News
Soccerex to put SA on world map
06 October - The imminent hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ in South Africa has opened many doors for South Africa, one of them being Soccerex, the biggest football-focused exhibition in the world.
Referees set sights on 2010 World Cup
02 October - Qualifying is already well underway for teams looking to book their place at the 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa™, but it is not just players and coaches of the various countries who are looking ahead to 2010. The world's top referees also have their sights set on South Africa.
2010 plans to be piloted during PSL match
01 October - Saturday’s Premier Soccer League clash between Orlando Pirates and Santos at Ellis Park Stadium will be used to pilot Park and Ride facilities in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™, the department of transport said on Tuesday.
Transport Month highlights 2010 progress
30 September - Preparations to welcome thousands of fans to South Africa for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ spectacular are at an advanced stage at OR Tambo International Airport.
Government: Politics won’t affect World Cup
29 September - The unfolding changes in the Executive of the Republic of South Africa will not have any negative impact on preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
‘Adopt a Nation’ campaign to galvanise kids
29 September - The Local Organising Committee South Africa has invited millions of school children to be part of 2010 Fifa World Cup™. The “Adopt a Nation” school programme was launched at the Nasrec Sports Precinct in Johannesburg on Saturday.
New SA president pledges best World Cup
26 September - President-elect of the Republic of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe, says the government remains committed to all the promises it made to Fifa and the international football community to deliver the best 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
Klerksdorp city banks on 2010 spinoffs
25 September - The City of Matlosana is ready to benefit from South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ with sponsorships and football development programmes already in place.
Zakumi: 2010 Fifa World Cup Official Mascot launched
22 September - Zakumi, the Official 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa™ Mascot, has made his first ever public appearance at a media launch at SABC’s Auckland Park studios in Johannesburg.
2010 World Cup Mascot launch on Monday
19 September - The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) – official broadcast partner of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ – will on Monday unveil the long awaited Official Mascot of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The launch will be broadcast live on SABC1.
01 July 2008
Police confident about 2010 security plan
Simangaliso Zwane
Pretoria – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has unveiled its plans to secure the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ to be hosted in South Africa in less than two years’ time.
Deputy Police Commissioner André Pruis shared with the media at a briefing in Pretoria on Monday how the police plan to secure the skies, stadiums, highways, streets and tourist destinations.
Pruis said he was confident about the plan which had been submitted to the world soccer governing body, Fifa.
"I think Fifa will be satisfied with the draft security plan that we have handed them," Pruis said.
According to the detailed security plan handed to Fifa on Monday, the shopping list for police security preparations for the 2010 World Cup includes spending R665-million on tools and R640-million in deploying tens of thousands of police officers whose work will be to patrol and police crucial venues during the tournament.
He said 41,092 police officers would be deployed for the cup above those already deployed for normal policing.
The police have started procuring items needed to police the event, including water cannons, body armour, 100 BMW's for route patrols, mobile police stations for the stadia, 300 surveillance cameras, helicopters and unmanned surveillance aircraft.
South Africa's track record in managing high-level events speaks for itself. The country has hosted several global gatherings.
SA has successfully hosted – among other premier events – World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002), Non-Aligned Movement summit (1998), The Rugby World Cup (1995), the African Cup of Nations (1996), All Africa Games (1999), the Cricket World Cup (2003) and the World Twenty20 Championships (2007).
South Africa also contributed to the security plan for the 2007 Cricket World Cup, with the SAPS being asked to help train police in the Caribbean.
The contingent which was lead by Andre Pruis provided operational assistance for the cricket event's super eight, semifinals and finals in Grenada, St Lucia and Barbados It included members of the national intervention unit and special task force, detectives, hostage negotiators, bomb disposal experts, crime scene investigators, explosives experts, dog handlers and a command and control group.
Earlier this year a contingent of South African security personnel used an assortment of combat equipment to stage make-believe training exercises aimed at preparing the country’s defence workforce for any security threats in 2010.
South African Police, Defence Force and Air Force as well as border and ports entry personnel all took part in the joint operational exercise.
In August 2007, members of the world renowned Federal Bureau of Investigation held a week-long training course for Johannesburg Metro Police and members of the South African Police Service. The training courses were based on tackling terrorism financing and money laundering ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
More exercises will be repeated over the next year at cities hosting the tournament.
Meanwhile, Chairman of South Africa's 2010 World Cup local organising committee Irvin Khoza has dismissed media reports attributed to Fifa president Sepp Blatter, suggesting the event could be moved from South Africa.
Khoza says Blatter was just confirming that there is a contingency plan to move the 2010 World Cup from South Africa, only in the event of a natural catastrophe.
“You must take that comment in context, Sepp Blatter is continuously a question and he says if there's an earthquake obviously there'll be a plan B. But at this present moment it's South Africa, South Africa and South Africa.
Fortunately we are having a meeting on the July 8 where the secretary general of Fifa will be arriving on the 6th and we are having a board meeting and we will be able to give a proper statement. But for now the World Cup is in South Africa,” he said.
Blatter was speaking in Vienna ahead of last night's Euro Cup final. Khoza says there'll be an official statement next week.
Additional reporting by Sapa and SABC News