In a sting operation at Cape Town’s Waterfront mall on Wednesday, the Hawks arrested a suspected match-fixer from Sandton with large sums of money to bribe soccer match officials.
The 41-year-old man faces corruption charges and will appear in court by Friday.
South Africa’s top referee, Jerome Damon, said on Wednesday night: “I heard rumours that someone was arrested, but this is news to me.”
SA Football Association spokesman Gary Mojela was not aware of the incident and would “need to look into the matter”.
Officials from teams affected by the attempted bribe denied knowing of the arrest.
Soccer officials from across the country are in Cape Town where the 2011 Vodacom League National Play-Offs are under way.
The winning team will be promoted to the National First Division, one step closer to the PSL.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel André Traut said: “Hawks Organised Crime Unit detectives arrested the man in a sting operation in connection with match-fixing linked to an important soccer match scheduled to be played in the Mother City.
“The information and the operation led the investigators to the V&A Waterfront at noon (on Wednesday) where they arrested the suspect, who lives in Sandton.
The suspect allegedly approached soccer match officials at a city hotel at 3pm on Tuesday where he attempted to bribe them to influence the match in favour of a soccer team vying for promotion.
“One of the soccer officials called the Hawks and the sting operation was set up.
“As the transaction took place the detectives arrested the suspect,” Traut said.
“A large amount of cash was seized. The suspect is facing charges of corruption.” - Pretoria News