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.
20 June 2007
2010: 'Important Economic Opportunity'
Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-NgcukaThank you very much program director, FIFA president Mr. Sepp Blatter, CAF president Mr Paten. The leadership of the LOC in South Africa including our own Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi and CEO Danny Jordaan. Mr. Olifant and the other leaders of the soccer fraternity present here. Ladies and gentlemen, my favourite people, small business who may be here, Good morning.
I would like to join Mr. Blatter in sending to you the excitement that we feel about these games, about the progress that we are making, and about the prospects that these games represent for us in South Africa. I certainly agree that if God is on our side and I think he is, I did check, this match between us and FIFA, this relationship, this marriage was made in heaven. Anybody who writes otherwise has to come from that place that is opposite of Heaven, and can then go back there.
This indeed is an important economic opportunity for us as South Africa, it’s a great opportunity for social cohesion. It’s a great opportunity for building confidence in our… confidence as well as in our country, and as we walk forward with our work, we would like to make sure that we leverage all of these things. We leverage the economic benefits, we build economic… social cohesion, and we position Africa as the continent that it is, dynamic, growing, with people who are very much confident about the future.
We see this as the single most important opportunity that can also galvanise unity, because soccer happens to be the sport that is popular throughout the continent. Our young people as well as our old people are very passionate about the game. And then both Africa and South Africa being this young, continent this all goes well for us because the investment that we make today is ensuring that the people play fair, that they look at games and sports as a constructive intervention in the lives of our society.
It means that for generations to come we have secured something that is quite special for the future of our countries. The success that we make out of this event is also very positive for the rating of our country. And that is why for us it is important that everything is on schedule and everything goes according to plan.
We are glad that so far and thanks to the LOC, to the CEO, that so far we are actually excelling all of the obligations that we as the government and the undertakings of the LOC, we are able to deliver on them. And Mr. Blatter did inform me earlier that he is very happy not only about the concrete progress that we are making but also even about the ambiance and the relationship that prevails between and amongst the team that is responsible for taking this event forward. We have assembled here, Mr. Blatter, some of our SMMEs, some of the service providers, some of the small as well as some of the big players. In our economy who have a contribution to make, to make sure that the economy of this event is shared amongst the people.
South Africa has a growing economy, we have committed ourselves to the growing at the minimum of 6% by 2010, but actually we think that there’s a possibility of reaching that growth that level, 6% of GDP per annum. But we think that there’s a possibility for us to reach that level of growth even before 2010. And with many of the things that we’re doing now and as you pointed out, Mr. Blatter, the preparations for the games are contributing to the growth, the construction boom and all of that and say we think that there’s a greater possibility for us to achieve our growth levels even sooner.
But it’s one thing to achieve the growth levels as calculated GDP we are concerned at looking at the real impact on the real economy, or changes bringing in the lives of people, are we putting bread on the table. And this is where this event becomes important. Because in a event like this bring together real people, not numbers. We bring together people who as a result of their participation in the game will create jobs, they will increase the earnings that can be made in their communities, and in that way some of the people who might never have been connected to the benefits of the game will be able to benefit. And that is what we call shared growth.
We have been concerned in South Africa that as our economy we must always look at angles, where we can bring in ordinary people so that the growth that the economy enjoys is actually shared by many people. Our government is committed to corporates, with the staff LOC, FIFA, to make sure that we bring together the participants in a manner that will ensure that we do not violate the integrity of the agreements that were signed, the intellectual property, and the other agreements that we have.
However I need to underline that the [unclear] of the rules of the game in intellectual property can push away small business and players. So we are hoping that there’s going to be a constructive way of looking at this, in a manner that will ensure that there’s a broader participation by ordinary people. It is our belief that ordinary woman in a cottage industry in Qua Qua can never do anything to the intellectual property of a giant company that will bring down that company. And therefore we have to find a way… we have to find a way of balancing the interests of those companies who have generously contributed to secure the game and addressing the real vested problems of the world, which is ensuring that that the poor people are also brought in and the rules of the game allow for globalisation to also have a meaning to the ordinary and poor people.
We are also committed to make sure that we provide with you with quality services that train our people, that everybody who comes to South Africa in 2010, by the time they leave they want to come back again. Because we would have given them such quality and good service, and we are glad that today issues of hospitably and tourism will also be raised we would like to understand and to also share the skills to the extent to which we are able to raise the levels as far as that is concerned.
Indeed, we regard tourism as a very important industry and sector in South Africa, and we would like to make sure that the soccer loving people of the world come to South Africa and they will see South Africa as their holiday destination. But not only South Africa, the neighbouring countries and indeed as they come to South Africa that they’ll also make effort to stop along the way and to visit other African countries.
We look forward to today’s activities and we hope that at least here today we will go out and popularise the event. We will go out and also make sure that even the alone hosting cities can see an opportunity for them to participate in the excitement of building the economy and using the games as a platform for a greater participation in the South African economy.
I thank you.
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Source:BuaNews