South African Sports Minister, Fikile Mbalula, has again denied that the country paid a bribe to win the hosting right of 2010 World Cup.
Mbalula said on Monday in Johannesburg that the 10 million dollars was paid to the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) as part of a procedural process that was not taxpayers’ money or a bribe.
Danny Jordaan, President, South African Football Association (SAFA) had said 10 million dollars was paid to Central and North American soccer body (CONCACAF) in 2008 as South Africa’s contribution towards their football development fund.
Reports have said the money was paid by football world governing body FIFA to CONCACAF on behalf of South Africa.
The report noted that both the CFU and CONCACAF were then headed by Jack Warner, a former FIFA Vice-President, who was facing extradition to the U.S. after his arrest on corruption charges.
Mbalula has denied evidence produced by a U.S. probe that South Africa was involved in bribery.
“We frown at any insinuation by the Americans that seeks to depict our government as corrupt, as a government of people who have actually bribed their way through to win the 2010 World Cup bid”, he said.
The minister accused the U.S. of a mudslinging campaign and of engaging in ‘desperate propaganda that they are pursuing in their endeavours to fight their battles with FIFA.’
Mbalula has previously said that South Africa ‘did everything by the book’.