South Africa – Afrique du Sud (PANA) – South Africa Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan has admitted that the World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) paid a US$10 million “donation” after South Africa won the bid to host the tournament in 2010.
However, he denies allegations from the US law enforcement authorities that it was a bribe.
Jordaan claims the money was its contribution towards a “football development fund” led by former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who is heavily implicated in the scandal which has rocked global football.
Warner is one of seven officials arrested and indicted last week.
Jordaan’s admission follows a week of denials from former President Thabo Mbeki, Sports Minister Fikilele Mbulula and other football authorities that South Africa had paid a bribe to secure the votes needed to win the bid for the 2010 World Cup.
The Sunday Times reports that a letter sent from SAFA to FIFA detailing the transfer of the funds to the Caribbean football union is the smoking gun in the scandal.
The newspaper said the March 2008 letter was signed by former SAFA President Molefi Oliphant.
The US Justice Department last week said executives from global football’s governing body took the bribes, but it failed to disclose who the South African officials are.
Both “accomplices” mentioned in indictment – identified only as “accomplice 15” and “accomplice 16” – were part of the South African World Cup bidding committee.
