‘Screws tighten’ in match-fixing probe
Sports minister promises he will soon reveal the course inquiry will take
MINISTER of Sport Fikile Mbalula will meet President Jacob Zuma this week to finalise setting up the commission of inquiry into football match-fixing.
In an exclusive interview Mbalula told the Sunday Times: “We are almost at the tail-end, we are just tightening a few screws.
“I’m confident that next week we should be able to make a major announcement to express the full view of government.”
Asked what screws he was tightening, Mbalula said: “It is a whole process, what route must be followed. We have proposed to the president, after consultation with Safa and Fifa, the possible options.
“The overarching one is the commission of inquiry, which will be presided over by a retired judge.
“In no time now we should be in a position to tell the nation about the approach we’re going to take.
“It has taken time but it is not an abandoned ship. Something concrete is going to happen.”
At hand is the black cloud of match-fixing allegations hanging over the heads of five senior Safa officials. They are accused of colluding with a convicted criminal, Wilson Raj Perumal, to ostensibly influence the outcome of Bafana Bafana’s pre-2010 World Cup friendly matches.
The five are former Safa president Kirsten Nematandani, current chief executive Dennis Mumble, Bafana team manager Barney Kujane as well as Ace Kika and Adeel Carelse.
Perumal, from, Singapore is serving a two-year sentence in a Finland prison for match-fixing activities.
Mbalula is adamant that Fifa must give South Africa space to deal with the matter as the country sees fit.
Mbalula and Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke were embroiled in a public spat this week.
Valcke, who was in the country to attend a 2010 Fifa World Cup Legacy Trust meeting, told sister publica- tion The Times that “Fifa will run this investigation and will take care of this file. Definitely we will need the support of the South African authorities but it will be managed by the chairman of the ethics committee, Michael Garcia. We are taking over this case and we’re making sure that Fifa will run this investigation.”
Mbalula retorted: “Jerome Valcke must get it into his head that Fifa doesn’t run this country. Those who are guilty of match-fixing must face the full might of the law.”
What is the hold-up in terms of appointing the commission?
“I am going to the president next week. I am in constant interaction with him.
“We have been talking, exchanging letters ourselves, Fifa, and Safa,” said Mbalula.
How long do you think the application of the mind will take?
“It has been some time. In the next week we should be in a position to have brought an end to the application of the mind on this issue.
“The crucial question is are we ready to tackle it, including its international tentacles and those who are implicated in South Africa?
“Yes, we are, and in whatever way we can we will come to the party.”