THUNDER BAY – Sports – Following a four-month public application phase, the board of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust under chairman Danny Jordaan has approved the first 973 beneficiaries for a total amount of ZAR 56 million. Overall, 4,347 applications in the areas of football development, education, health and humanitarian activities were reviewed by an independent evaluation panel, with the final report being presented to the trustees at their second board meeting today in Johannesburg. All awarded projects will have to submit regular progress reports and be monitored, as well as submit proof of expenditure.
In total, ZAR 450 million has been transferred by FIFA into the Legacy Trust accounts that are administered by Ernst and Young and audited by KPMG. With the exception of Football for Hope Centres, only projects within South Africa are eligible and all of the recipients must be registered as public benefit organisations with the South African Revenue Service.
“The trust was set up so that South African football and NGOs dealing with community development through football can continue to be recipients of the FIFA World Cup’s financial reward on a long-term basis. It is a great moment today to see the first public projects being awarded,” said FIFA Secretary General and trustee Jérôme Valcke, who together with co-trustees Alec Moemi (Ministry of Sports and Recreation), Danny Jordaan, SAFA (South African Football Association) President Kirsten Nematandani and Professor Michael Katz, handed over the first symbolic cheques to representatives of some of the projects.
To achieve this aim, the trust will select a number of projects annually to receive support. Applications will be submitted via the official website www.2010legacytrust.com. The next application phase will commence in July 2013.
“Since we launched the application process on 1 June 2012, we have been overwhelmed by the response from fellow South Africans. We are delighted with how this process has unfolded. It was extremely difficult for us to choose nearly 1,000 applications from the 4,347 we received,” said Jordaan.
“On this occasion of the first disbursement of the FIFA World Cup 2010 Legacy Trust fund, which coincides with the kick-off of the Africa Cup of Nations, we pay homage to the men and women who have made it possible for us to empower and liberate our people through football. We raise our flags high as we salute our South African compatriots, our fellow Africans and everyone who made it possible for us to successfully host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Today, we stand tall with pride and optimism as we make allocations to deserving South African citizens. We pledge ourselves to be transparent and uphold principles of good governance during the disbursement of the funds, so that football, education and social welfare are the true beneficiaries. Our campaign to launch an assault on poverty, unemployment and inequality is gaining momentum! Always forwards, never backwards,” said the South African Sports Minister.
The first projects approved consisted of:
· 24 projects to support basic as well as higher education studies to build capacity of current and future football administrators in South Africa – ZAR 500,000
· 33 projects in the area of development through football with a focus on education and health, including support of the 20 Football for Hope Centres and a project to train health professionals in medical assistance on and off the field by the Wits University – ZAR 6.5 million
· Football development including women’s football, futsal and beach soccer in the regions. Receiving support will be SAFA, SAFA regional associations, clubs, local football associations and schools – ZAR 49 million (funding and/or equipment)
