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02. June 2010

Fact Sheet: Government preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ - 11 June – 11 July 2010

With only a few days left to go until the official start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the following fact sheet gives information on the South African Government's preparations and actions.

1. BACKGROUND

  • South Africa will become the first African country to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, starting from 11 June to 11 July 2010.
  • South Africa made its final presentation to host the World Cup to FIFA's Executive Committee at the Trade Centre in Zurich on 14 May 2004.
  • On 15 May 2004, FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, announced that South Africa would be the host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
  • Thirty-two countries have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Six of these are from Africa, namely: South Africa, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria.
  • The rest of the qualified countries are Japan, the Netherlands, Korea Democratic People’s Republic, Australia, Korea Republic, United States of America, Brazil, England, Paraguay, Spain, Denmark, Chile, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Serbia, Switzerland, Argentina, Honduras, Slovakia, France, Portugal, Slovenia, Greece, Uruguay and New Zealand.

2. WHERE THE ACTION WILL BE

  • The World Cup will take place in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces, using 10 stadiums in nine host cities.
  • Five of the 10 stadiums are new and the rest have been upgraded for the event.
  • Johannesburg, as South Africa’s economic hub, is the only city with two venues for the world cup, namely Soccer City and Ellis Park.
  • Other host cities are Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Polokwane, Nelspruit, Bloemfontein and Rustenburg.

3. GOVERNMENT COMMITMENTS

  • Government has made a total of 17 guarantees to FIFA in relation to the delivery of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
  • The guarantees are contained in the Bid Book and are required of any country that wishes to host the FIFA World Cup.
  • Government preparations for the World Cup are coordinated through three main structures: the 2010 Inter-ministerial Committee, 2010 Technical Coordinating Committee and the Host Cities’ Forum.
  • Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe chairs the 2010 Inter-Ministerial Committee while the Deputy Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, chairs the 2010 Technical Coordinating Committee and the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Shicelo Shiceka, chairs the Host Cities’ Forum.

4. ECONOMIC INVESTMENT

  • Government is using the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and related events to fasten economic growth and development.
  • According to research by Grant Thornton, the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ will contribute R55,7 billion to the South African economy between 2006 and 2010, generate 415 400 jobs and contribute R19,3 billion in income tax to government.
  • The firm estimates that some 483 250 tourists will spend around R8, 5 billion during their stay in South Africa.
  • Between 2006 and 2010, government will spend approximately R600 billion on infrastructure development, and much of this is for World Cup-related projects.
  • During the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, between 250 000 and 450 000 international tourists are expected to visit South Africa over a four-week period.
  • The South African Government invested R170 billion into the transport system in the five-year period from 2005/06 to 2009/10.
  • This investment comprises a dedicated R13,6-billion allocation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, which has been allocated to host cities (and the commuter rail agency and roads agency) to improve public transportation systems ahead of the event.
  • The Organising Committee (OC) has committed to using companies compliant with South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) legislation and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
  • By 30 September 2008, 55% of the organisation’s spend was through BEE companies and 26% through SMMEs.

5. LOGISTICS

  • South Africa will be the first country in the history of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ to offer an event visa.
  • FIFA required 55 000 rooms for the World Cup and, as of September 2009, 40 495 have been contracted, 10 274 of which are non-hotel rooms, 30 221 are hotel rooms and 631 through South African National Parks (SANParks).
  • South Africa has hosted more than 140 major international events since 1994. Among them were the Rugby World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, Cricket World Cup, World Summit on Sustainable Development and, recently, the FIFA Confederations Cup.

6. SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS 

  • Government is responsible for general security while venue security is the responsibility of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ OC.
  • The South African Police Force is spending R640 million on the deployment of 41 000 officers specifically for the event.
  • These include 31 000 permanent members and 10 000 police reservists.
  • The vast majority of the police deployed for the World Cup will be trained officers with experience in major events.
  • Each of the 32 qualifying teams is expected to send at least two police officers to support the security forces during the tournament.
  • South Africa had representatives at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA EURO 2008 and the Beijing Olympics to learn from the host countries’ experiences.

7. TOURISM

  • South Africa is the only country in the world to contain an entire plant kingdom – its glorious indigenous fynbos of the Western Cape.
  • There are 20 national parks in South Africa dedicated to conserving our wild animals, plants and natural environment.
  • The richest concentration of rock art in Africa is found in South Africa, ranking among the finest in the world.
  • South Africa is home to “Mrs Ples”, the nickname of a fossil skull that is believed by many scientists to represent the early ancestors of the human race. "Mrs Ples" and her relatives lived on the South African Highveld, in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site area between two and 2,5 million years ago.
  • South Africa currently receives just under 10 million visitors annually. It is hoped that the exposure that South Africa enjoys during the World Cup period and the experience visitors will have will boost future tourism.

8. AFRICAN LEGACY

  • The 20 Centres for 2010 is the official campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Its goal is to build 20 centres of education, public health and football across Africa.
  • Five of these centres will be constructed in South Africa and the first of the 20 in the township of Khayelitsha in Cape Town was opened on 5 December.
  • Five other centres on the continent are currently in construction in Rwanda, Ghana, Mali, Kenya and Namibia.
  • The centre in Khayelitsha will help to educate young boys and girls from the community about HIV and AIDS and give them knowledge to live HIV-free.

9. HOST CITIES 

  • Johannesburg, Gauteng
  • Pretoria, Gauteng
  • Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
  • Cape Town, Western Cape
  • Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
  • Nelspruit, Mpumalanga
  • Polokwane, Limpopo
  • Bloemfontein, Free State
  • Rustenburg, North West.

10. STADIUMS

  • Soccer City, Johannesburg
  • Ellis Park, Johannesburg
  • Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
  • Moses Mabhida, Durban
  • Green Point, Cape Town
  • Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth
  • Mbombela, Nelspruit
  • Peter Mokaba, Polokwane
  • Mangaung, Bloemfontein
  • Royal Bafokeng, Rustenburg.

11. MAIN PORTS OF ENTRY

  • OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg
  • Cape Town International Airport, Cape Town
  • King Shaka International Airport, Durban
  • Beit Bridge Border Post (link with Zimbabwe), Musina
  • Lebombo Border Post (link with Mozambique), Mpumalanga
  • Grobler’s Bridge (link with Botswana), Limpopo
  • Durban Harbour, Durban
  • Cape Town Harbour, Cape Town.

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