/ 18 February 2008

LOC rubbishes claims of division

The Fifa local organising committee (LOC) on Monday rubbished claims of divisions within the local 2010 organising body on Monday.

LOC chairperson Irvin Khoza said the focus should be on the 2010 project and not his relationship with committee CEO Danny Jordaan.

Sitting between Jordaan and Tim Modise, the chief communications and marketing officer, Khoza presented a united front.

With reference to the Sunday Times article that quoted an unofficial source that ”in-fighting and mistrust are tearing the LOC apart”, he said it is difficult to answer questions from a faceless person.

”We [Khoza and Jordaan] do disagree at times and do debate issues. If issues do present themselves, we deal with them,” said Khoza, adding that the unofficial source should be ”named and shamed”.

”There is a lot of hopelessness and despondency in South Africa; 2010 brings hope to South Africans and any one of us on the LOC who interferes with that must go,” he said.

When journalists asked Modise what persuaded him to stay on with the LOC, following rumours of him quitting, he said that he was reluctant to discuss his employment in the newspapers.

”I have clarified issues with my employer. As a South African I have supported the World Cup from the day it was announced that South Africa was the host country and will continue to do so.”

When asked whether Fifa boss Sepp Blatter had to intervene to repair the relationship between Jordaan and Khoza, Khoza said that those giving information should give information that can ”stand the test of time”.

Although Blatter was not there to comment, Khoza said that he is happy and comfortable with the progress the LOC is making. ”If we fail to host the World Cup it will be despite giving our best, not because of issues among us,” he said.

Jordaan did not speak officially at the press conference and, when asked to comment on the allegations made in the report, he said that he did not ”chase ghosts”.

In closing the conference, Khoza said that he hoped to see ”incisive analysis” in reports about the World Cup. — Sapa