Irvin Khoza is part of South Africa's 2010 World Cup organising panel

Irvin Khoza, chairman of South Africa's bidding committee, and Danny Jordaan, the tireless chief executive of the bid, will both be on the committee.

They will be joined on the panel by former provincial premier Tokyo Sexwale and sponsorship expert Selwyn Nathan.

The committee will have to negotiate with Fifa, the South African government and private sector.

It also has to establish a formal local organising committee by the beginning of next year.

Sexwale, who left politics to forge a high-profile business career, told reporters he and his colleagues were ready for the task but that there was much work ahead of the country.

Meanwhile, the South Africa Football Association (Safa) is to get financial help from the government for the refurbishment of stadiums ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

The news was announced by the new Sports Minister Makenkesi Stofile on Friday.

"The funds will be raised for the budget that we make as the government, but also from the support we get from the private sector and Safa themselves," he said .

Safa is scheduled to provide some US $83 million to refurbish stadiums, according to figures from the country's bid documents.

Stofile said Safa would not be able to finance the improvements on its own.

"They (Safa) wouldn't survive," he said.

South Africa's government has said no extra borrowing or any substantial alteration to spending plans would be needed to prepare for the World Cup.

The bid budgeted nearly US $172 million to upgrade stadiums and transport infrastructure for 2010.