Johannesburg — THE Public Service Commission (PSC) has warned that next year's Soccer World Cup could add to inequality in SA.

In its annual report on the performance of the public service -- with a focus on how ready it is for the tournament -- the commission also called for vigilance against corruption and said some departments responsible for the event had received qualified audits.

While the World Cup has been billed as an economic opportunity for many, SA has one of the greatest disparities between rich and poor and urban and rural areas, and the gap continues to grow.

There have been calls from labour and civil society that the World Cup should benefit South Africans across the economic divide and not be a cash cow only for the rich.

The document, released yesterday, says metropolitan areas receive funding from the government at a rate 28% more than other districts. "Considering that the 2010 host cities are largely situated in such metropolitan districts, the possibility of World Cup revenue opportunities serving to further deepen the inequities should be avoided."

On corruption, the PSC calls for the promotion of financial disclosures by employees of national and provincial departments. For the 2007-08 year these disclosures stood at 80%, a 5% drop from the previous year.

"Combining trends in financial misconduct and the slow rate of compliance on financial disclosures provides cause for greater concern. In the context of the ... World Cup, opportunities for government tenders abound, and the disclosures become one of the important measures through which to ensure public servants do not award tenders in a manner that favours their business associates.

"The risk for government should thus not be taken lightly, especially because there is a perception that the construction industry (which stands to benefit the most from government tenders earmarked for the event ) is involved in the 'dirtiest' business dealings and corruption," it says.

Except for Gauteng and Mpumalanga, all provincial public works and transport departments received qualified audits for 2007-08.

"Considering the role these departments need to play in the roll-out of the necessary infrastructure, there is reason to be concerned about their ability to promote accountable resource utilisation," the report says.

The document concludes that although a consolidated "national integrity system" will not be fully in place by the time SA hosts the event, the PSC has put in place the building blocks to promote a high standard of professional ethics.