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| South Africa minister says Fifa payment of $10m was not World Cup bribe | South Africa minister says Fifa payment of $10m was not World Cup bribe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| South Africa denied on Wednesday it bribed Fifa officials with $10m to secure votes for its successful bid to host the 2010 World Cup, insisting the payment was “above board”. | South Africa denied on Wednesday it bribed Fifa officials with $10m to secure votes for its successful bid to host the 2010 World Cup, insisting the payment was “above board”. |
| Related: Fifa whistleblower Chuck Blazer: I took bribes over 1998 and 2010 World Cups | |
| Fikile Mbalula, the sports minister, also admitted he was “shocked” by the resignation of Fifa’s president, Sepp Blatter. He said Blatter “has been a good friend of South Africa” and “history will remember him” for bringing the World Cup to Africa for the first time. | Fikile Mbalula, the sports minister, also admitted he was “shocked” by the resignation of Fifa’s president, Sepp Blatter. He said Blatter “has been a good friend of South Africa” and “history will remember him” for bringing the World Cup to Africa for the first time. |
| The country is no stranger to corruption scandals but has been shaken by a case that strikes at the heart of national and continental pride. South Africa treasures the moment when its former president Nelson Mandela stood hand in hand with Blatter and the bid leader, Danny Jordaan after it was announced as 2010 host. It then defied global scepticism to pull off a well-run tournament. Now one of the most high-profile success stories in the post-apartheid era is at risk of being tarnished. | |
| “We won the bid clean,” Mbalula told a press conference in Johannesburg. “We had our Madiba [Mandela’s clan name], we had the bishop [Desmond Tutu], we had the spirit of our people, we had the world. After all, it was Africa’s time.” | “We won the bid clean,” Mbalula told a press conference in Johannesburg. “We had our Madiba [Mandela’s clan name], we had the bishop [Desmond Tutu], we had the spirit of our people, we had the world. After all, it was Africa’s time.” |
| He confirmed $10m was paid to the former Fifa official Jack Warner in 2008 but insisted it was not a bribe, as US prosecutors allege. It was given as an “above-board” donation to support the building of a football centre for people in the African diaspora in the Caribbean, he claimed. This was alongside $70m of donations to the African continent because, he said, the World Cup had always been billed as benefiting all Africans. | |
| “We categorically deny our country and government bribed anyone to receive the right to host the 2010 World Cup,” he said. “It was an approved programme and we can’t understand why this is now interpreted as a bribe … I can today unequivocally state for all to know that this payment was not a bribe.” | “We categorically deny our country and government bribed anyone to receive the right to host the 2010 World Cup,” he said. “It was an approved programme and we can’t understand why this is now interpreted as a bribe … I can today unequivocally state for all to know that this payment was not a bribe.” |
| The US justice department has alleged $10m was sent by South Africa, through Fifa, to Warner in three wire transfers in 2008 as payback for him and two other then Fifa executive committee members backing South Africa in the 2004 vote. South Africa won hosting rights by four votes over Morocco, making the ballots of Warner and his two “co-conspirators” decisive. | |
| Fifa has confirmed it paid $10m to the Caribbean Football Union, a body then headed by Warner, out of funds originally earmarked for South Africa to help it host the tournament, but denies it was a bribe. Warner, the Trinidadian former head of football’s governing body for Concacaf, is one of 14 officials and businessmen indicted last week in a US fraud investigation. They have all denied wrongdoing. | |
| The sports ministry director-general, Alec Moemi, also at Wednesday’s press conference, said: “We gave the money unconditionally. Jack Warner was the leader of Concacaf and the Caribbean Football Union, and a man of good standing.” | The sports ministry director-general, Alec Moemi, also at Wednesday’s press conference, said: “We gave the money unconditionally. Jack Warner was the leader of Concacaf and the Caribbean Football Union, and a man of good standing.” |
| Related: FBI investigating Fifa’s awarding of 2018 and 2022 World Cups – report | |
| Mbalula added: “You must understand when we are organising the World Cup we are not dealing with gangsters, we are dealing with people. The fact that later they are termed as gangsters … we didn’t know that. We are not sniffer dogs.” | |
| He claimed the money paid to the CFU was intended to support a development centre, built by Fifa and named after its former president João Havelange, in Port of Spain, Trinidad’s capital. “There were no suitcases. The money went from bank to bank.” | He claimed the money paid to the CFU was intended to support a development centre, built by Fifa and named after its former president João Havelange, in Port of Spain, Trinidad’s capital. “There were no suitcases. The money went from bank to bank.” |
| The Fifa secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, this week denied responsibility for the $10m payment, writing in an email to the New York Times that he did not authorise it and did not have the power to do so. Fifa said the transaction was executed by the then finance committee chairman Julio Grondona, who died last year. | The Fifa secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, this week denied responsibility for the $10m payment, writing in an email to the New York Times that he did not authorise it and did not have the power to do so. Fifa said the transaction was executed by the then finance committee chairman Julio Grondona, who died last year. |
| Mbalula insisted the government had not contradicted itself after a leaked 2008 letter showed the then South African FA president, Molefi Oliphant, asking Valcke to send the $10m to Warner from South Africa’s World Cup funds. Oliphant twice specified in the letter that the implicated Warner be in control of the money. | Mbalula insisted the government had not contradicted itself after a leaked 2008 letter showed the then South African FA president, Molefi Oliphant, asking Valcke to send the $10m to Warner from South Africa’s World Cup funds. Oliphant twice specified in the letter that the implicated Warner be in control of the money. |
| “The letter leaked to the media, we don’t know why it was leaked in the first place because that correspondence was above board,” Mbalula said, denying it suggested a bribe was paid. “Criminals can explain a bribe very well. I don’t know how bribes work.” | “The letter leaked to the media, we don’t know why it was leaked in the first place because that correspondence was above board,” Mbalula said, denying it suggested a bribe was paid. “Criminals can explain a bribe very well. I don’t know how bribes work.” |
| Mbalula admitted, however, he could not say what Warner did with the money, describing it as “another story for investigators … we don’t know. We can’t account for that.” | Mbalula admitted, however, he could not say what Warner did with the money, describing it as “another story for investigators … we don’t know. We can’t account for that.” |
| The US indictment also alleges a briefcase stuffed with cash was handed over at a Paris hotel as a bribe by a “high-ranking South African bid committee official”. Mbalula said he knew nothing about it: “From everybody I’ve spoken to, no one has come forward to say: ‘It was me who took the briefcase to France.’” | The US indictment also alleges a briefcase stuffed with cash was handed over at a Paris hotel as a bribe by a “high-ranking South African bid committee official”. Mbalula said he knew nothing about it: “From everybody I’ve spoken to, no one has come forward to say: ‘It was me who took the briefcase to France.’” |
| Mbalula also spoke of his shock at Blatter’s decision to quit just days after being re-elected as Fifa president. “Sepp Blatter has been a good friend of South Africa. We will not lie about it. He played a major role in terms of shifting the world focus on Africa in relation to the hosting of the World Cup for the first time. He’s the president of Fifa who delivered it. History will remember him for that. That’s how we’ll remember Sepp. | Mbalula also spoke of his shock at Blatter’s decision to quit just days after being re-elected as Fifa president. “Sepp Blatter has been a good friend of South Africa. We will not lie about it. He played a major role in terms of shifting the world focus on Africa in relation to the hosting of the World Cup for the first time. He’s the president of Fifa who delivered it. History will remember him for that. That’s how we’ll remember Sepp. |
| “As for other conflicts after, it’s for the British and Americans to fight their battles. We’re not part of the vested interests and we’ll never be part of the vested interests. We have fought colonialism and defeated it and we still fight imperialism and we will fight it whenever it manifests itself.” | “As for other conflicts after, it’s for the British and Americans to fight their battles. We’re not part of the vested interests and we’ll never be part of the vested interests. We have fought colonialism and defeated it and we still fight imperialism and we will fight it whenever it manifests itself.” |
| A theme running through the briefing was how the World Cup had been a hugely symbolic moment of pride for South Africa in particular and Africa in general. After centuries of stereotyping as backward and impoverished, it was an opportunity to show the world a different face and, barring a few minors hitches, went off better than many predicted. | A theme running through the briefing was how the World Cup had been a hugely symbolic moment of pride for South Africa in particular and Africa in general. After centuries of stereotyping as backward and impoverished, it was an opportunity to show the world a different face and, barring a few minors hitches, went off better than many predicted. |
| The minister said South Africa had “the responsibility to defend the legacy of the World Cup and Africa’s success”. | The minister said South Africa had “the responsibility to defend the legacy of the World Cup and Africa’s success”. |
| South Africa should not become “collateral damage” in the global politics of Fifa, he continued. “We refuse to be caught up in a battle between the United States and Fifa. We won the bid clean, we had the spirit of Mandela, we had the spirit of the world. But we are not on the defensive. It is our responsibility to explain what this $10m was for.” | South Africa should not become “collateral damage” in the global politics of Fifa, he continued. “We refuse to be caught up in a battle between the United States and Fifa. We won the bid clean, we had the spirit of Mandela, we had the spirit of the world. But we are not on the defensive. It is our responsibility to explain what this $10m was for.” |
| World Cup 2010 local organising committee (Loc) members had been expected to appear at the news conference, but they did not turn up. “The Loc was disbanded,” Mbalula said. “It has served its purpose.” | |
| Related: Visions of Fifa reform obscured by international politics and resentment | Owen Gibson | |
| The organising committee chairman, Irvin Khoza, and its chief executive Jordaan, last week elected as an African National Congress mayor, are yet to address the allegations publicly. | |
| Earlier Raymond Hack, chief executive of the South African FA from 2003 to 2010, expressed surprise at the allegations. “The figures they’re talking about: we didn’t even have that money in our entire income.” | |
| Hack took part in South Africa’s bid presentation in Zurich and was present for the announcement of its victory. He met Warner once at an official function, he added, but did not hold any discussions with him. “There’s no light that I can shed on it. At the FA we were not involved in the process. Why don’t they name the people if they know who the people are? There are going to be so many rumours. People are going to speculate and it’s going to spoil the image of the game.” | Hack took part in South Africa’s bid presentation in Zurich and was present for the announcement of its victory. He met Warner once at an official function, he added, but did not hold any discussions with him. “There’s no light that I can shed on it. At the FA we were not involved in the process. Why don’t they name the people if they know who the people are? There are going to be so many rumours. People are going to speculate and it’s going to spoil the image of the game.” |
| Rich Mkhondo, who was spokesman for the 2010 World Cup organising committee, was also taken by aback by last week’s revelations. “It’s very sad for our country and very sad for the sport of football. As much as two individuals are accused of corruption, 49 million South Africans enjoyed hosting the world in the country. | |
| “I’m worried about the image that will be perpetuated that South Africa is a corrupt country. But I’m not worried about the legacy that the World Cup will leave behind in terms of social cohesion and integration.” | “I’m worried about the image that will be perpetuated that South Africa is a corrupt country. But I’m not worried about the legacy that the World Cup will leave behind in terms of social cohesion and integration.” |
| The South African media remains sceptical of the government’s explanations. Jonathan Shapiro, aka Zapiro, a leading political cartoonist, published an image in South Africa’s Times newspaper showing Jordaan leading a duck stamped with the words “$10 million bribe”. It was captioned: “If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a … development donation to the African diaspora.” | |
| Mbalula made a plea to the South African media on Wednesday that may well backfire: “Don’t be the first to chase us about bribes when we did not bribe … There is sovereignty and patriotism. We cannot be the first on the march to attack our own country. I know it sounds patronising but it is not. I must say don’t attack your own country. I’m saying state the facts and follow what needs to be followed.” | Mbalula made a plea to the South African media on Wednesday that may well backfire: “Don’t be the first to chase us about bribes when we did not bribe … There is sovereignty and patriotism. We cannot be the first on the march to attack our own country. I know it sounds patronising but it is not. I must say don’t attack your own country. I’m saying state the facts and follow what needs to be followed.” |