The South African government has denied any wrongdoing over allegations that bribes were paid during the bidding process for the 2010 World Cup.
It is alleged that more than £65m was accepted by FIFA officials in illegal payment between the 1990s and the present day, which has led to an investigation being launched into the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar respectively.
Questions have also been asked about South Africa's role in landing the showpiece tournament five years ago, although Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe is confident that the country will be cleared in due course.
"When we concluded the FIFA World Cup here in South Africa we got a clean audit report," he is quoted as saying by Sky Sports News. "There has never been any suggestion that anything untoward happened in South Africa.
"Ernst and Young is a reputed auditing firm. When we concluded the FIFA World Cup here in South Africa we got a clean audit report, so what came yesterday, I think the due process will take place."
Fourteen people have so far been indicted as part of the criminal investigation, while seven officials were held following a series of dawn raids in Zurich on Wednesday morning.
Daniel Lewis
