Johannesburg – The SA Football Association (Safa) has again announced its intention to launch an independent commission of enquiry, after reversing an earlier decision in December, to investigate a Fifa report on match fixing.
Safa said on Saturday the commission would be appointed “as soon as possible”, in consultation with the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and the Ministry of Sport and Recreation, with the NEC accepting the Fifa report as its own.
“The commission must submit its findings and recommendations within three months of its establishment,” Safa said in a statement after its national executive committee (NEC) met in Johannesburg.
The NEC appointed Safa vice-president, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, along with chairman of the football body's legal and constitutional committee, Pooby Govindasamy, and chairman of security, protocol and fairplay, Jan Koopman, to “interface with the commission” on behalf of the football association.
Safa's emergency committee had said in December a commission of enquiry, headed by a retired judge, would be set up to investigate the matter.
Five Safa officials – president Kirsten Nematandani, chief executive Dennis Mumble, Ace Kika, Barney Kujane and Adeel Carelse – were suspended after they were implicated in the Fifa probe, revolving around Bafana Bafana warm-up games ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
The NEC reversed the decision and reinstated the senior staffers in January after meeting with sports minister Fikile Mbalula.
Safa said on Saturday any disciplinary measures against those implicated would await the outcome of the newly announced inquiry.
The football association would inform global governing body Fifa and Sascoc of its decisions. – Sapa