M Stofile: International Year of African Football and 2010 World Cup workshop

Opening address by Sport and Recreation Minister M Stofile at the International Year of African Football and 2010 World Cup workshop, ABSA Conference centre, Montana, Pretoria

A British publication of 7 October 1899 reported great interest in Britain that was directed to the performance of the Kaffir football team, now touring this country - courtesy of A Odendaal's research. The publication report was "under the auspices of the Orange Free State Football Association". This tour was a sequel of a visit to South Africa by a British team, the Corinthians, in 1890. The enthusiasm displayed by our people towards soccer football inspired some British business people to organise the Kaffir Football tour of Britain. In the crude classification of that period, the Kaffir team consisted of Basutos, with the exception of two Hottentots. Their captain was Joseph B Twayi, a well-known community leader of the time.

The essence of this history has awakened all of us to the long history of organised football among our people. Even in the 19th century their skills were beginning to attract the attention of countries in Europe. After their tour of 1899, the Kaffir team received invitations to tour Germany and Austria in 1900. With the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War, such plans were aborted.

At the time when Federation International Football Association (FIFA) reached the historic decision of awarding an African country the honour the hosting of Football World Cup for the first time, the vague interest by Europe in the skills and enthusiasm of the natives of Africa, their performance on the soccer field had reached great heights. The pillars of most top European players are Africans.

But African countries have very little to show for it. Our football associations are not as strong as they should be. Their leagues do not indicate that we have played organised football since the 19th century, and this must change.

The awarding of the 2010 World Cup host to South Africa by FIFA is a legacy on its own. For South Africa and the rest of Africa, the memory of that tournament will be a lasting legacy. But we cannot end there. As government, we believe that preparations for the 2010 World Cup must leverage the fast-tracking of some elements of our transformation agenda. What our President refers to as the "two nations" in our country cannot be allowed to continue unscathed by such a huge event. We must use this opportunity to level the proverbial playing grounds, both in respect of infrastructure and otherwise.

The Minister of Finance announced a budget of about R17 billion for the 2010 related infrastructure. The departments of our State have identified practical projects they will drive as part of building a legacy that will last long after 2010. The private sector and the organs of civil society must come on board too.

But we said 2010 will be an African World Cup. Since 2005, we have had a few workshops, with the last one in June 2006. All these were efforts to get South Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and Africa to participate in the conceptualisation of the African World Cup. We have been in discussion with FIFA and they too have developed a blueprint of what they want to contribute to the African Legacy of 2010. Both at the African Union summit as well as at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) General Assembly in Addis Ababa and Khartoum, respectively, these issues were referred to.

Our task is not to re-invent the wheel but to concretise our vision of what we want the African Legacy of 2010 to be and to agree on a Plan of Action on how to get to those dreams. We must do this realistically and ambitiously.

We have repeatedly said that this is our opportunity to show the world that we are as good as anyone else, just like the Kaffir team of 1899 tried to do. Hosting a memorable World Cup may banish Afro-pessimism forever.

Our leaders have launched the African Renaissance and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). This is our time to fit football concretely into these initiatives. Good managerial skills, sound finance management skills and overall good governance are a sine qua non of this Renaissance and the end to Afro-pessimism.

This is a Football World Cup. As such a better organised football league in each African country is a must. Better performing African teams at home and abroad are a must. This workshop must guide us on what is achievable and how to achieve it. We have the support of our people, we have the support of FIFA and we have the support of the African Union therefore failure is not an option!