The potential for corruption is one of the key areas that South Africa must focus on ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, a report released on Tuesday by the Public Service Commission (PSC) said.
”There is a need to appreciate that while the hosting of the World Cup may bring material benefits, the country should not lose its focus on building institutional capacity to promote development,” the report said.
The report noted that the World Cup should benefit all South Africans regardless of race or class.
”Conscious steps will have to be taken to ensure that the poor can access the necessary opportunities emanating from the hosting of the World Cup,” read the report.
The report highlighted potential challenges in areas such as the capacity of the emergency services, processing the huge influx of visitors, and providing services without bias based on race, gender or disability.
”Lack of full compliance may put departments, which are involved in big programmes and tenders, at risk regarding potentially corrupt practices,” the report stated.
The South African government has invested over R17-billion in infrastructure development associated with the World Cup.
The 2010 World Cup will be the first to be held on African soil. — AFP
