World
Cup 2010 Update – Africa’s Time has Come!
South Africa is Ready!
The 2010 FIFA Local Organising Committee (LOC) of South Africa
and the nine Host Cities staged public events on 15 September
2007 to mark the 1000 days before the kick-off of the 2010
FIFA World Cup Finals. The countdown campaign was aimed at
raising awareness locally and abroad about South Africa’s
readiness to host the tournament, and to mobilise the nation
around the shared vision to build a united South Africa. In
its support for this campaign the South African Government
at it Cabinet meeting on 05 September 2007 called upon all
sectors of the population to initiate programmes that will
prepare the nation for hosting and marketing our country and
continent to the world.
The National Government has thus far allocated R17,4 billion
as a direct investment in
Infrastructure and as part of much larger spending programme
towards 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In providing an update, on 16 August 2007, around South Africa’s
preparedness to host this tournament on the African soil,
Dr. Joe Paahla (Director-General of Government’s 2010
FIFA World Cup Unit) outlined the following:
Stadium Construction
- Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg (Gauteng Province)
has the baseline construction completed and thus far the
projected milestones are all on track.
- Green Point stadium in Cape Town (Western Cape Province)
- The contractors are on schedule and the project is due
for completion in December 2009
- Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg (Gauteng Province)
is a major football venue also set for a major upgrade
- Vodacom Park stadium in Mangaung-Bloemfontein (Free State
Province) will also undergo a major upgrade in term of turnstiles,
floodlights, electronic scoreboards and a new sound system.
- All work is on track at the Moses Mabhida stadium in
eThekwini (KwaZulu-Natal Province)
- Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane (Limpopo Province)
is firmly on track in terms of the set schedule
- Mbombela stadium in Mbombela-Nelspruit (Mpumalanga Province)
has its baseline programme completed and work is on schedule
- Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg (North West Province)
is already equipped and will undergo minor upgrades.
- Loftus Versfeld stadium in Tshwane-Pretoria (Gauteng
Province) will be undergoing minimal upgrade.
Transport
The South African Government finalised the Public Transport
Information System plan allocations for 2007/2008 Medium-Term
Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period and these have been
published in the Division of Revenue Act, 2007. The first
tranche of funds for transport infrastructure projects has
been transferred to the Host Cities by the end of last June.
The monitoring and evaluation of the infrastructure projects
in the Host Cities is ongoing and will be reinforced with
the appointment of a professional team.
Information, Communications and Technology
South African Government endorsed the recommendation for
the Host City of Johannesburg to be the venue for the 2010
FIFA World Cup International Broadcasting Centre (IBC).
The IBC will be equipped with modern communication technology,
including ensuring that viewers receive high definition
television output. The Department of Communications has
worked out a plan on the roles and responsibilities of different
role-players in the provision of ICT infrastructure, including
the State Owned Enterprises, to address the guarantees.
Telkom (national telecommunications company) will be the
telecommunications service provider (fibre optic cable links)
for the transportation of signals between the stadia and
the IBC.
Energy supply
The Department of Minerals and Energy Technical Task Team
has been formed with the
representatives from Eskom (national electricity company),
and other related national energy suppliers. The key responsibility
of the Task Team is to attend to all issues relating to
the security and quality of electricity supply. The municipal
business plans outlining projected expenditure for all energy
activities has been completed. Benchmarks relating to the
quality of electricity supply and the quality of service
established in line with the regulatory framework.
Safety and Security
A detailed Safety and Security plan drawn up by the South
African Police Service was
presented to the Government Inter-Ministerial Committee.
The plan has received funding
from the National Treasury and it entails working with international
agencies to gather
safety and security information. There will also be a focus
on border security at ports of
entry - including South Africa's land, sea and air borders.
There will be about 31 000 police officers dedicated to
the World Cup.
Accommodation
According to MATCH, the accommodation strategy has to ensure
that 55 000 rooms are
contracted for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The current number
of rooms secured is
estimated at 26 000 which is 80% of the rooms in each contracted
hotel. The Department of Environmental and Tourism has made
provision of an amount of R200million to assist with the
grading of Small and Medium Enterprises accommodation. The
accommodation process will support the legacy project by
contracting SMMEs in addition to conventional hotel accommodation.
Arts and Culture
The Department of Arts and Culture has developed a plan
to ensure the tournament
leaves a lasting legacy on the African Continent. The plan
involves various activities including:
- Opening and closing ceremonies 2010 World Cup that is
a major African Cultural
Showcase,
- Soccer Fan Parks,
- All Africa Arts and culture festival,
- Cultural tourism and the African village and tourism
including the neighbouring
states like Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland.
Health services
The Department of Health has finalised the overall 2010
Health Plan with the budget and
it has been submitted to the National Treasury. A Health
Technical Task Team has been
established and it includes Host Cities, Provinces, Private
Health Providers, Professional
Organisations and the Military Medical Services.
Promotion of SMME
A Business Conference was recently held to discuss investment
and economic
opportunities that business, particularly SMMEs, can harness
during the period building
up to the tournament and as part of the legacy programme.
Government welcomes the commitment by the LOC to avail 30%
of all procurement towards SMMEs.
African Legacy
The 2010 African Legacy Framework has been approved by
both the Inter-Ministerial
Committee of Government and the LOC Board. The South Africa
Legacy Committee for 2010 FIFA World Cup chaired by the
Minister of Sport and Recreation of South Africa, Rev Dr
Makhenkesi Stofile is in place to ensure that all stakeholders
earmarked for the legacy programme deliver on their respective
commitments. Government Departments and Host Cities have
identified specific projects aimed at leaving a lasting
legacy through the tournament.
For more information please contact:
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