PRETORIA: The South African government appears finally to have stopped trying an impede an investigation by world federation FIFA into matchfixing ahead of the World Cup in 2010 writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Several Bafana Bafana matches against Thailand, Bulgaria, Colombia and Guatemala immediately before South Africa’s hosting were manipulated on behalf of an Asian betting syndicate.

Five SAFA officials, including then president Kirsten Nematandani and acting chief executive Dennis Mumble, were suspended in December 2012 after being  implicated in the issue but were then ‘freed’ in time for South Africa’s hosting of the African Nations Cup in January and February 2013.

FIFA has been concerned all along that the government should not launch an inquiry of its own which would appear to threaten the ‘independence’ of SAFA.

The subsequent failure of the South African body to launch a credible inquiry prompted FIFA, last November, to set up its own ethics committee process. This angered not only Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula but also President Jacob Zuma.

Now however Zuma, possibly with more pressing electoral and judicial issues on his mind, has issued a statement confirming the investigation will be undertaken by FIFA and not his own preferred mixed Commission of Inquiry.

#################################