Fifa: Sa Government Changes Will Not Affect 2010

World football governing body FIFA has moved to calm fears that a spate of high-profile resignations within the South African government, including the sitting President, will significantly affect the nation’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup.

Eleven members of the South African cabinet have announced their resignation along with President Thabo Mbeki. The resignations also include deputy finance minister Jabu Moleketi, who is in charge of finances for the World Cup.

However FIFA says it has been in talks with African National Congress boss Jacob Zuma, a possible future president, and that the governmental changes will not hamper the preparations.

President Mbeki is to leave office this week after accusations that he interfered in the prosecution of Zuma on corruption charges.

‘This is something we are watching very closely,’ FIFA’s director of communications and public affairs, Hans Klaus, stated in a BBC interview.

‘FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been in touch with Mr Zuma’s people, as well as those of Mr Mbeki, in the past week.

‘Both of them, as well as Nelson Mandela, agree the World Cup must go ahead. What has happened in South Africa is not what we would have expected, but we don’t want to comment on the political situation – we work with the local organising committee board.’

Mr Moleketi chairs the 2010 Technical Co-ordinating Committee, which is overseeing the new physical and transport infrastructure ahead of the football tournament.

But FIFA said if Mr Moleketi did not agree to carry on in the role under a future government, then it was confident the post could be passed smoothly to a new incumbent without seriously holding up work on the infrastructure.

FIFA also stated that it would be making contact with the intermediate South African government, under Kgalema Motlanthe, which will run the country until new elections next year.
 
Said Klaus: ‘There are some government people on the local organising committee who may change, but this has been the situation in previous World Cups, we are not too concerned at the present. If new people come in we think they will soon become familiar with their roles.’