Table Mountain lights up for 2010 Final Draw

Johannesburg - On December 4, one of the world’s largest television audiences will focus on Cape Town for the Final Draw of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

To celebrate the event, the City of Cape Town has arranged to keep the lights at Table Mountain switched on until midnight on that Friday night, as well as on Sunday, November 29.

"An estimated 150 million viewers are expected to watch the live broadcast of the Final Draw, which will determine where and against whom the 32 qualified teams will be playing in next year’s soccer tournament," says Lesley de Reuck, Cape Town’s Director of 2010 Operations.

"As one of the world’s most famous landmarks, Table Mountain, is bound to feature prominently in every newscast which will be beamed from Cape Town to some 200 countries," says Pieter Cronjé, the City’s Director of Communications and 2010 World Cup spokesperson.

"The City’s electricity department has thus arranged to illuminate the mountain until midnight on Final Draw night, as well as on Sunday, November 29, when Executive Mayor Dan Plato switches on the festive lights in Adderley Street at 20:00," he says.

From November 30 until December 6, and again from December 16 to January 2, the Table Mountain lights will be switched on just after the electricity peak until 10h00.

According to Director of Electricity Services, Dr Leslie Rencontre, the City will be purchasing green energy to illuminate the mountain during this festive season peak period.