks in May this year.

The FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust was set up in the aftermath South Africa's successful hosting of the 2010 World Cup to aid football development in South Africa.

World football governing body FIFA provided R450-million to the trust, with the idea that it would be a be a self-sustaining source of funding for football development.

According to the Democratic Alliance's (DA's) Tshepo Mhlongo, the Legacy Trust received around R160-million in interest over the years but paid out nearly R547-million in grants.

"What's more alarming is that, by February 2018, there were discussions about winding up the trust due to its near-depleted State," said Mhlongo.

"By the end of 2021, less than R5-million remained, supposedly utilised to 'wind up the trust'. This raises the critical question: Where did the money go?"

The trust was wound up in October 2021, to FIFA's consternation, and with several trustees allegedly not being privy to the trust's documents.  

In 2019 already, there were concerns among the trust's trustees that funds could have been misappropriated, Sunday World reported at the time.

Forensic investigator Bart Henderson compiled a forensic report on the trust, titled "Offsides".

The report, issued in June, found that the relationship between SAFA and the trust was "less than ideal".

The findings raised questions about the management of the trust, and its funds.

In a petition on Change.org, with more than 10 000 signatures, Henderson states "no one - not Parliament, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, SAFA's NEC, nor FIFA - has called for the SAFA leadership to either voluntarily step down, or face suspension pending the outcome of all charges and investigations".

"It is for this reason that I decided to stick my neck out by going public with the findings in my report. I am doing this because something must be done!"

During Tuesday's sitting of the National Council of Provinces, the DA's Mbulelelo Bara said the trust's trustees were demanding answers regarding outstanding documentation, and that information in the public domain pointed to a "shocking abuse of money meant to develop South African soccer players".

He said that, at worst, it pointed to corruption and, at best, to mismanagement of funds.

"When will you suspend the leadership of SAFA who are represented on the board of trustees to allow for a full investigation?" Bara asked.

Kodwa's full, verbatim response was as follows: "As you are aware, as a constitutional democracy, we can't on the basis of allegations, which has not been provided before me, with evidence, or people opening a criminal case of any wrongdoing, I cannot just act willy-nilly.

"As the minister of sport, no evidence has been presented before me, nobody, to say since 2010, these are the allegations. I hear, I read, I watch like you, I can't act on the basis of that. Thank you very much."

News24 emailed questions to Kodwa's spokesperson to ascertain whether Kodwa was aware of the Hawks' investigation, and whether he would change his position.

A response will be reported if received.

In July, SAFA came out guns blazing against Henderson's report, saying it was "utter rubbish and had no basis", but not answering substantively to any of the allegations.

SAFA also threatened Henderson with legal steps.

"This individual has gone as far as starting a petition against SAFA, the President Dr Danny Jordaan and CFO Gronie Hluyo. This is a clear attempt to remove democratically elected leadership through undemocratic means," reads SAFA's statement.