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JOHANNESBURG. — South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula yesterday denied allegations that huge bribes were paid to win the right to host the 2010 World Cup soccer finals, saying public money had not been given to “criminals”.

FIFA has been engulfed in a bribery scandal that includes accusations from the US attorney general that FIFA officials took cash in return for awarding the tournament to South Africa.

The US indictment alleged that bundles of cash in a briefcase were handed over at a Paris hotel as a bribe by a “high-ranking South African bid committee official”.

It also alleged the South Africa government agreed that $10 million that was due to be paid to South Africa to run the World Cup was instead transferred from FIFA’s funds to pay bribes to former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

“We as a government and people managing the resources of the South African people – we did not share part of your resources with criminals, I am saying it now and forever,” Mbalula said.

“The South African government and its people will not stand in any way of pursuing justice, criminality, fighting corruption in sport.”

Mbalula criticised how the US had made its allegations without consulting South Africa.

“We are not and we have never acted in Hollywood and we are not used to these things,” he said.

“Let us protect our sovereignty and national interest and fight corruption – but equally we must not allow to be abused… people seem to cast aspersions on our integrity.”

The South Africa Football Association on Wednesday dismissed the allegations as “baseless”.

“We are disappointed at the baseless and untested allegations and request proof from anyone who has contrary evidence,” national football association spokesman Dominic Chimhavi said.

“Our bid campaign was run by, among others, late president Nelson Mandela, former president Thabo Mbeki and several government ministers, who are men of integrity.”

The 2010 World Cup bidding was confined to Africa, and South Africa defeated Morocco 14-10 in a vote to decide which country would be the first from the continent to stage the tournament.

The South African government yesterday also denied any wrongdoing over allegations that huge bribes were paid during the process to select the host country for the 2010 World Cup.

“When we concluded the FIFA World Cup here in South Africa we got a clean audit report,” Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe told reporters in Cape Town.

“There has never been any suggestion that anything untoward happened in South Africa.”

Radebe, who was on the local organising committee (LOC), did not directly address the US indictment, which alleged that $10 000 was handed over in Paris as a bribe by a “high-ranking South African bid committee official”.

It also alleged the South Africa government agreed that $10 million that was due to be paid to South Africa to run the World Cup was instead transferred from FIFA’s funds to pay bribes.

“Ernst and Young is a reputed auditing firm,” Radebe said.

“When we concluded the FIFA World Cup here in South Africa we got a clean audit report, so what came yesterday, I think the due process will take place.

“But, as far as we are concerned as former members of the LOC, there was a clean audit report.”

The South Africa Football Association on Wednesday had dismissed the allegations as “baseless”.

The 2010 World Cup bidding was confined to Africa, and South Africa defeated Morocco 14-10 in a vote to decide which country would be the first from the continent to stage the tournament.

“Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, at the end of the 2010 World Cup, which was reputed at the time as the best ever . . . He gave us I think eight or nine out of 10,” added Radebe.

At a press conference in New York on Wednesday, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the former FIFA vice president, Jack Warner, solicited $10 million in bribes from the South African government to host the 2010 World Cup.

Warner issued a statement saying he is innocent of any charges. — AFP.