Archive for August, 2008

Minister in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa Dr Essop Pahad says South Africa is well on track to host a successful 2010 Fifa World Cup™ as well as the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup™.

Minister Pahad was addressing local and international delegates attending the 2010 National Partnership Conference at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

“I want to assure you and reassure all of the participants present today that we are on track to host the beast and most successful World Cup of Soccer ever held.

“The staging of the event on African soil represents us with an enormous opportunity to showcase our country and our continent, said the Minister.

The Minister said that the stadiums and other crucial 2010 infrastructure are well on target to meet Fifa deadlines.

“Our stadiums will be ready for 2010. In fact they will be ready before the World Cup as the stadia are also the venues for the Confederations Cup.

“We have an advanced well developed technical infrastructure – our banking and IT services are on par with the rest of the world. So visitors coming to South Africa will not face challenges communicating with relatives abroad.

“Our physical infrastructure is being totally upgraded and will be ready for 2010. In particular we need to allay concerns about electricity supply, an accessible and safe public transportation system, crime, safety and security, he said.

The Minister reiterated President Thabo Mbeki and Fifa President Sepp Blatter’s sentiments that South Africa will host the event on behalf the African continent.

“From the onset we were very clear that should our bid be successful we would be hosting an African World Cup not just a South African World Cup event.

“For us this event is about more than sports – it is about Africa and Africa’s ability to host the World. It is about getting out from underneath the welter of negative press coverage our continent receives.

“It is about informing the world that Africa has much more to offer, that our people are ready to receive the world, ready to host those who come to the World Cup and that when they come they will receive a wonderfully unforgettable African experience, said the Minister.

Dr Pahad said that the Partnership Conference provided an opportunity to cement existing partnerships at a number of levels. The partnership encompasses Fifa, the Local Organising Committee, Government Communication and Information System, South African Tourism and the International Marketing Council.

The partnership was conceived to forge dialogue between African countries and other stakeholders.

“Partnership means working together on the basis of equality to advance certain goals which the constituent parts of the partnership share in common.

“So as partners in this historic sporting event we need to project to the world our readiness and our humanity. It is in all our interests – the government, the private sector, and the media to be vigilant about our progress in all the intersecting spheres of 2010 activities,” he said.

He said the conference should come up with a clear approach of how best Africa can utilise communication to mobilise everybody.