Fifa is investigating a Chinese "sweatshop" awarded a subcontract to make soccer World Cup "Zakumi" mascots.
Business Times reported that the world football controlling body would investigate how the 10000m² "squalid" factory in Shanghai, China, had landed several international subcontracts. The Chinese company's workers are reportedly paid R23 a day for making the plastic figurines of the dreadlocked leopard Zakumi. The figurines sell for about R360 each.
About 100000 of them were reportedly destined for Ascendo Industrial, a factory and distributor in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, owned by ANC MP Shiaan-Bin Huang and his wife, Su-Luan.
Huang said the subcontract was approved by both Fifa and its product licensing and brand management partner, Global Brands.
But Global Brands general manager Paul Zacks said yesterday it had appointed Intertek, the world's largest independent testing, inspection and certification company, to "conduct an immediate ethical and social compliance audit and inspection of the facility".
He said that other Zakumi paraphernalia was not produced by the Chinese company, Shanghai Fashion Plastic Products and Gifts.
