Johannesburg - The upcoming South African Football Association (Safa) elections will not affect the preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke has assured the public that the upcoming Safa elections, which will take place between 26 and 28 September, will run smoothly.
The current President of Safa, Molefi Olifant's term will come to an end on 30 September.
Both 2010 Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer Danny Jordaan and Chairman Irvin Khoza are contesting the Safa presidency.
Valcke said the elections would be closely monitored by the world football governing body FIFA, to ensure they do not interfere with the preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
"We said we'd like to see it [elections] postponed until after 2010 but Safa refused so we'll be monitoring them very carefully to make sure that they do not impact on the World Cup.
"When we see competition is very tough between two people we work with the organisation [Safa]... we have to protect the organisation of the World Cup," Valcke said.
LOC Board of Directors met this afternoon to discuss operational matters relating to the event, and Valcke said the meeting was very comprehensive, adding that a lot of important issues were discussed.
Among issues discussed were transport, particularly the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) which is designed to provide a high quality and affordable transport system to commuters.
Regarding the H1N1 flu during the next year's world cup, Valcke confirmed that FIFA has developed a 20 page document aimed at educating people who travel to South Africa about the disease.
The meeting further discussed operational issues, confirming that accommodation, transporting and security preparation plans were proceeding smoothly.
He said stadiums were between 90 and 95 percent completed, pledging that by the final draw on 4 December stadiums will be fully completed.
