Sexwale on the stand over Fifa

FIFA presidential contender Tokyo Sexwale appeared before a US grand jury to testify about an alleged $10million (R152-million) payment South Africa made to Jack Warner‚ then a vice-president of global soccer’s governing body‚ the BBC reported on Monday. Sexwale had appeared before the grand jury as a potential witness on December 17‚ it was reported. The BBC said Sexwale’s representative had told the broadcaster: “The FBI said he needed to appear and he went as a potential witness.”

A spokesman for Sexwale did not return a call for comment. The Brooklyn US Attorney’s office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also did not return calls. The BBC report came hours after Fifa banned former Fifa president Sepp Blatter and European soccer chief Michel Platini for eight years for ethics violations.