FIFA's branding company Global Brands Group said SFPPC must halt production of the Zakumi, the tournament mascot, until it improved conditions and increased pay for workers. GBC said an audit and inspection of the factory had found a number of ways in which SFPPC did not meet the code of conduct for FIFA contractors.
A spokeswoman for SFPPC hit back, telling Reuters: "The accusation that we used child labour, had excessively low pay and squalid conditions etc are completely made up. It was only because of the high unemployment now in South Africa. Some of their politicians used our working conditions as an excuse."
"We have been one of the best companies in China in terms of working environment, pay, abiding by the law etc. We definitely met the Chinese standards," she added. "We are also very happy to take the advice of GBG on how to make improvements to reach international standards. But the reality is the pay and working conditions in China could never compete with those in Britain or Singapore."
The organisers of the 2008 Beijing Olympics banned a stationery company in Dongguan from making merchandise in 2007 after it was found to have employed under-age workers.
