Given his love of boxing we knew that Minister of Sports and Recreation Fikile Mbalula would come out swinging in the wake of the corruption allegations surrounding our 2010 World Cup bid.

Well the first jabs have been thrown, with Mbalula issuing a vocal and vociferous attack against claims that South Africa may have paid $10 million to help secure crucial World Cup votes. Here’s what he had to say at today’s media briefing in Johannesburg as quoted on IOL:

I don’t know $10 million, I have not seen it with my eyes…

We were not involved in any illegal transfers… The innocent are victimised and we shouldn’t be the ones who are victimised.

To say that our government is involved in the transfer of $10 million is a matter we don’t take lightly…

The principal we’re raising is of sovereignty. It’s a serious matter, it’s important and we need to co-operate. It does constitute an element of disregard between the two countries as we were not made aware first.

He also told journalists that the country’s books had been audited by the Auditor General of South Africa with no discrepancies coming to light.

Of course he wasn’t quite done there, with those gathered tweeting some more gems.

I suppose by Fikile’s standards that was something of a measured response. A response, mind you, that I’m sure will do little to clear up the cloud hanging over South African football and governance at present.

[sources:iol&sport24&timeslive]