South Africa: Khoza Reads Riot Act to 2010 Committee
Mninawa Ntloko
Johannesburg
TOUGH-talking 2010 Soccer World Cup local organising committee chairman
Irvin Khoza yesterday stepped in to quell the reported infighting within
the organisation, telling those involved that the showpiece was bigger
than petty politics.
After a meeting with organising committee CEO Danny Jordaan, chief operations
officer Nomfanelo Magwentshu and communications director Tim Modise --
the people who are said to be at he centre of the infighting -- Khoza
made it clear that the World Cup was bigger than any individual.
"We should not give Fifa a reason not to give Africa
the World Cup again because of petty issues, if there are any," he
said.
Though the stern organising committee chairman did not openly acknowledge
the perceived tension within the organisation, he hinted that there were
internal wrangles.
Khoza was forced to put out fires after reports said the relationship
between the chairman and Jordaan was frosty, and Magwentshu was the leader
of a faction opposed to the committee CEO.
Compounding matters was Modise's desire to quit the committee after a
reported fallout with Jordaan. Though Modise declined to comment on the
reasons that led to his earlier decision to resign, he said yesterday
he had resolved whatever problems he had and he "was staying".
Yesterday the supposedly feuding camps were all smiles and presented a
united front to a huge media contingent.
All the negativity came as a Fifa delegation arrived to begin an inspection
tour of Ellis Park, Loftus Versfeld, Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Sports
Palace, Polokwane's Peter Mokaba Stad-ium, Nelspruit's Mbombela Stadium
and Mangaung's Free State Stadium.
Khoza said while he did not want to begin a "witch hunt for the faceless
person" who was the source of the perceived division within the organising
committee, it was still "important for us to name and shame these
people".
"People have sacrificed for this World Cup and we cannot afford to
disappoint them.
"Fifa president Sepp Blatter put his head on the block and said it
was Africa's turn to host the World Cup.
"Former president Nelson Mandela made a sacrifice at a time when
he was physically indisposed and travelled to Zurich to support our bid.
"We are only 18 months away from the event and we cannot afford to
let the (FW) de Klerks and Desmond Tutus down. This event is too big for
us to destroy."
Jordaan said it was important for all the stakeholders to remain focused
and not allow distractions to make everybody involved lo se sight of the
bigger picture -- the World Cup -- while chasing faceless individuals.
"I am not going to chase ghosts," he said.
"Where am I going to start? We have to stay focused and not be distracted
by all this."
,
19 February 2008
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