Jordaan (left) and Khoza (right) are at the centre of the drama

2010 bid president Irvin Khoza, chief executive Danny Jordaan and Safa president Molefi Oliphant have each been awarded US$1.2 million for their work.

But the decision has been complicated by the fact that the South African Football Association (Safa) lacks the funds to make the payout.

With football being the sport of the country's predominantly black population, who are struggling economically, many have questioned the rationale for the award.

"The payments are not that outrageous and are in line with what other countries are paying," said Richard Maguire, editor of Kick Off, the country's leading football magazine.

"[But] how can they pay? Where do they get the money?"

When South Africa became the first African nation to win the right to host football's most prestigious event, the architects of the bid returned from Switzerland in May as national heroes.

It's far too early to start slurping gravy that has yet to be made The Citizen, a South African newspaper

Sadly, the proposed payments have stretched public confidence, already tested by a match-fixing scandal that saw 33 referees and club officials arrested over the last six weeks.

The local media initially reported that football's world governing body Fifa will put up the bonus and subsequently claimed the responsibility would lie with Safa's corporate sponsors.

But after SABMiller, the main sponsor, said it was not funding the payments, Safa assumed responsibility.

Football commentators insist Safa does not have the cash to pay the bonuses to Oliphant, Khoza and Jordaan, who spent much of the past seven years globe-trotting to bring the World Cup to South Africa.

"While the critics believe that Jordaan and Khoza probably earned the right to claim the loot, the jury is still out on whether or not Oliphant deserves to be declared SA's newest multi-millionaire," newspaper Business Day said in an editorial.

Many have questioned Oliphant's right to get a bonus

In a piece titled 'Early riders on soccer's gravy train', national daily The Citizen agreed Oliphant was an "odd choice" for such a large payout given that Jordaan and, to a lesser extent Khoza, did the leg work to clinch the bid.

"Those trying to justify this profligacy point to [South African cricket chief] Ali Bacher getting a 5 million rand (US$794,300) bonus for his efforts at the 2003 World Cup," the Citizen said.

"Yet he was paid after successfully organising the tournament, which posted a huge profit.

"Safa are still years away from hosting their showpiece and their books are in deficit.

"It's far too early to start slurping gravy that has yet to be made," The Citizen said.

There are many football fans in South Africa who agree with the newspaper's stinging criticism.