FIFA faces huge World Cup bills from South Africans
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Although the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was hailed as great success for South Africa, FIFA is facing a string of legal suits in South Africa.
City Press newspaper in Johannesburg reported on Sunday that the football's world governing body is being sued for nearly one billion rands (143 million U.S. dollars) in unpaid debts for services provided before and during the FIFA World Cup.
The newspaper said FIFA has not paid about 240 million rands (34.2 million U.S. dollars) for the buses that transported spectators and the security supplied by South African police after private security firms pulled out of the games over pay demands.
South African host cities are also threatening to sue for unpaid bills amounting to more than 500 million rands (71.5 million U.S. dollars) for work FIFA allegedly demanded be done around stadiums.
Top executives from the South African Football Association (SAFA) reportedly went cap in hand to FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, asking for about 60 million (8.6 million U.S. dollars) used to buy hospitality packages.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first to be staged in Africa, was held from June 11- July 11.
South Africa's transport parastatal Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) entered into a 174 million rands (24.9 million U.S.dollars) agreement with FIFA's Match Hospitality for the provision of buses to transport fans.
City Press said FIFA now faces a 148 million rands (24.8 million U.S. dollars) lawsuit over the unpaid transport bill.
PRASA says FIFA was expected to settle the bill by Aug. 31, but has so far only paid 26 million rands ( 3.7 million U.S. dollars).
Nana Zenani, PRASA's spokesman said the entity "formally asserts that the matter is in the hands of its legal team".
Zenani would not comment on the agency's next move.
Prasa subsidiary, bus operator Autopax, acquired 570 new buses for R1.4 billion for the World Cup.
FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola said they wouldn't comment on the transport bill and referred enquiries to Match.
South Africa's police ministry has ruled out a legal challenge to force FIFA's Local Organizing Committee to settle the 90 million rands (12.9 million U.S. dollars) bill for securing Ellis Park and Soccer City in Johannesburg, Cape Town's Green Point and Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
This was after about 1,300 South African police officers, mainly trainees, were called to secure the stadiums after private firm Stallion' security guards protested over low wages.
