Shaun Bartlett attended the launch

Former President Nelson Mandela said it was "critical" in the build-up to their hosting of the 2010 World Cup Finals.

SAFF is based on Britain's Football Foundation, a charitable organisation which helps fund ground improvements and grassroots player development with public and private money.

Mandela said: "We are very pleased to hear about the cooperation between the British Government and the South African Football Association (SAFA) Development Trust over the formation of the South African Football Foundation.

"This initiative is critical in the light of our hosting the 2010 Football World Cup. I want to express our appreciation and support for this very important development."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was instrumental in the formation of the British Football Foundation, was thrilled to see so this programme being reproduced in South Africa.

"It is great to see that the model of our own Football Foundation, bringing together funding partners from football and government, is going to be replicated in South Africa," Blair said.

"With the country hosting the World Cup Finals in 2010, these are exciting times for South Africa and this provides a real opportunity to create a vehicle that can harness the power of the world's favourite game and give the country a sporting legacy they can be proud of."

Richard Caborn, the British Minister for Sport, said this project will help the game improve its popularity in South Africa.

He said : "The Football Foundation has shown it can deliver a massive boost to grassroots participation and I'm sure it will do excatly the same in South Africa."

South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale, who is the new body's inaugural chairman told BBC Sport that other African countries will benefit from this scheme.

"We see this groundbreaking initiative not only for our country but for the whole of Africa," Sexwale said.

"With the British behind us we become stronger to assist other African countries."

Attending the House of Commons launch of SAFF was Charlton and South Africa striker Shaun Bartlett.

Bartlett said the project was "fantastic news" for the grassroots of the game in South Africa.

"Football can achieve so much for society that more traditional methods struggle with, it can really build many bridges and help communities on all manner of fronts from healthy living, to education to reducing crime and drug use.