2010 team wants slice of pie

2004-08-01 09:14

S'Busiso Mseleku

Johannesburg - The announcement by the South African Football Association (Safa) that it is to give Irvin Khoza, Danny Jordaan and Molefi Oliphant a gratuity totalling R22.5m has opened up a Pandora's box, with some of the other bid ambassadors crying foul - they also want a slice of the cake.

Bid ambassador chairperson Jomo Sono is consulting his lawyers about the matter.

It has emerged that there is no "remuneration committee" within Safa's structures.

Safa chief operations officer Albert Mokoena announced last week that the trio would each pocket R7.5m for "the good job they did in securing the right to host the World Cup".

This was said to be a recommendation by the "remunerations committee" and the decision had been endorsed by the Safa executive committee at their meeting last week.

However, Emmanuel Maradas, who was the ambassadors' co-ordinator, told City Press this week that his bid colleagues were up in arms following the announcement of the payment.

"I was woken up by a fuming George Weah, the Liberian superstar who helped present the South African bid in Zurich, about 01:00," said Maradas from London on Friday.

"He told me he was in the US and was holding a newspaper with an article which said Khoza, Oliphant and Jordaan were to receive US$1.2m each.

"An upset Weah asked me why there was such a discrepancy between what they had been paid as ambassadors and what the three were getting".

Maradas said Weah, Abedi Pele and Roger Milla had received $25 000 (about R150 000) each for their work for the campaign.

"Abedi also called me ... and asked me to set up an urgent meeting with Danny (Jordaan) where this isue will be raised."

Sono refused to discuss the issue.

"I can't discuss this as I am still consulting my lawyers," said the usually outspoken chairperson.

Philemon "Chippa" Masinga, who was one of the ambassadors, said: "When I was brought in, Danny promised me that I would get a bonus if we won the right to host the World Cup. I haven't received a cent up to now.

"I don't have any problem with Danny, Irvin and Oliphant getting R7.5m each, but I think we should also be paid our share."

Jordaan could not be reached for comment. Some members of the Safa national executive committee (NEC) claim they were not aware of the existence of the "remunerations committee" until the announcement last week.

Mokoena said the committee was chaired by a Dr WAA Gouws.

"We were not aware of that committee. How can Dr Gouws, a consultant, chair a Safa sub-committee? According to our constitution, all sub-committees must be chaired by members of the executive committee," said a member of the NEC, who asked for his name to be withheld.

According to the NEC member, Gouws helped Khoza to sort out his personal tax-related issues.

Gouws was later retained by Safa as a tax consultant to help it in its fight against the South African Revenue Service over tax that it owed.

- City Press