Danny Jordaan, why is there no record of SAFA’s decision to pay $10 million to CONCACAF? 

17 August 2015

Danny Jordaan, as then Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 Local Organising Committee, and the South African Football Association (SAFA) must provide clarity as to why there are apparently no records pertaining to the decision to pay $10 million to the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) in support of the so-called ‘Diaspora Legacy Programme’ in the region (see City Press report).

This comes after SAFA, in response to the DA’s application, in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), denied that there is any record of the decision to pay $10 million to CONCACAF in support of the so-called ‘Diaspora Legacy Programme’ in the region.

The DA, in addition to seeking clarity in this regard, will make use of oral questions to the Social Services cluster on Wednesday to ask the Minister of Sport and Recreational Development, amongst other things, why he:

- has he not instituted a ministerial investigation into these allegations; and

- has he not approached law enforcement authorities to institute a criminal investigation into the allegations?

SAFA claims to have no record at all of correspondence between CONCACAF, SAFA, the 2010 bid and local organising committees and South African government officials to do with the decision to authorise the payment of $10 million to CONCACAF between 2004 and 2011.

This is highly problematic. What government or organisation would authorise the payment of $10 million without documentation or regular reporting on how the funds were spent? Surely decisions of this magnitude would have been documented if they were indeed above board.

Both Danny Jordaan and the former SAFA president, Molefi Oliphant have been implicated in the payment in two letters which were leaked to the media after the scandal broke. The first was from Mr Oliphant, dated 4 March 2008 instructing FIFA to redirect $10 million. The second letter was written by Mr Jordaan in December 2007 to FIFA authorising the payment to CONCACAF. 

The DA believes that, at all times, the government must act honestly, transparently and in the best interests of all South Africans. While we will never forget the euphoria of the World Cup, it is only fair for the implicated officials to account to the South African people and the DA will continue to pursue every avenue possible to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

Statement issued by Solly Malatsi MP, DA Shadow Minister of Sports and Recreation, August 17 2015