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Highlights 2010

2008

18 June 2008 - Local Organising Committee assures parliamentarians that stadiums are on track despite the cost escalations and few missed deadlines.
18 June 2008 - ESS emerges as the highest bidder against Neo Sports and Ten Sports in the battle for broadcasting rights ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup due in South Africa.
18 June 2008 - Local Organising Committee (LOC) in conjunction with Mangaung Municipality and the Department of Trade and Industry are set to ensure Black Economic Empowerment companies secure procurement opportunities from government and private sector and 30% share of the LOC budget.
16 June 2008 - South Africa allocates a coach and giant television screens for 2010 Fifa World Cup matches to Kenya to aid in the amid functionalism in its confederation.
16 June 2008 - R64-million has been allocated to upgrade informal sports fields as part of legacies ahead and beyond the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament by the Ekurhuleni Municipality with one stadium to be used for training well on track and scheduled to be ready by mid 2009.
12 June 2008 - Local Organising Committee has appointed a medical advisory team to handle responsibility in dealing with policies, research and placing a network of practitioners ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
11 June 2008 - A Youth Development Football is set to be introduced in South Africa by the National Youth Commission in partnership with the German Technical Operations as part of the German - South African 2010 Fifa World Cup Corporation.
11 June 2008 - 10 Stadia are well under way to becoming some of the best stadiums across the world two years ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup kick-off due in South Africa.
10 June 2008 - A segment of R55 road between Pretoria and Johannesburg is due for upgrade to a dual carriageway as part of the Gauteng R160 billion 2010 transport plan.
10 June 2008 - Part of the Gautrain Rapid Railway Link is due for completion by end o f May 2010 - two weeks ahead of the initial 2010 Fifa World Cup kick-off.
09 June 2008 - Western Cape provincial Department of Sports and Culture has proposed provincially funded public viewing areas - a mechanism for creating festive viewing of 2010 Fifa World Cup matches.
09 June 2008- Seven contracts worth R11.5-billion have been issued to contractors and construction workers on behalf of the Johannesburg road networks earmarked for major revamping ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
08 June 2008 - 2010 Fifa World Cup host cities are functioning round the clock to ensure Fifa’s given deadline is met, with the Johannesburg city 2010 World Cup programme already passing a 50 percent mark and the Cape Town Green Point Stadium being one third complete.
07 June 2008 - South African national squad puts a comfortable win over Equatorial Guinea in the qualifiers ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup and the 2010 African Cup of Nations.
07 June 2008 - 2010 World Cup focus has created awareness on construction inspiring South Africans to develop an interest in careers in engineering.
07 June 2008 - Ghanaian soccer player Anthony Baffoe affirms his trust in South Africa’s ability to host a successful Fifa World Cup, saying that a country in Africa truly capable of hosting a tournament such as this is only South Africa.
06 June 2008 - South Africa’s Health Minister Manto Tshabalala Msimang pledges that good progress in ensuring provision of adequate health services in support of the 2010 Fifa World Cup is well under way.
06 June 2008 - South Africa’s first 2010 World Cup artificial pitch has been completed and due for official unveiling.
06 June 2008 - Premature task ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament action is underway at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium in Bloemfontein as Ghana is set to battles against Lesotho for the qualifiers.
06 June 2008 - Eastern Cape Livingstone Hospital receives it first phase of upgrade to meet 2010 Fifa World Cup requirements.
06 June 2008 - 2010 Host city Cape Town is considering the engagement of public sector organisations in sponsoring the employment of more traffic wardens at a strategic intersection across the city with the view that the proposal would also help ease traffic congestion ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament and prevent accidents during power cuts.
06 June 2008 - 500 trees handed over to Meadowlands residents in Soweto to aid in the massive initiative of greening Soweto ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
05 June 2008 - Namibian Football Association is set to benefit from the 2010 Fifa World Cup legacy, as it is among few beneficiaries of the Fifa resolution to build 20 stadiums in Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup tournament.
04 June 2008 - South African giant beverage company Coca-Cola affirms that it has a very strong view that 2010 Fifa World Cup will be a successful tournament.
03 June 2008 - The annual South African Arts Festival Event proposes an extension of the event to allow ample chances of seizing opportunities presented ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament due in the country.
02 June 2008 - Sponsor of the 2010 Fifa World Cup due in South Africa MTN, officially launches its global 2010 Fifa World Cup activation plan.
02 June 2008 - South African broadcast channel SABC 1 is set to launch a prime time magazine show commencing broadcast as of 10 June 2008 in countdown ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
01 June 2008 - MTN Group injects over a R100 million into the 2010 Fifa World Cup due in South Africa significant to reaffirm its affinity and passion for Africa and commitment to the successful 2010 Fifa World Cup.
30 May 2008 - 2010 Fifa World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Danny Jordaan promises good deliverance of the 2010 tournament and to utilise the opportunity for repositioning and re-branding the country within the worlds eyes.
29 May 2008 - French companies lend a helping hand to the Johannesburg city and other host cities in the organisation and management of legacies ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
29 May 2008 - The Official national supporter of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament First National Bank (FNB) has donated R2 million to the South African Red Cross Society, Salvation Army and Doctors Without Boarders to assist victims of recent xenophobic attacks.
27 May 2008 - FNB has already awarded 1000 double tickets to the 2010 Fifa World games as part of the initiative and commitment to oversee as many South Africans being part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament due in the country.
23 May 2008 - LOC Communication and Commercial Affairs Executive Director Tim Modise says preparations ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup are set to be completed months before the initial kick- off of the tournament.
19 May 2008 - Government upgrades in infrastructure including roads, railways and stadiums in preparations ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup is swelling up Africa’s economy.
18 May 2008 - “Ke Nako- Celebrate Africa’s humanity” (the San- Bushman slogan for South Africa’s 2010 Fifa World Cup) aspires to fight xenophobia and exert a positive turn in the country’s future.
18 May 2008 - Joel Natalino Santana, a new Bafana-Bafana coach treading in the shoes of a fellow countryman Carlos Alberto Parreira arrives in South Africa to begin his 27 month contract.
18 May 2008 - South Africa plans to introduce a visa-free travel across Southern African region to ensure benefits for all Africans in proportion of the World Cup.
17 May 2008 - 2010 Local Organising Committee reports that requests totaling in excess of 15 million for World Cup tickets from around the globe have been received, the results of demand exceeding supply promise a global spectacle during 2010 Fifa World Cup.
16 May 2008 - 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman Irvin Khoza is upbeat that the World Cup tournament will yield R40-billion in returns and that South Africa is right on schedule in terms of preparations ahead of the tournament.
16 May 2008 - 2010 LOC Chief Executive Danny Jordaan has been honoured as one of the 100 most powerful people in soccer, while a British magazine World Soccer ranked him the seventh most powerful man in sports ahead of David Beckham and Brazilians Kaka and Ronaldinho.
16 May 2008 - 2010 World Cup ambassador Abedi Pele expresses his confidence that South Africa will host a successful tournament come 2010.
15 May 2008 - Indaba 2008 receives a World Travel Award for being Africa’s best travel show with a shuttering attendance record of more than 13 200 delegates, confirming South Africa’s readiness in attracting millions during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
15 May 2008 - A state of the art portable testing unit able to test a wide range of potentially lethal chemical and biological agents at stadiums, airports, fan parks and other places prone to 2010 crowds has been developed to facilitate successful progress during the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament by a centurion based company, Protechnik.
15 May 2008 - Mayor South African cities have organised festivals marking the country’s honorary fourth anniversary in celebration of South Africa being awarded 2010 Fifa World Cup hosting rights.
15 May 2008 - 2010 LOC and South African Premier Soccer League Chairperson Irvin Khoza discloses results that the Top Eight Cup from 2009/2010 season fixture has been dropped to ensure Bafana-Bafana’s field of competitive unit during 2010 World Cup finals.
14 May 2008 - Majority of South Africans are of a high impression that the country is ready host a successful 2010 Fifa World Cup event, according Tourism Indaba survey.
14 May 2008 - Construction of the 100 room five star luxury hotel- almost R1 million worth at the Oubaai Golf Resort in Harold’s Bay Cape Town, also to be called Hyatt Regency Oubaai is well on track ahead of the 2010 World Cup tournament.
14 May 2008 - The South African Bureau of Standards in partnership with the 2010 Local Organising Committee is developing campaigns and programmes set to educate the nation regarding the importance of the 2010 World Cup tournament.
14 May 2008 - Projects aimed to ease transport congestions and cater for the influx of tourists in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament are well underway and on schedule, Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe asserts.
14 May 2008 - R25 million has been allocated in respect of the utilization towards training of volunteers ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, curtsey of the Department of Sports and Recreation.
14 May 2008 - Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Danny Jordaan has been invited by China to speak on the importance of hosting the major 2010 sporting event.
13 May 2008 - 2010 World Cup stadium Moses Mabhida in Durban is 60% complete and ahead of its schedule.
13 may 2008 - South African government is set to ensure power outages are not to affect the progress of the 2010 World Cup, affirms Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi.
13 May 2008 - 2010 Transport Roadshow reveals progress being made on projects undertaken in preparations ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
13 May 2008 - South African Tourism (SAT) launches the SAT Events Portal with an initiative of keeping stakeholders abreast with preparations ahead of the 2010 World Cup tournament.
13 May 2008 - 2010 host city Cape Town specks an Oscar award in an effort of being known as Africa’s leading destination, the award also being one of the lasting legacy beyond the 2010 World Cup event.
13 May 2008 - Comrades marathons in 2009 and 2010 are scheduled to the month of March to avoid clashes with the 2009 Confederations and 2010 World Cup, Athletics South Africa and Comrades Marathon Association announced.
12 May 2008 - 2010 Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Danny Jordaan and National Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi induce majority of international journalists that 2010 World Cup tournament will be a hit.
11 May 2008 - Southern African Countries pond tourism expertise to endorse and authenticate the region as where nine countries are united with a passion of nature, culture and community- a branding criteria ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
10 May 2008 - National Department of Education in partnership with the 2010 Fifa Local Organising Committee and the Department of Sports and Recreation launch the South African School’s World Cup set to mobilise 12 million South African pupils behind the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
08 May 2008 - 2010 Host City Nelson Mandela Bay, being the first of the five, launches its host city website as per Fifa speculations in preparations of the World Cup.
08 May 2008 - African National Congress president Jacob Zuma guarantees Fifa that the same structure concerning management of 2010 will remain irrespective of what is to come during the 2009 national elections.
07 May 2008 - Fifa and the 2010 Local Organising Committee give Nelson Mandela Bay the go-ahead with proceedings in preparation for the 2010 World Cup.
07 May 2008 - German soccer coaches visit Mpumalanga to aid in the development of games as part of the 2010 legacy projects.
07 May 2008 - 2010 Fifa World Cup Government Unit kick starts mobilisation process in support of Bafana-Bafana ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
07 May 2008 - 2010 Local Organising Committee Chairman Irvin Khoza affirms that work on all stadiums earmarked for the 2009 Confederations Cup is well on schedule.
07 May 2008 - South African government aims to create a sustainable and competitive international bandwidth market through African West Coast Cable project set to connect South Africa to the United Kingdom in time for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
05 May 2008 - Soccer tournament heartening youngsters to participate in soccer has been organised by the Platternburg Bay Police in the run up for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
05 May 2008 - Johannesburg city is rest to spend R120 million in upgrading the Nasrec quarter in which the city, in addition will provide various services relating to electricity installation, security and monitoring, waste removal, health and transport ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
05 May 2008 - A vast number of South African residents remain confident about the country’s ability to host a successful 2010 Fifa World Cup according to the Management Response research company.
04 May 2008 - Construction of the anticipated Gautrain rapid railway is gathering pace, with already more than R4.2-billion committed to new developments around the project’s 10 stations.
30 April 2008 - 2010 World Cup host city Cape Town has already started with the initial preparation for the 2010 World Cup final draw.
30 April 2008 - Local Organising Committee Chairman Irvin Khoza urges South African athletes to join hands with the rest of the country in ensuring a successful 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
30 April 2008 - Three of Durban stadiums; Princess Magogo in KwaMashu, The King Zwelithini in Umlazi and The Sugar Ray Xulu in Claremont are up for revamp since they are to be used as practice facilities during the 2010 Fifa World Cup
30 April 2008 - Date of the opening match to South Africa’s World Cup campaign has been firmly set, with Bafana-Bafana scheduled to battle against the Nigerian Super Eagles on 1 June 2008.
28 April 2008 - Ghanaian Energy Minister Joseph Kofi Adda expresses his adamancy in South Africa’s ability to host a successful 2010 World Cup tournament- stressing that the whole of Africa knows that South Africa will host the best World Cup ever.
26 April 2008 - The South African National Defense Force wing and a guaranteed excellent military facility provider is set to be used as a joint operation centre to make possible rapid response to locations around the country in preparation for the upcoming 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
26 April 2008 - A Brazilian, Journeyman Joel Santana has been appointed as the coach to fill in the shoes of the former Bafana-Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.
21 April 2008 - Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka visits 2010 host city Polokwane to monitor on progress made regarding preparations ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
19 April 2008 - Thousand s of elite South Africa police officers are set to be trained to deal with terrorists, hardened criminals and hooligans ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
18 April 2008 - Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg announces that the Norwegian government aims to finance a feasibility study for a comprehensive carbon offset project and donate 1, 000, 000 Norwegian Kroner - equivalent to R1.2-million to tree planting in Johannesburg aimed at ensuring the city has a green 2010 Fifa World Cup.
18 April 2008 - City of Tshwane is working with the hospitality industry to ensure on the availability of adequate accommodations for fans during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
17 April 2008 - Construction work ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup is underway and according to schedule with five stadiums already being built and five more undergoing renovations.
17 April 2008 - Johannesburg north township Alexandra has been allocated to host the Football of Hope Festival 2010, a Fifa campaign aimed at uplifting the lives of disadvantaged youth.
16 April 2008 - Small players in the tourism sector have formed an empowerment organisation- South African Tour operator Empowerment with the aim of making Cape Flats a hub of tourists’ activity by showcasing township culture ahead of the 2010 Fifa World cup.
16 April 2008 - 2010 host city Cape Town, has launched a 2010 World Poster Design Competition which, the winning poster should feature the 2010 slogan “Ke Nako, Celebrate Africa’s Humanity” and will also serve to promote the city.
14 April 2008 - Zimbabwe has embarked on a grading exercise across all accommodation facilities in the country as part of preparations ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
14 April 2008 - Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Danny Jordaan believes the continuous power failures at the stadiums will not affect the hosting of the 2010 World Cup tournament- stressing that power failures are a global problem therefore incidents are not regarded as threats to the tournament.
13 April 2008 - Locals are already starting to capitalise on money making opportunities related to 2010 with foreign visitors already posting enquiries in relation to accommodation.
13 April 2008 - A multi-million rand project is already under plan with Metrorail aiming to ease the burden of public transport and provide world class facilities to commuters during the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
13 April 2008 - All stadiums assigned for the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament are on track to be completed in time for the 2009 Confederations Cup as well as the World cup- this includes the Eastern Cape Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium which had an prior fright that it would not be able to host the confederations cup.
11 April 2008 - Sentech is investing R300 million in satellite facilities, with a portion of the funds set to be used to build a second teleport for the country in preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
10 April 2008 - SABMiller is attracted to partner with Swaziland Beverages in exploring business opportunities arising ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
10 April 2008 - R13.6-billion investment is set to be distributed across all transport systems encompassing buses, passenger rail, taxis, roads and aviation, by the department of transport to ensure a secure, safer, efficient and accessible transport system ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup and Beyond.
10 April 2008 - Transport Minister Jeff Radebe avows that the first phase of Gautrain rapid rail transport will be completed prior the 2010 Fifa World Cup event and within the stipulated budget.
09 April 2008 - Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Danny Jordaan articulates satisfaction with the construction process at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town and adds that Eskom has promised on the insurance of the non affection of load shedding on construction process across all the stadiums in the country.
09 April 2008 - 2010 Host city Johannesburg’s major stadia construction has gathered efficient pace- with Ellis Park and Soccer City being 50 percent and 40 percent complete, meanwhile 2010 forums are put to be established in all areas established as fan parks encompassing; Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown and Innes Park in Sandton.
08 April 2008 - Preparations ahead of the 2010 World Cup event are anticipated to have contributed to the enhancement of attention to Indaba- the South African Tourism annual travel show already surpassed its participation, attracting 14 percent more visitors opposed to 2007 event two months ahead of the initial event.
09 April 2008 - R55 billion has been set aside for road improvements by the Department of transport to ease transport congestion in the Johannesburg / Pretoria axis ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
09 April 2008 - 2010 Fifa World cup hosts Bafana-Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira believes the team has reached a turning point in the request to do well in the 2010 World Cup- following a recent 3-0 over Paraguay.
09 April 2008 - Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Danny Jordaan says the draw for the eight nation’s cup-2009 Confederations Cup will take place during November 22 and 23 either in Rustenburg or Johannesburg.
08 April 2008 - 2010 Host city Johannesburg unveils a one million rand campaign, Jo’burg United, aimed at drawing together government officials and community members to engage in a partnership set to ensure city’s best deliverance of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, while a crisis and a disaster management plan is under way leaving nothing to chance in preparations of the world cup.
08 April 2008 - LOC Spokesperson Tumi Makgabo insists that the strike at the Mbombela Municipality Stadium will not have a negative effect on the construction of the stadium and that the stadium is three months ahead of schedule.
06 April 2008 - LOC Chief Executive Danny Jordaan emphasises on the importance of neighbouring countries taking part in preparations ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, saying that the success of the world cup will be measured against the legacy it leaves on the African continent.
03 April 2008 - Construction to renovate the Cape Town Station in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup is set to begin June this year.
03 April 2008 - The South African public is given until the end of this month to comment on the National Department of Education’s proposed five week school break during the 2010 Fifa World Cup before it can be passed.
03 April 2008 - A survey shows that more black South Africans are optimistic about the national team Bafana-Bafana’s chances in the world cup.
03 April 2008 - Most political leaders and parties support the National Department of Education’s proposed five week school break during the 2010 Fifa World Cup on the premise that other breaks be compromised and shortened to make up for the time set to be lost.
03 April 2008 - 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa is anticipated to be bigger than the Germany 2006 World Cup based on its venues and the country as a whole.
02 April 2008 - 1200 volunteers are set to be recruited and trained in the build up for a front against crime by the KwaZulu/Natal province and the number will further be increased by 2100 in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
02 April 2008 - Mozambique airline LAM is set to invest $150-million over the next three years in upgrade for the airline and fleet expansion ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
02 April 2008 - Gautrain is already seeing returns on its R3 million an hour investment spent on construction- with jobs being created, skills being transferred and the property route taking place.
02 April 2008 - Fifa delegates are expected to arrive in South Africa for inspection on the hospitality industry across the host cities, commencing as of Sunday 06 until 16 April.
02 April 2008 - Peter Mokaba Stadium construction continues living up to a promised 2010 legacy programme preparation- having already five skilled people training on site with one of them being the bursary beneficiary.
02 April 2008 - Upgrading of the 2010 Fifa World Cup stadium Royal Bafokeng in North West province has been reviewed to enable the construction to be complete in November prior the scheduled December deadline to be used for the Nelson Mandela Challenge in December.
02 April 2008 - Eastern Cape government is adamant that the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth will pass the test for the 2009 Confederations Cup.
02 April 2008 - R17-million has been put aside for the mass mobilization for locals to support the 2010 Fifa World Cup participating countries by the Department of Sports and Recreation South Africa.
02 April 2008 - Eskom is in progress with plans to deal with the current irksome problems of power outrages with a 2010 Fifa World Cup unit established to attend matters to ensure load shedding will not affect the 2010 tournament.
02 April 2008 - A school calendar has been Gazetted and posted to the website by the South African Department of Education proposing a five week long school break during the 2010 Fifa World Cup event to avoid pupil and teacher absenteeism and chaotic transport system.
02 April 2008 - Fifa has set aside £400 million contingency fund to provide coverage for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa amid fears that the country may not deliver on time for the event.
01 April 2008 - Fifa and the South African Broadcasting services announce that broadcasting rights for non commercial viewing will be made available for free and also at the public viewing places to ensure maximum access of 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup to South African audiences.
01 April 2008 - A sports science centre at the University of Witwatersrand receives accreditation as Fifa’s Medical Centre of Excellence- the first in Africa and one of the only six in the world.
01 April 2008 - Greek Member of Parliament Tsiartsionis Nikolaos promises 2010 Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan that Greece will support and assist South Africa to get infrastructure ready for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
01 April 2008 - South African authorities announce an agreement allowing the import of German pork following the anticipated high demand of pork during the staging of the 2010 Fifa World Cup event.
31 March 2008 - Mozambique is set to have a new 42 000 seater stadium at Zimpeto, outskirts of Maputo, by 2010 to assist South Africa for the use of 2010 Fifa World Cup event.
31 Mach 2008 - Zimbabwe Football Association reveals plans to set up a structure aimed at ensuring domestic games reap huge rewards from the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
31 March 2008 - Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka visits the 2010 World Cup stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth to asses construction progress ahead of the 2009 Confederations Cup.
31 March 2008 - Newly established Mpumalanga Broadcasting Television is set to be fully operational by the end of this month with the broadcasting constrain set to promote Mpumalanga and Swaziland oversees, benefiting people in the tourism sector in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup to be hosted in South Africa.
31 March 2008 - A vast number of IT specialist is in great demand with South Africa requiring at least 115 000 professionals prior the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
31 March 2008 - The first seven of the initial roll out of 100 Pretoria municipal buses is set to begin serving the Pretoria north residents with 30 of those expected to commence service by June next year while the remaining 70 is will serve the rest of the Pretoria City in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
30 March 2008 - Bjorn Diedricks snatches the South African champion title at the Fifa Interactive World Cup qualifier after beating Abubakar Ibrahim as the South Africa looks forward to 2010 Fifa World Cup.
30 March 2008 - The South African Premier Soccer League is set to conclude ahead of the usual schedule seeing as the 2010 World Cup hosts Bafana-Bafana will prior hold a three month camp in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
28 March 2008 - A three day Transport Marketing and Communication seminar is conducted by the Gauteng Department of Transport, Roads and Works aimed at intensifying the use of public transport, reduce traffic congestion and sustain integration and economic growth as part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup legacy preparations.
28 March 2008 - Construction of a world class aviation centre adjacent Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) is underway and is due conclusion by February 2009 with the intent of supporting and servicing the growing number of private jets and helicopters frequenting CTIA ahead of 2010 Fifa World Cup.
27 March 2008 - Road safety campaigns and police visibility through Easter weekends have resulted to a decrease in road accidents while the results also serve to confirm government is on course in terms of preparations ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup
27 March 2008 - Bafana-Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is content with the performance of the team following a soaring 3-0 score against Paraguay- saying that he is not only happy because of the results but also of the performance of the players against an experienced side.
27 March 2008 - South Africa’s unemployment rate falls form 25.5 to 23 percent since governments stepped up spending on rail, power and stadiums in preparations due of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
27 March 2008 - Fifa backs a delineated project by the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in collaboration with the French President Nicolas Sarkozy set to provide 16 million school premises to African children in time for the 2010 Fifa world Cup.
26 March 2008 - Construction of the 2010 Fifa World Cup Cape Town Green Point Stadium earmarked for the semifinal is well on schedule and is in the process of selling naming rights and finding a long term operator.
27 March 2008 - Honour in commemoration of the 2010 Fifa World Cup is underway- with the South African Mint already making special gold and silver coins for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
26 March 2008 - Bafana-Bafana makes history by beating Paraguay for the first time in 10 games deservedly winning 3-0 with Benny McCarthy overtaking the retired Shaun Bartlett - becoming the leading national team goal scorer with 30 goals.
26 March 2008 - Draft plan ahead of its deadline, set to tighten and ensure safety and security during the 2010 Fifa World Cup, is set to be presented to Fifa heads by the end of this month.
26 March 2008 - A two day workshop is in progress in Gaborone, Botswana, an attempt to lure Southern African companies into taking advantage of the benefits presented by the 2010 Fifa World Cup to be staged in South Africa.
26 March 2008 - South Africa and Chile agree to actively expand their economic and trade links ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
26 March 2008 - The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has agreed upon speeding up the process of establishing a single visa (Univisa) for visitors touring around the SADC region ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
26 March 2008 - South African government is set to instigate numerous legacy programmes as part of the initiative ensuring communities will benefit from the 2010 Fifa World Cup- with the big Indaba set to take place in Bloemfontein to deal with various issues relating to the importance of 2010 World Cup.
26 March 2008 - 2010 Local Organising Committee is put to embrace South African Football Association and Premier Soccer League representatives in their proposed pitch monitoring committee as part of their legacy programme ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
26 March 2008 - 2010 World Cup Government Unit aspires to utilise 1996 Bafana-Bafana squad, also winners of the African Cup of Nations, to assist in the development of soccer which, the initiative, will also be part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup awareness campaign.
26 March 2008 - German Federal Government is welcome aboard with the principle of aiding in the building of the South African legacy projects set to come in the form of building more than 100 soccer fields for previously disadvantaged communities across the country ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
26 March 2008 - Botswana embarks on a legacy programme with the first workshop set to commence today until tomorrow- being part of their initiative aimed at ensuring the country profits from the 2010 Fifa World Cup to be staged in South Africa.
26 March 2008 - Launch of the national campaign in securing 10 000 non-hotel accommodation reveals the potential of seeing business owners in accommodation sector become Fifa accredited accommodation providers- specifying the requirements of undergoing registration and grading process.
26 March 2008 - The leading airline in Africa, South African Airways, has extended its code share agreement to cover Emirates’ daily flights in an effort to enhance its route scheduled from Dubai to South Africa.
25 March 2008 - 2010 World Cup host city Johannesburg City Parks in collaboration with its respective Metropolitan Police Department are set to deploy 34 additional park officers to the city’s parks which, the initiative, is a partnership aimed at developing healthier, safer and vibrant open spaces.
20 March 2008 - According to MasterCard’s Inaugural insights Reports on Urbanisation; 2010 host city Johannesburg ranks second among countries from Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa in dealing with urbanisation and environmental challenges.
25 March 2008 - 2010 Fifa World Cup host city Johannesburg, has identified Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown and Innes-free Park and Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, which have been set aside as third party public viewing facilities, as the three venues to be utilised for development of fan parks.
25 March 2008 - 2010 Fifa World Cup hosts Bafana-Bafana is set to battle Paraguay in a friendly encounter tomorrow at the Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium.
25 March 2008 - African countries; Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and Liberia bring in new coaches in an attempt to swell odds of qualifying for the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.
24 March 2008 - R120 million has been set aside by the city of Johannesburg for water provision and Gautrain projects plastering the epoch of two years as part of provisions for the 2010 Fifa World Cup to be staged in the country.
23 March 2008 - The South African Football Association (SAFA) elucidates anxieties that the country may not present a strong team in time for the staging of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, asserting that the association (SAFA) and Bafana-Bafana technical team have the situation beneath control.
20 March 2008 - 2010 Host city Cape Town declares that the 2010 World Cup Green Point Stadium is put to be ready according to schedule despite the provided Mid-Term Government report which noted that the stadium was at risk to meet its deadline.
19 March 2008 - David Beckham is probable to dart a clinic for the Johannesburg young stars during Soccerex, a business soccer exhibition to be held in November- while a volunteer programme is set to be pioneered at the convention which, unemployed youngsters are put to be drafted into as part of preparations for the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2010 Fifa World Cup
19 March 2008 - South African Schools World Cup tournament is underway. Funded by the Department of Education and ran by the South African Schools Football Association, the tournament is set to increase awareness to the importance of the 2010 Fifa World Cup to be hosted in the country to school pupils.
19 March 2008 - 2010 host nation, South Africa, awards Pakistani company a green signal to export cement set to meet the construction demands ahead of the 2010 World Cup tournament.
18 March 2008 - In conjunction with the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup 2008 qualifying tournament, development programme with about 200 children is on track- with former Bafana-Bafana striker Mark Williams, the only Fifa accredited beach soccer coach, conducting a coach course which includes several South African soccer legends.
18 March 2008 - Former Nigerian international striker Daniel Amakochi deems an African team can win the 2010 World Cup tournament - saying that Africa has a lot of talent and thus this is a big chance of winning the cup since we do not know when the world cup might be back in Africa.
18 March 2008 - Adding to Fifa and the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee, government pledges the local and the international community that South Africa will be ready in time to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
18 March 2008 - Bafana-Bafana player set to feature in the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Bryce Moon, plunge the interest of top Greek club, Panathinaikos.
18 March 2008 - Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka receives the 2010 Mid-term Government Report as compiled by the 2010 Fifa World Cup Government Unit pertaining details of the state of readiness on various departments as part of implementing 2010 Fifa World Cup Government guarantees and obligations.
17 March 2008 - 2010 World Cup stadium, Durban Moses Mabhida is set to be completed on schedule for the 2010 tournament and the 2009 Confederations Cup with the arch segments to signal the stadium having had arrived yesterday form Germany.
16 March 2008 - Security enlistment and training is underway in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup at the Green Point stadium as the areas is being stimulated to test security forces’ capacity and ability to deal with aerial threats.
17 March 2008 - South African President Thabo Mbeki requests for the Mauritian aid especially in the hospitality sector while maintaining that the 2010 Fifa World Cup is not a South African world cup but rather an African world cup.
17 March 2008 - Numeral competitions are in the pipeline to perk up and strengthen new talent as the South African Schools Football Association has committed itself to bracing the culture of mass participation in the sport at learning institutions.
17 March 2008 - Suzuki Motor Corporation is put to sponsor 170 of 260 matches for the 2010 Fifa World Cup European qualifier.
14 March 2008 - South Africa steps up as the 2011 Fifa Beach World Cup African qualifying tournament takes place in Durban this year and will also be bidding to host this Fifa initiated annual event.
14 March 2008 - Spending for the 2010 Fifa World Cup is set to rebound on the South African economic growth by approximately 4.8 percent.
13 March 2008 - South African tourism is enjoying an eight percent boost and hopes to attract 10 million more visitors by 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament.
14 March 2008 - Fifa’s declaration that South Africa 2010 World Cup could be played on artificial turfs raises hopes for Swaziland since it’s only Mecca, Somhlolo National Stadium’s installed artificial turf was receiving negative publicity.
14 March 2008 - 2009 Confederations Cup’s proposed preparations have been approved by Fifa President Sepp Blatter- saying that the tournament will be an ideal test run for the World Cup organisers and South Africa’s infrastructure.
14 March 2008 - Gautrain construction is booming rapidly- with Hakuna and Matata cranes building high bridges in Midrand.
13 March 2008 - The prospect of goal line technology being operable for the first time during the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa has been ruled out for the forth coming 2010 tournament and will be on hold until further notice.
12 March 2008 - Fifa beach World Cup Qualifier is set to bask Durban into the international limelight with over two billion viewers around the world seeing as the city has won the hosting rights of the tournament for the third successive year this year.
12 March 2008 - Striker Benny McCarthy has been recalled by the 2010 World Cup host nation Bafana-Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Pereira for the forth coming friendly match against Paraguay.
12 March 2008 - 2010 Host city Mangaung, aims to unleash opportunities presented by the 2010 Fifa World Cup for the youth residing in the Free State province.
12 March 2008 - A cross boarder initiative; Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation areas involving Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa is set to aid the three Southern African countries benefit from the 2010 World Cup to be hosted in South Africa.
12 March 2008 - Local Organising Committee Spokesperson Tumi Makgabo insists that 2010 Fifa World Cup will successfully be delivered on schedule despite the concerns over power cuts, stadium construction and security.
12 March 2008 - Whooping R139-million for upgrade in four main stadiums in Ekurhuleni has been allocated by the district municipality of the area as part of their preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
12 March 2008 - Fan Parks ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup have been recognised, constituting on the contrary, Germiston Lake and Dries Niemand Park in Kempton Park being the possibly identified.
11 March 2008 - Construction at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium reaches a milestone with the completion and closing off of the southern end of the steel roof arch.
11 March 2008 - A survey released by the Human Science Research Council reveals that South Africans remain positive towards the 2010 World Cup.
10 March 2008 - Workers at the Vodacom Park Stadium, currently being renovated for 2010 Fifa World Cup, in Bloemfontein have returned to work.
06 March 2008 - Two South African events companies, through a joint venture, have been awarded the title of exclusive sales agent for the FIFA Hospitality Programme which was unveiled on Wednesday.
06 March 2008 - Two of four South Africa's biggest banks, ABSA and Standard bank are set to introduce a non-financial support service aimed at aiding small and medium enterprises explore business opportunities arising from the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
06 March 2008 - Limpopo's Modimole Municipality is set to host a Business Summit as part of their preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
06 March 2008 - Eskom Director Johnny Dladla assures Fifa of non-occurrence of power cuts during the 2010 World Cup.
04 March 2008 - World Cup Local Organising committee board is expected to meet in Johannesburg today to decide on the host city for the prestigious final draw of 32 teams set to play in the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
05 March 2008 - Kwazulu/Natal Finance and Economic Development MEC Zweli Mkhize says an additional R128,9 million is set to be allocated to the provincial budget of the Department of Sports and Recreation ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ tournament.
05 March 2008 - City of Tshwane Municipality World Cup Chief Executive Godfrey Nkwane says 12 local community members in Mandarin are already being trained to serve as volunteers in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
05 March 2008 - Gogo Manqoyi, the Eastern Cape World Cup Strategic Manager, says more soccer legends are set to be mobilised to aid in the development of games in the province, following the MEC's Cup used to create a 2010 World Cup legacy in the province.
05 March 2008 - The North West World Cup coordinator Kennedy Mosiapoa says the Local Organising Committee is planning a colossal celebration in Rustenburg, one of the 2010 Fifa World Cup host cities, to celebrate the 15 May 2004 announcement by Fifa President Sepp Blatter, which presented South Africa as the host for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
O4 March 2008 - Eskom Director Johnny Dladla says energy crisis in South Africa will not affect the 2010 World Cup as resources will be allocated to prevent power cuts during the tournament.
04 March 2008 - Tourism Minister Martinus van Schalkwyk says number of foreign tourists visiting South Africa has risen by nearly 700 000 beating last year's nine million mark, with the 10 million barrier expected to be breached before the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
04 March 2008 - The African Travel and Tourism Association of the United Kingdom and South Africa Tourism Services and Association have reached a new partnership set to benefit the tourism industries of Southern African countries ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
04 March 2008 - Kwazulu/Natal wants to attract more of the 32 finalists of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ to use the province as a base during the tournament.
04 March 2008 - 2000 television experts are expected to set foot in the country along with 300-350 tons of equipment filling at least 60 ship containers as the Hosts Broadcasting Services, Fifa's own broadcasting company, will be responsible for the top class coverage of the 2010 Fifa World Cup event
04 March 2008 - Cape Town Business leaders caution that double the estimated amount of 400 luxury couches to be provided by the state will be needed to cope with the probable influx of tourists stopping over in the country during the event.
03 March 2008 - North West Park and Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Charles Ndabeni says he is optimistic that 2010 Fifa World Cup will change the situation in which tourists pass up on visiting Southern Africa is a result of inadequate availability of airlines, following the improvements and constructions evoked by the tournament.
03 March 2008 - Customer Service Improvement Company N'Lighten Managing Director, Nathalie Leonard, says the company is offering a series of workshops to provide staff with essential tools to improve their customer service ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
03 March 2008 - Cape Town City Spokesperson Pieter Cronje says six bids have been received from marketing agencies who want to take on the job of finding a sponsor to assume naming rights of the Green Point 2010 World Cup stadium. The tender, which closed last week, was also open for international bidders.
03 March 2008 - Phindile Gwebu of the Civil Aviation Authority says airspace is to be closed to all aircraft other than state and scheduled flights over Cape Town from March, 14 to 18 in order to test security preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
03 March 2008 - eThekwini Municipality is set to take back the city's privatized bus service from Remant Alton management June this year to provide efficient public transport before the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup.
03 March 2008 - The South African Football Association has confirmed that Bafana-Bafana will meet with Portugal on a friendly match in Lisbon. The 2010 Fifa World Cup hosts will also host Paraguay on March, 26 this year- a rematch of the 2002 Fifa World Cup adventure in Korea, Japan.
02 March 2008 - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Executive Director Errol Heynes allays fears that the city and the stadium may lose in hosting the 2009 Confederations Cup, saying they will have completed all the major Fifa requirements by December this year and other minor preparations by March next year.
02 March 2008 - Ekurhuleni Municipality Mayor Duma Nkosi says the municipality is planning to propel R600 000 in to football development programmes this year and upgrade stadiums and infrastructure in support of the 2010 Fifa World Cup event even though Ekurhuleni is not a host city.
02 March 2008 - The Mokopane Academy of Sports in Limpopo aims to develop two to three players for the Bafana-Bafana team that will play during 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
02 March 2008 - President Thabo Mbeki welcomes several agreements signed between France and South Africa - at the start of a state visit by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
01 March 2008 - South African Football legend and former Bafana-Bafana defender Edward Motale calls on Safa to involve soccer legends in the preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup - saying that a programme can be developed to identify good players for the tournament.
29 February 2008 - Namibian stakeholders are well aware that the 2010 Soccer World Cup to be hosted in South Africa will offer this country limited but important opportunities to market itself to a wider audience.
27 February 2008 - The Local Organising Committee General Manager Dennis Mumble says Fifa's affirmation has inspired and encouraged them to work harder in making 2010 FifaTM World Cup a success.
27 February 2008 - Eastern Cape MEC Noxolo Abrahams-Ntantiso says that they are pulling all stops to ensure that the new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be complete in time for the 2009 Confederations Cup.
27 February 2008 - Mpumalanga Provincial government has created a one-stop 2010 World Cup office to oversee all projects relating to the tournament in the area.
27 February 2008 - The South African National Treasury has announced a further additional contribution towards enhancing public transport facilities, increasing the number of police and police stations.
26 February 2008 - The Econometrix Treasury management of Johannesburg says government spending on infrastructure, stadiums and the national grid in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup has given the construction industry a huge boost, contributing to the rapid growth of the country's economy.
26 February 2008 - Nepad Information and Communication Technologies Policy and Regulator advisor Dr. Edmund Katiti says the construction of the submarine for the Internet cable set to provide fast and cheaper connections is expected to start soon and be finished before the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
25 February 2008 - Five-a-side Football centre operator Goal Soccer centres is set to franchise a deal to open several centres in South Africa ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
25 February 2008 - BCL Divisional Manager Gerald Ndlovu says Fifa has invested $7- million in the win in Africa with Africa programme as a legacy for Africa's first World Cup in 2010 to be hosted in South Africa.
22 February 2008 - Transport minister Jeff Radebe says Railway police have managed to bring down crime by 38 percent in the last financial year since their reintroduction, while the transport projects for the 2010 World Cup are said to be well on track.
24 February 2008 - Polokwane Peter Mokaba Sports Complex, one of the ten host cities for 2010 World Cup, has reached a fantastic pace in the overall construction.
24 February 2008 - Fifa's Head of Inspection Tour Delegation Ron Delmont says they have achieved their goals with the inspection and are by far impressed with the efforts made and amazed by the level of preparations in the host cities as they are arguably ahead of the previous world cup organizers.
21 February 2008 - The Mbombela Municipality in Nelspruit has received thumbs-up from the Fifa technical committee given the state of progress being made at the construction of the 2010 World Cup stadium.
21 February 2008 - Barbara Creecy, Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation says 6 000 volunteers are to be identified and recruited throughout the province for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
21 February 2008 - Government dedicates an auxiliary R 2-billion this year to fund preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup while allied infrastructure will be boosted even more.
21 February 2008 - Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 Local Organising Committee Danny Jordaan applauds Finance Minister Trevor Manuel's budget speech following his proclamation that R640-million will be billed for the deployment of 31 000 police and 10 000 reservists during the 2010 World Cup.
21 February 2008 - Finance Minister Trevor Manuel in his budget speech pledges billions of rand to assist curb the unbridled HIV/Aids pandemic, condense poverty and brawl crime as the country prepares for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
20 February 2008 - ClareMart Auction Group Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Smiedt says while commercial property will always have growth, residential property will increase in 2009 going to the 2010 World Cup as interests are expected to start diminishing from next year.
20 February 2008 - Cape Town Tourism Chief Executive Mariette du Toit-Helmbold says Cape Town City will cope well with providing accommodation for the 2010 World Cup visitors as new hotel projects are in the pipeline.
20 February 2008 - Gauteng Sports, Culture, Arts and Recreation MEC Barbara Creecy says the Soccer City stadium is firmly on track to meet its commitments for the 2010 Fifa World Cup as it is 50 percent finished and will be complete by May next year, five months ahead of the Fifa deadline.
20 February 2008 - Finance Minister Trevor Manuel says investment in public transport made in partnership with our country's cities is reshaping the urban landscapes spurred on by 2010 Fifa World Cup commitments.
20 February 2008 - Deputy Head of eThekwini Strategic Projects Team says Durban 2010 Fifa World Cup Stadium Moses Mabhida is 30 percent finished and well ahead of schedule.
20 February 2008 - The Local Organising Committee Head of Delegation Dennis Mumble says the construction for the Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup™ at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace will be ready on time.
20 February 2008 - Gautrain Finance MEC Paul Mashatlile says Gautrain is set to generate enough electricity to keep a shopping centre the size of Eastgate going and this co-generation of power is an element of good news since the project is also set to assist Eskom increase the power utility and capacity of the electricity it would generate at the rapid railway link.
20 February 2008 - Fifa's Head of Senior Events Execution Alexander Klosterkemper and his delegation arrive in Polokwane today to assess on the construction of the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex.
20 February 2008 - City of Tshwane Municipality's World Cup Chief Executive Godfrey Nkwane says a new 100-strong bus fleet has been procured as part of their preparations for the Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup.
20 February 2008 - Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa says the Gauteng provincial government is planning on investing on a mobile centre that will ensure on-site coordination of disaster relief as an endeavor to ensure the safety of locals and visitors during 2010 Fifa World Cup.
19 February 2008 - LOC is considering setting up more fan parks despite the nine official fan parks already planned, based on the speculations that there may not be enough tickets to go around for fans during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
19 February 2008 - ANC Youth League is campaigning for alcohol free stadiums, in which the league in the bid for alcohol free stadiums during 2010 Fifa World Cup has received wide spread praise.
19 February 2008 - The process of signing up volunteers is scheduled to begin next month where volunteers will be drawn from all edges of South Africa- application form to be available on the Fifa.com internet site.
19 February 2008 - The LOC Chairman Irvin Khoza says LOC Head of Communications Tim Modise, who had resigned from the organisation, has had a change of heart and he will be staying for both the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
18 February 2008 - Beitebridge RDC Chief Executive Officer Albert Mbedzi says Beitebridge and Cheredzi District Councils have embarked on a tourism development programme jointly as an effort to entice tourists ahead of 2010 Fifa World Cup.
18 February 2008 - The awaited Fifa delegates have landed in South Africa to perform inspections on the preparations for the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup™
18 February 2008- Gautrain Spokesperson Barbara Jansen says the route construction of the project is moving at a steady pace with the biggest diversion being at the Ben Schoeman highway to allow traffic flow to continue uninterrupted.
17 February 2008 - Local Orgarnising Chief Executive Officer Danny Jordaan- being confident that the 2010 World Cup will be the best the world will ever see, says he is in-no doubt the construction schedules will be met and that the risk of power shortages disrupting the event will be removed.
16 February 2008 - National Union of Mine Workers Negotiator George Ledwaba says construction workers at the Nelspruit Mbombela Stadium are back at work after the latest round of negotiation on work conditions and remuneration.
16 February 2008 - A research survey into the attitudes of soccer supporters has revealed that South Africans of all races exude high levels of confidence when it comes to the country's ability to organise a successful World Cup.
15 February 2008 - Eastern Cape Tourism Board and partners, Tourism Enterprise Programme and the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa are making strides in ensuring a maximum number for hotel and non-hotel accommodation is graded for 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
15 February 2008 - Namibia is engaging in several developments for its tourism sector in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ in South Africa.
13 February 2008 - A project to train volunteers in community safety is well underway in KwaZulu Natal.
13 February 2008 - Aviation security is set to get upgrades before 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa although the country has always performed well in security audits.
11 February 2008 - Cape Town's 2010 Fifa World Cup Spokesperson Pieter Cronje says construction at the Green Point Stadium is on schedule despite the time that was lost due to weather and industrial strikes.
07 February 2008 - The South African Civil Aviation Authority says it is set to establish aviation security managers to improve and ensure uniform implementation and interpretation of aviation in the country ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
30 January 2008 - Local Organising Committee Representative Edward Griffith reports that 30 000 more police officers will be deployed in the country for the 2010 World Cup- stadiums being built and those being upgraded are mostly ahead of expectations- more hotels are being built while several new transport projects are going ahead and that locals will receive a further reduced 30% discount on the tickets available.
30 January 2008 - South Africa is working on an anti-terrorism plan which will be discussed at the United Nations Security Council representatives later this year, in which the Department of Foreign Affairs Chief Director Xolisa Mabhongo singled out the world cup preparations as one of the most important issues South Africa would handle during this tenure.
30 January 2008 - High Commissioner Rapu Molekane says that the 2010 World Cup Ambassadors Abedi Pele of Ghana, Geore Weah of Liberia and Kalusha Bwalya of Zambia will conduct the soccer clinics to be hosted for the Accra, Ghanaian Youngsters by the South African High Commission, the event will also be used as part of the mission's plan to visualise the 2010 World Cup.
30 January 2008 - Slang dictionary incorporating words and sayings with clear meaning, innovating power sources and providing water recycling solutions are some of the developments expected to be started by the Gauteng Smart Young Minds Challenge in order to help 2010 World Cup related marketing, tourism and communication posers.
30 January 2008 - South African civil servants are working as volunteers at all the four venues of the African Cup of Nations tournament with the aim of using this as a learning tool for the preparations to host the 2010 World Cup.
30 January 2008 - Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Danny Jordaan has been invited as one of the key speakers at the 2010 World Cup Fundraising Summit to be hosted in Limpopo. SAFA Limpopo president Nakedi Lekota says the summit aims to help Limpopo communities learn how to benefit from the event.
30 January 2008 - The construction of the coastal route between East London and Port Elizabeth in Eastern Cape Province as part of the 2010 World Cup preparations has started. Meanwhile, the Buffalo City municipality is busy with some renovations to various facilities with the hope of luring some 2010 World Cup participants and 2009 Confederations Cup to set training bases in the area.
29 January 2008 - Collect-a-can gears up for incorporation for 2010 World Cup through a corporate challenge starting this year aimed at recycling waste - targeting especially corporate organization to formally embark on recycling campaigns within their premises.
24 January 2008 - Lanchester, Pa is raising funds through community donations to build a football complex in Khayelitsha Township in memory of Chris Campbell, a team member who died last year. The centre will use football to teach students positive behavior and how to prevent HIV/AIDS. One of the main reasons why the team chose Africa is because the 2010 World Cup will be hosted here.
23 January 2008 - Uganda's build up for the 2010 World Cup and Angolan Nations Cup starts in March with a match against Libya and Kampala.
23 January 2008 - Opportunities to invest in Soweto have been identified by the Soweto Business Executive Chamber in hospitality, retail, transport and logistics, information technology, security, construction and agriculture as a result of the 2010 World Cup being hosted in South Africa.
23 January 2008 - Ikalanga, folk singer Ndinga Johwa from Botswana, is working to promote his country. He says he plans to achieve this partly through promoting the first African World Cup to international audiences.
23 January 2008 - This year, FNB expects real fixed-investment growth of 13%-16% in the electricity, transport, communications and mining industries in the run-up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup™.
21 January 2008 - South African Airways says it is set to improve baggage handling services to its customers through a new partnership with cargo and airport ground handling company Swissport International.
21 January 2008 - Visiting Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Theodoros Kassimis says his country is ready to give South Africa any assistance required to make the 2010 FIFA World Cup a success.
20 January 2008 - 16 countries converge in Ghana for the start if Africa's prestigious tournament, the 26th African Cup of Nations.
17 January 2008 - Spending is on track at the Greenpoint 2010 World Cup Stadium. The stadium is 30 percent complete and is expected to be halfway complete by the end of June.
16 January 2008 - The African Cup of Nations showpiece event is to be another additional building block that should give credence to the promise of making 2010 World Cup an African World Cup.
16 January 2008 - 2010 Local Organising Committee Irvin Khoza says he is going to use the Confederation of African Football congress in Ghana as a great platform to showcase South Africa's readiness for 2010 World Cup.
16 January 2008 - The City of Cape Town has takes the first step in selling the naming rights of its new Green Point stadium with the issuing of a proposal call to international and South African marketing specialists to find a naming sponsor or sponsors for the stadium. The stadium will be a semi-final venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and is described in an advertisement as "arguably the most scenic stadium site in the world".
16 January 2008 - Newly recruited Limpopo communication expert, Ndavhe Ramakuela, is to meet with the 2010 World Cup stake holders in the next two weeks to lay a solid foundation for his new job.
16 January 2008 - The Greater Tzaneen Municipality says it will pull all stops to lure and attract at least one of the countries qualifying for 2010 tournament to set up a training camp at the newly renovated NkowaNkowa Stadium, the stadium was renovated at a cost of R20-million.
10 January 2008 - City of Cape Town and provincial authorities have until April to begin most of transport projects planned for the 2010 World Cup. These include the widening of Cape Town's most congested intersection and the Koeberg Interchange and projects that will include non-motorised transport. R30-million has been earmarked for these upgrades.
9 January 2008 - The Local Organising Committee (LOC) says it will start recruiting volunteers across the country in 2008 to assist it with running the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The LOC says it plans to provide selected volunteers with comprehensive training. The LOC plans to recruit ordinary people and experts in various fields to serve as volunteers. The experts will include medical practitioners, translators, people from the legal fraternity, and information technology experts.
3 January 2008 - The build - up to the 2010 World Cup has already created about 80 000 job opportunities in the local and hospitality sectors, according to an audit by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The audit also indicates that over the next three years a further 116 000 jobs will be created.
3 January 2008 - Construction of bed and breakfast facilities begins in some deep rural hinterlands of Limpopo in preparation for expected visitors during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
2 January 2008 - Experts from the Southern African Development Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa are to meet and discuss plans for Southern Africa to provide about 19 airlines for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup tournament.
2007
19 December 2007 - The 2010 Limpopo Black Business Forum plans to embark on a road show in the new year to create awareness of the business opportunities related to the 2010 FIFA World Cup
11 December 2007 - In the build up towards the 2010 FIFA World Cup, official national supporter First National Bank unveils countdown clocks at many of the country's airports and host cities.
10 December 2007 - Market research Company, African Response announces that South Africans' confidence in the country's ability to host a successful 2010 FIFA World Cup has increased, with Johannesburg residents showing the highest increase in optimism.
5 December 2007 - The Green Point Stadium's new Visitor Centre, which will allow visitors to see the construction site and progress of the stadium from a viewing platform, is opened in Cape Town.
27 November 2007 - Government and the Local Organising Committee announces it has contracted at least 28 000 rooms to accommodate football fans expected to flock to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
26 November 2007 - The first official 2010 FIFA World Cup store opens its doors in Durban. A further 150 more shops will be opened countrywide before 2010.
25 November 2007 - The prices and categories for tickets to attend the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches are approved and will go on sale in February 2009, ranging from around R136 to R6000.
25 November 2007 - Over 156 countries convene in Durban for 2010 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw. The preliminary draw, which was watched by over 170 countries all over the world, was successfully hosted by South Africa as the first major FIFA event on African soil.
25 November 2007 - The official 2010 FIFA World Cup poster is unveiled in Durban, depicting the African continent forming a man's profile heading a ball. The winning poster is designed by the South African creative agency Switch.
25 November 2007 - Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs clash is broadcast in 43 European countries, giving European soccer fans a chance to see the Soweto Giants Pirates in action for the first time. The event forms part of the build - up to the Preliminary Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
23 November 2007 - Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa announces the decision to build a sports complex in Soweto as one of the legacy projects associated with hosting the business - to - business soccer convention.
21 November 2007 - The eThekwini Municipality unveiled and launched its 2010 composite logo in Durban yesterday. The unveiling took place just a few days before the 2010 FIFA preliminary draw. The logo is expected to expose the city to global audiences, tourists and potential investors.
21 November 2007 - A R50-million state-of-the-art emergency and disaster management centre has been opened in Midrand, Johannesburg, as part of the province's preparation for the 2010 World Cup. The centre will handle the day-to-day operations of the provincial disaster and emergency services.
21 November 2007 - South Africa and Mozambique have signed a treaty for the establishment of the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security. South African defence minister, Mosiuoa Lekota, said that the co-operation on defence and security between South Africa and Mozambique was critical for South Africa to host a successful and secure tournament in two years' time.
21 November 2007 - The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government is currently implementing a provincial programme of action, which includes soccer clinics for children in the province. Two hundred children from the Amajuba Districts in northern KwaZulu-Natal will be trained today and tomorrow.
15 November 2007 - A new radio communications system, worth R600 million, was installed in Gauteng and 350 CCTV cameras will soon be installed in townships across the country to ensure safety during the 2010 World Cup. This was revealed by National Police Commissioner, Jackie Selebi, at Parliament.
14 November 2007 - Representatives of South Africa's nine provincial safety and security secretariats, the National Intelligence Agency and the 2010 Organising Committee's safety and security division met in the Eastern Cape today to discuss safety during the 2010 World Cup. Organising Committee safety and security divisional manager, Mlungisi Ncame, said interactions between the police, the South African National Defence Force, the National Intelligence Agency, private security companies and host cities are vital if South Africa is to host an incident-free world cup.
14 November 2007 - The world premiere of the film, More Than Just a Game, which tells the dramatic and little-known story of organised football played among prisoners on Robben Island, will take place at the Preliminary Draw of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Durban on 25 November 2007, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. The film is produced by Anant Singh and Helena Spring, directed by Junaid Ahmed and stars Presley Chweneyagae (Tsotsi) and Wright Ngubeni (Generations).
31 October 2007 - The 2010 FIFA Organising Committee and the International Marketing Council of South Africa have teamed up to brief investors in London on the country's preparations for the 2010 World Cup. This is a month ahead of the first preliminary draw taking place in Durban on 25 November.
31 October 2007 - Five-time champion Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup as the tournament returns to South America, the first time since 1978. Brazil last hosted the event in 1950 when it lost to Uruguay in the final.
31 October 2007 - Host cities of the 2010 World Cup will receive R2,6 billion from the Government in the two years leading up to the tournament for further upgrading required for the event.
31 October 2007 - The Sedibeng Municipality will use the 2010 World Cup as an opportunity to introduce massive developments in its communities as part of legacy projects in the context of the 2010 World Cup. The projects include the urban renewal of Vereeniging central business district, development of the riverfront, Sharpeville Precinct, tourism, soccer and safety and security.
25 October 2007 - KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Sbusiso Ndebele, says the 2010 FIFA World Cup will bring significant economic and social benefits for generations to come. The province will host the second provincial 2010 Indaba and the World Cup preliminary draw in November. "This will afford us an opportunity to position and showcase ourselves from the tourism and investment point of view," said Ndebele.
25 October 2007 - Lesotho has started with the construction of R5,6-million artificial turf at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru, as part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup preparations. The construction will take two months.
25 October 2007 - Two new hotels will be built in Mangaung (Bloemfontein) to accommodate visitors during the World Cup. The City of Mangaung has also formed a partnership with the Sol Plaatje Municipality in the Northern Cape to assist in the tourism and accommodation challenges.
17 October 2007 - Jerome Valcke, FIFA general secretary said the construction of stadiums for the 2010 World Cup was satisfactory. "FIFA is confident progress is on track and going the right way," he said.
17 October 2007 - 470 Eastern Cape community members have been employed at the R202- million reconstruction of the road between Middledrift and Alice, part of the revamp of South Africa's transport system.
15 October 2007 - The South African Local Government Association expressed confidence in Eskom and said it would be able to provide enough electricity for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
15 October 2007 - There�s a month left before the 2010 Preliminary Draw, and Durban�s Convention Centre will be hosting a number of big events. Top international artists, including, Mary J Blige, Enrique Iglesias, Gladys Knight and Michael Buble will soon be performing at the venue. Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Cabinet has approved an R8-million budget to be spent on intensifying preparations for the 2010 Preliminary Draw, which will attract delegates and journalists from over 100 countries.
3 October 2007 - Coca-Cola and Pick 'n Pay have come on board as sponsors of the South African Football Association. Each company will contribute a total of R20 million over the next five years.
3 October 2007 - Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has given the assurance that power supply will not be a problem during the 2010 World Cup. Mlambo-Ngcuka said the additional new power stations in Mossel Bay and Atlantis will ensure that the country is ready for the tournament.
3 October 2007 - The Mangaung (Bloemfontein) taxi industry offers a 24-hour service to commuters - making it possibly the only city in South Africa that offers such a service. The taxis, known as maroana, are five-seater sedans operating in Mangaung and surrounding townships. "This augurs well for our preparations for the 200 World Cup. We are more than ready for the thousands of touristsh, said Obakeng Molatedi, South African Football Association executive member.
11 September 2007 -Germany's former captain and coach, Franz Beckenbauer, is confident that South Africa will host a successful World Cup. He is also "very optimistic" that the construction and refurbishment of the 2010 World Cup stadiums will be completed in time.
11 September 2007 -The Organising Committee says it will sign up 15 000 volunteers to assist with the 2010 World Cup. The youth are especially encouraged to answer the call and get involved in the volunteer programmes. Volunteers will be divided into two groups, general and specialised. Volunteers played an important role in previous World Cup tournaments.
11 September 2007 -The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was appointed by the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) to head the marketing strategy and quality distribution of the 2010 World Cup. The AUB and the SABC signed a memorandum of understanding for financial guarantees covering broadcast rights for the World Cup.
11 September 2007 - A delegation from Botswana will be part of host city Rustenburg's celebrations to mark the 1 000 days countdown to the 2010 World Cup. The celebrations will take place at Olympia Park on 15 September 2007.
11 September 2007 -A local community in the Eastern Cape is already benefiting from the upgrading of the Bhisho Airport - one of the Eastern Cape Government's 2010 legacy projects. Twelve community members, employed by the provincial department of roads and transport, have been awarded certificates. The community members were trained to erect fences. "These community members are part of a group of more than 100 people from surrounding villages who have been employed at the airport since the start of the upgrade process at a cost of just over R100 million in preparation for the 2010 World Cup", said Ncedo Kumbaca, the provincial spokesperson for safety, liaison, road and transport.
30 August 2007 - The eThekwini Municipality will spend R4,1 million on upgrading a site that will be used as an official "Sponsors Village". The site, which is close to the International Convention Centre and the Expo Centre, will be opened on 1 November 2007, and will also be used for other events leading up to the tournament. The 2010 World Cup preliminary draw will take place on 25 November in Durban, and thousands of officials as well as journalists and are expected to attend.
30 August 2007 - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is giving a week-long training to Johannesburg Metro Police and the South African Police Service. The FBI is giving training in handling terrorism financing and money laundering ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
30 August 2007 - Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy is back. The country's top striker will represent the country against Zambia in the African Cup of Nations qualifier at Newlands Stadium on 9 September 2007.
27 August 2007 - The first African qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup will take place in October and will see 10 teams meet on 13 October 2007 in the first leg of the home-and-away knock-out matches. The fixtures are: Seychelles vs Djibouti, Sierra Leone vs Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic vs São Tom é and Principe, Somalia vs Swaziland and Madagascar vs Comoros. The return legs will take place on 17 November 2007. As host, South Africa qualifies for the 32-team tournament.
27 August 2007 - A three-day workshop kicks off in East London today. The workshop, hosted by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government will enable key role-players to assess the progress being made in preparation for the 2010 World Cup. Although the key focus is on host city Port Elizabeth, which will also host the 2009 Confederations Cup and the World Cup third-place play-off, areas like Mthatha and East London have also established 2010 World Cup legacy projects.
27 August 2007 - According to the director of Johannesburg's 2010 unit, Linda Ngwenya, construction projects in Johannesburg are ahead of schedule. Orlando Stadium, currently under construction and which will be used as a training facility, is also on target. 'Well-equipped soccer stadiums, legacy projects, an integrated public transport system, greening the city - all these projects are far advanced and in every case will be finished well in time", said Ngwenya.
27 August 2007 - The Universal Accessibility Grading Scheme outlines accessibility requirements of travelers with mobility, hearing and visual limitations. The scheme was launched at the Tourism Indaba this year. This is a victory for South Africa as it will soon host thousands of visitors for the 2010 World Cup, and the scheme recognised disabled travelers as an important sector of the market.
20 August 2007 - Bafana Bafana coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, has selected his strongest possible squad for the friendly against Scotland to be played in Aberdeen on Wednesday.
20 August 2007 - Transport minister, Jeff Radebe, said that South African airports and accompanying infrastructure would be ready to handle thousands of air travel passengers when the 2010 FIFA World Cup starts.
20 August 2007 -Small airports' passenger volumes are experiencing double-digit growth following the introduction of more routes by low-cost airlines. Transport minister, Jeff Radebe, said that government believed the local airports' infrastructure would be ready in time to accommodate the influx of visitors expected for the 2010 World Cup.
20 August 2007 -A local company has come up with a way of connecting South Africans with the rest of the world in 2010 through portable public Internet terminals. These terminals, manufactured by Public Internet Vending, are designed to get users online fast and earn profits for the owner. The machines, which are located in public areas such as malls, hotels, airports and coffee shops, accept South African bank notes and the company believes they will follow a similar trend to payphones in the 1980s and ATMs in the 1990s.
20 August 2007 -South Africa is expected to spend about R5 billion on information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure as part of the preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Technology manager for the Local Organising Committee, Zakes Mnisi, said South Africa had passed the R2-billion ICT investments thanks to the commitment of stakeholders such as the Government, cities and the private sector.
20 August 2007 -According to weekend reports, Tich Mataz, a Zimbabwean and former 5fm DJ, has been appointed as a 2010 World Cup strategy consultant to Swaziland's King Mswati III. He will advise the king and produce programmes for radio and TV which will be aimed at marketing Swaziland.
17 August 2007 -As South Africa prepares to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Mozambique has decided to invest $600 million in its tourist infrastructure. Maputo Nature Reserve is to receive $150 million in investment and another $50 million is going to Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique. By the end of 2008, Maputo's airport will have new passenger and cargo terminals as well as a modern control tower facility. The tower will cost $70 million and the airport will be ready to handle up to 900,000 passengers a year.
17 August 2007 -As South Africa prepares to host the World Cup, Mozambique has decided to invest $600 million in its tourist infrastructure. By the end of 2008, Maputo's airport will have new passenger and cargo terminals as well as a modern control tower facility. The tower will cost $70 million and the airport will be ready to handle up to 900,000 passengers a year.
17 August 2007 -South African organisers for the 2010 World Cup reiterated their confidence that the country can deliver a successful tournament. Local Organising Committee chief executive, Danny Jordaan, said much of the preparatory work had been done and added that the 2010 World Cup has the highest number of countries ever entered in the preliminary draw for the event. "If it's not going to happen, why would 204 countries want to participate and win one of the 32 places?" said Jordaan.
17 August 2007 -FIFA has set up an independent company in Zurich, Germany, called Early Warning System. The company will monitor betting patterns when World Cup qualifying begins later this year. This is part of the efforts "to safeguard the integrity of the game" and "prevent sports betting from having any negative impact on football matches".
17 August 2007 -South African free-to-air channel e.tv will broadcast a new locally produced soccer-themed drama series starting on Monday, 3 September, at 9 pm. Screen Africa reports that the 52-part Shooting Stars was conceived in anticipation of South Africa's hosting of the 2010 World Cup and will roll out over the next three years.
15 August 2007 -The 2010 World Cup may contribute to the acceleration of integration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which is intended to boost growth and development in the region. Ministers met in preparation for the SADC summit and examined issues related to the acceleration of regional integration, including launching of the free market in January 2008 and the implementation of customs union by 2010.
10 August 2007 -The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority approved 20 projects in tourism development zones in an effort to improve tourism infrastructure ahead of the 2010 World Cup. These include construction of hotels and lodges and expansion of some existing projects. All the projects are expected to be completed before the 2010 World Cup.
10 August 2007 -As Africa prepares for its first World Cup in 2010, Nigeria's coach Berti Vogts believes that an African team can reach the semi-finals for the first time. "I believe that there is a possibility that we will see one or two African teams in the semi-finals at the World Cup in South Africa," he said.
10 August 2007 -Telkom has signed $36 million deal with FIFA to become the second national sponsor of the 2010 World Cup. Telkom will provide network infrastructure to support the global broadcast of the soccer showcase. "This deal not only highlights FIFA's confidence in South Africa as the host nation but also shows that the South African business community believes in the incredibly positive impact the event will have on the country," said FIFA general secretary, Jerome Valcke.
10 August 2007 -One of South Africa's soccer legends, the late Jacob Pilane, will be recognized for his contribution to the development of football in Northern Cape through a soccer tournament in his honour. Patrick Lenyibi, the executive mayor of Sol Plaatje municipality, said the planned tournament will be one of the legacy projects of the 2010 World Cup in the municipality.
10 August 2007 -Organisers in the Western Cape are now looking to the Southern Cape and winelands regions for accommodation for international teams and their spectators following an increase in the number of projected visitors to Cape Town for the 2010 World Cup. The estimated number of visitors has increased to between 250 000 and 300 000 nearly five times the previous estimate of 50 000.
2 August 2007 - The Gauteng Provincial Government will use Saturday's Telkom Charity Cup to start familarising Soweto residents with fan parks in the build-up to the 2010 World Cup. The Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation will set up big screens at Dorothy Nyembe Park in Dobsonville, where Soweto residents will watch the live match that will take place at the Mmabatho Stadium, while being entertained by top South African musicians.
1 August 2007 - Public confidence in South Africa's readiness to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup is strong. Market research company African Response found that 70% of South Africans believe the country will be ready for the event.
1 August 2007 - Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape is beefing up its police force ahead of the 2010 World Cup through a project that will see thousands of police dogs trained to carry out a variety of duties ranging from bomb detection to crowd control.
1 August 2007 - Exciting times lie ahead for Durban as billions in new hotel investments and plans for an American-style street car (tram) transport system are on the cards. Deputy Mayor, Logie Naidoo, and a delegation of city officials confirmed the release of a series of new hotel sites throughout Durban in preparation for the 2010 World Cup, including a R350-million development near the existing Elangeni Hotel.
25 July 2007 - Renowned soccer legend Abedi Pele described the '90 Minutes for Mandela' match, which ended in a 3-3 draw, as significant as it was not only staged to celebrate the 89th birthday of Nelson Mandela, but it also demonstrated Africa's readiness to host the 2010 World Cup. �South Africa's soccer fans�high-profile conduct before during and after the game watched by close to 40 000 spectators attested to the fact that Africa is ready to host the 2010 World Cup,' he said.
25 July 2007 - During the 2010 World Cup, South Africa will be under the watchful eye of Big Brother thanks to state-of-the-art information and communication military technology. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said that it was more than prepared to ensure that the tournament would be protected from terrorists, soccer hooligans and those planning to spoil the event. This was revealed to some 300 delegates from across Africa attending the three-day biannual Military Information and Communication Symposium SA conference in Pretoria.
25 July 2007 - Government has initiated the formation of provincial technical committees to deal with the implementation of the 2010 World Cup-related projects. The committee, which will be chaired by Director-General of the Government's 2010 World Cup Unit, Joe Phaahla, will be responsible for assisting host cities in implementing the activities of the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup.
25 July 2007 - The Southern Cape is hoping to encourage at least two teams to base themselves in the region during the 2010 World Cup. No matches are scheduled to take place in the Southern Cape, but Eden hopes it can lure teams such as Ghana, Germany, Brazil and Cameroon, to name a few. Eden District Mayor, Rudi Laws, said during an �Eden 2010' conference that a section 21 company would be set up to drive the region's preparations for the tournament.
24 July 2007 - South African Football Association (SAFA) Technical Committee Chairperson, Sturu Pasiya, and SAFA's Director of Communication, Morio Senyana, have revealed that East London will be one of three cities in South Africa to get a synthetic soccer field ahead of the 2010 World Cup. The other cities to benefit are Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
24 July 2007 - The President of the Organising Committee of the 2010 World Cup, Issa Hayatou, said he was impressed with South Africa's preparation for the event and that they would be ready for the finals. Hayatou was quoted on the Confederation of African Football's official website saying: �Let me echo the sentiments of FIFA president Sepp Blatter who said that South Africa will be ready.'
24 July 2007 - As part of their preparations for the 2010 World Cup, the Rustenburg Municipality, the North West provincial transport master plan and the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality plan to spend R400 million on road infrastructure. The roads are expected to be completed by the end of February 2009.
24 July 2007 - Tottenham Hotspur's coach, Martin Jol, who is visiting South Africa for the first time, said he had fallen in love with the vuvuzela. He was also impressed with the local spectators' passion and creativity which he felt augured well for the country's preparations for the 2010 World Cup. 'The supporters were more passionate. I enjoyed every moment of the game. I was more impressed by that thing that they were blowing throughout the game,' he said.
24 July 2007 - FIFA has shown confidence in South African football administration's insight by appointing South African Football Association's CEO, Raymond Hack, as a member of the FIFA disciplinary committee this week.
23 July 2007 - Mbombela Stadium, in Mpumalanga, which will host 2010 World Cup matches, is well on track. �All is going well. Rest assured that come 15 May 2009, the stadium will be declared ready by FIFA,' said Provincial Culture, Sport and Recreation MEC, Jabu Mahlangu.
23 July 2007 - The Gauteng Provincial Government plans to use the 2007 Vodacom Challenge and the Confederation Cup in 2009 to launch fan parks at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg, and various other venues across Gauteng. Fan parks are becoming increasingly popular overseas, and are expected to be set up throughout South Africa. According to reports, the Local Organising Committee also wants FIFA to consider setting up the fan parks in neighbouring states.
23 July 2007 - A new service will allow Africa's millions of football fans to watch near-live English Premier League football on their mobiles as soon as August this year. Leading African mobile content-provider, MTech, has won the rights to power a ground-breaking mobile Premier League highlights and news service across Africa. The service will go in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa when the Barclays Premier League begins on 11 August, with operator partnerships to be announced shortly beforehand.
19 July 2007 - North End in Port Elizabeth has been bitten by the 2010 World Cup bug. A business owner in the area has opened a caf� called the �World Cup Caf�'. �I am trying to service local businesses and the guys working on the stadium. As we get closer to 2010, we will start selling pizza, prego rolls, tortillas and fish and chips. We will make all sorts of food for the different nationalities,' said Mauro Paggi. He is a soccer fanatic, and has decorated his caf� with pictures of local and international stars.
19 July 2007 - Politicians and international football stars joined hands with FIFA to pledge their support for the campaign to end racism as part of the celebrations of Nelson Mandela's 89th birthday. Former political prisoner Tokyo Sexwale said South Africa had demonstrated the �will and the might to tackle racism head-on'. Past and present football stars took part in the '90 Minutes for Mandela' match in Cape Town last night.
19 July 2007 - The City of Johannesburg is planning to build a multimillion rand world-class theatre either near the Orlando Power Station or at a site near the Jabulani Mall, in Jabulani, Soweto. A delegation will be going to England and Canada to investigate theatres in those countries as part of the multimillion rand plan. Construction is expected to start in late 2008 after six to 12 months of feasibility studies in both areas. The theatre is a 2010 legacy project identified by the city to ensure Johannesburg continues to benefit long after the 2010 World Cup.
19 July 2007 - Soccerex organisers said that the event could have its earliest sell-out with more than 85% of exhibition space already allocated. The exhibition will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Gauteng in November. Over 250 global companies will be exhibiting at football's largest exhibition, which will represent sectors such as football clubs, stadia, new media, federations, finance, leagues, academies, legal, host cities, broadcasters, hospitality, PR, player agents, sponsorship, tourism and governing bodies. According to reports, the move from Dubai to South Africa has received huge support from the football industry and the majority of exhibitors from 2006 have already rebooked larger spaces to build on business generated.
18 July 2007 - Rail will be used as priority transport in Cape Town during the 2010 World Cup by setting up 'park-and-ride' facilities on land near existing stations. Aside from the addition and refurbishment of rail coaches, several stations including Athlone, Langa and Heideveld are set to be upgraded before 2010.
18 July 2007 - Acclaimed director Anant Singh's new movie More than just a game was previewed by a group of former Robben Island prisoners, representatives from FIFA and the 2010 Local Organising Committee in Cape Town. The film, which stars lead actor Presley Chwengeyagae, documents Robben Island's former Makana Football Association - which will be granted an honorary FIFA membership at a ceremony today. The movie will be released on the international circuit in November.
18 July 2007 - Former United States presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and several of the world's past and present football greats have arrived in South Africa to join the rest of the world in paying tribute to world statesman Nelson Mandela. Mandela turns 89 today, and tributes are pouring in from around the world. The highlight of the day's festivities will be the '90 Minutes for Mandela' match at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town tonight which will see Brazilian football legend Pel� and three-time African player of the year Samuel Eto'o play in honour of a great man.
18 July 2007 - Namibian authorities said that the country was experiencing a tourism boom. �We've had an amazing start to the year and we expect to break the records,' said Benita Herma from the Namibia Tourist Board in Windhoek. It has been reported that part of the growth is a result of the increased co-operation with South Africa. The new 'Cape Namibia Route' was one of the projects designed to raise awareness of western South Africa and southern Namibia. The country is also expecting to benefit from the 2010 World Cup.
18 July 2007 - Former South African President, Nelson Mandela, received a football jersey as an early birthday gift from FIFA. This is the official jersey for the Africa XI v Rest of the World XI match in Cape Town's Newlands Stadium tonight. The jersey has Mandela's name and the number 89 on the back and features the 46664 campaign to raise global awareness about HIV and AIDS on the front.
18 July 2007 - Kenya successfully hosted the second Kenya e-Tourism conference held in Mombasa recently. The conference was attended by more than 140 delegates spending two days learning about developments in global trade that will impact on tourism business. The highlight of the conference was the announcement from executive chairperson of the New Partnership for Africa's Development's e-Africa Commission, Dr Henry Chasia, that Kenya would be the first country in Africa to test and launch the 2010 payment and booking gateway for the 2010 World Cup. This will present vast opportunities for tourism and co-operation among destinations.
18 July 2007 - The North West 2010 Technical Committee plans to form a partnership with neighbours Botswana for their preparations for the world Cup. �We would like to make it a real African World Cup by bringing Botswana on board,' said committee member Kennedy Mosiapoa.
18 July 2007 - More than R400 million will be spent on road and traffic infrastructure in Rustenburg and Phokeng ahead of the 2010 World Cup. The figure includes the R19 million given to them by the national Department of Transport.
18 July 2007 - The Rustenburg Municipality is planning to embark on a R34-million project to renovate Olympia Park Stadium for the World Cup.
17 July 2007 - George, a town between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, is to build a 35 000-seater soccer stadium to be used for practice matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The George Municipality is to invite private developers to build the 44-hectare complex, the biggest in the southern Cape, as part of the municipality�s plan to develop George into a major sports tourism destination. The stadium announcement follows the launch recently of a serious bid by the municipality to host a participating nation as a training base during the World Cup.
17 July 2007 - Five-hundred job applicants for Johannesburg metro cops have made the grade. The metro police hope to beef up their ranks by 4 000 before the 2010 World Cup. The applicants undergo literacy and numeracy proficiency assessments before being interviewed. Once the applicants have been approved, they undergo a six-month basic training course, and a further six more months in the field. They will then be trained in the field and will learn to open dockets, take fingerprints and witness statements.
17 July 2007 - Tickets for Wednesday's �90 Minutes for Mandela' game, taking place at Newlands Stadium, are selling fast. Organisers said they would use high-profile matches, such as the much-anticipated Wednesday night game, to implement key crowd-control and security measures for the 2010 World Cup. Meanwhile, it's been reported that Nelson Mandela will tomorrow introduce to the world a group of world leaders - who include Bill Clinton and Kofi Annan - who will focus on international issues and struggles such as the war in Iraq.
17 July 2007 - Rustenburg Local Municipality received a R19-million grant from the Transport Department which will be used to help improve transport facilities in the city. The municipality, together with the the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, will in line with the North West Provincial Transport Master Plan spend a further R400 million on major road infrastructure projects ahead of the 2010 World Cup. A western bypass is planned to link the N4 with the Sun City resort and an eastern bypass will link the N4 with the Rustenburg airfield.
16 July 2007 - French star Patrick Vieira is hoping to realise his dream of developing a Diambars Football Academy in South Africa by 2010. The Diambars Institute is a pioneering football academy that provides African boys with a real education and a genuine chance of making it in professional football. The academy was launched in Saly, Senegal, four years ago and has proved a huge success in the West African country. 'We want to build on the momentum behind the World Cup to promote the idea that football can be a great instrument to advance education and promote social and human development,' he said.
16 July 2007 - There are just over 1 000 days left before the kick-off of the 2010 World Cup and the Nelson Mandela Bay's service-excellence campaign is on track. KA Smart executive Paul de Vantier said that nearly 4 000 people had been trained since taking over the running of the campaign from the Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and that the company was looking at ways to increase the numbers of people trained in the programme.
16 July 2007 - The thousands of soccer enthusiasts coming to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup need not worry about how they will get around in the host cities. The upgrading of South Africa's major transport infrastructure, including the rail network, airports and the Gautrain project, is on track to be completed for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
16 July 2007 - Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said that volunteers helping out during the 2010 Soccer World Cup would be screened rigorously to prevent crime coming into South Africa. �Thorough screening tests will be conducted on everyone to prevent bringing crime into South Africa,' he said.
16 July 2007 - The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a fast, comfortable and low-cost urban transport system, planned for the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The BRT, which has been described as a high-quality and customer-oriented transport system, will promote the use of public transport. It involves the construction of �bus way corridors' on segregated lanes and modernised technology.
16 July 2007 - The 2010 World Cup countdown clock has been switched on in Port Elizabeth by local organising committee chief executive officer Danny Jordaan. �The unveiling of the countdown clock signals the great contribution of the city of Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape region in creating conducive conditions for this event in our country. This clock will be a daily reminder to all of us of the importance of this deadline-driven event,' he said.
16 July 2007 - Construction in the Garden Route town of George, halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, has begun for a cableway up the Outeniqua mountain range. The development has been given the thumbs-up and it's hoped that it will attract the thousands of visitors coming to the 2010 World Cup. Sixty-seater diesel-hydraulic rail coaches will be used to transport visitors to a lower cable station, from where visitors can enjoy a 2,6-km cableway ride to Cradocksberg peak. Twenty-four four-seater gondolas are expected to ply up and down daily, giving tourists a breathtaking view over 30 km of fynbos.
16 July 2007 - Multi-billion-rand hotel developments are starting to take shape across South Africa. These include luxury five-star hotels and exclusive spa resorts and are estimated to be worth R20 billion. Furthermore, the Three Cities Hotel group has budgeted R14 billion for further investment and expansion. It plans to build five hotels in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal by 2009 - adding to the group's 40 properties that include game lodges, resorts and five-star hotels.
16 July 2007 - The much-awaited Soccerex, scheduled for Johannesburg in November 2007, will take place over four days instead of the initial three due to popular demand. The event will be hosted annually by the Gauteng Provincial Government from this year until 2010 and will start on 26 November 2007.
11 July 2007 - The New Partnership for Africa's Development is planning a new �Africa 2010' tourism portal to promote diverse tourist attractions on the continent. The project is expected to encourage, develop and support booking systems for Africa's e-tourism.
11 July 2007 - Employees of First National Bank will be the first to receive tickets to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The bank will reserve 3 000 tickets for its employees. The first 400 will be given away during a draw and the rest will be given out over the next 10 quarters leading to the event.
11 July 2007 - Swaziland: The new 2010 World Cup Technical Committee Chief Operations Officer is Appolo Maphalala. The 31-year is the former World Vision Area Development Programme Manager and holds a BA in Social Science.
11 July 2007 - Tshwane's public transport system will soon be transformed into a transport system that is a viable option for hundreds of commuters by 2010. Construction on the R1,9-billion project will begin towards the end of 2008 and will be completed in November 2009. Phase one will link Mabopane to Mamelodi via the city and will consist of 92 km of bus-ways.
11 July 2007 - FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, shrugged off South Africa's crime statistics and said: �To put it frankly, at the moment there is a big song and dance made of chicken slaughtered in South Africa. The US is also dangerous. The World Cup will definately take place in South Africa.'
11 July 2007 - Free State's Sesa Ramabodu Stadium in Rocklands will soon be upgraded to make it suitable to host international matches. The stadium has been earmarked as a training venue for the 2010 World Cup. The project will see the stadium's capacity increase to between 20 000 and 25 000.
11 July 2007 - Preparations for the 2010 World Cup are on track in the City of Mangaung. The city reported that it has already secured 7 000 of the 20 000 beds required by FIFA for the World Cup. Furthermore, R220 million has been set aside for the intermodal public transport facility in Manguang.
9 July 2007 - The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Provincial Government will be introducing a dedicated lane for buses and minibus taxis on the inbound 11-kilometres stretch between Borcherds Quarry Road and the M5 by mid-July. This follows completion of the first phase of the N2 upgrade. The freeway is being rehabilitated in preparation for the 2010 World Cup.
9 July 2007 - The World Bank will give Mozambique $100 million in credit to help upgrade its road network. The improved roads will play a part in bringing visitors during the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Mozambique's capital, Maputo, is a few hours' drive from Nelspruit, which is one of the host cities for the tournament.
6 July 2007 - Southern African Development Community tourism stakeholders have agreed to come up with an intraregional tourism package to promote tourism in southern Africa ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. These resolutions were made at a recent 2010 World Cup tourism workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe.
6 July 2007 - Nelson Mandela will be lending his name to yet another cause - this time, it is the fight against racism in sport. His ambassadors will be 22 of the world's greatest footballers, including Brazilian legend Pele, three-time African player of the year Samuel Eto'o and former European player of the year Ruud Gullit. The football stars will play in the �90 Minutes for Mandela' game on Mandela's 89th birthday on 18 July 2007. Their message will be �Say No to Racism'. The players' jerseys will also be branded with Mandela's 46664 prison number as part of an awareness campaign to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS.
6 July 2007 - eThekwini Municipality will spend more than R1 billion over the next three years leading to the 2010 World Cup to overhaul the public transport system by making it rail-based. The municipality wants taxis to transport people from places outside the city to railway stations. Trains will then take them to the inner city where buses will be used for further travel.
6 July 2007 - One of the 2010 World Cup host cities, Durban, has switched on two �countdown clocks' to the 2010 FIFA World Cup at Durban International Airport. �The clocks are counting us down to our deadline and bringing us together to unveil our beautiful city to the rest of the world,' said First National Bank's KwaZulu-Natal chief, Gareth Davies.
5 July 2007 - A consulting company has been appointed by the City of Tshwane to conduct a study on historical sites in the city's townships to entertain the estimated 40 000 tourists expected during the 2010 World Cup. The focus will be on Atteridgeville, Mamelodi and Mabopane. �We have asked them to put together products around our townships that will be of importance for the tourists that we expect to come here,' said Godfrey Nkwane, the city's World Cup Programme Chief Executive.
5 July 2007 - The 2007 Vodacom Challenge final to be played at Loftus Versfeld on 28 July will be used to familiarise the supporters with the World Cup ticketing rules. The City of Tshwane's 2010 World Cup Programme Directorate will introduce the colour-coded ticket system and there will be park-and-ride transport during the final which will feature Tottenham Hotspur and the winner between Pirates and Kaiser Chiefs.
5 July 2007 - Mozambique plans to capitalise on the tourist boom expected during the 2010 World Cup by spending $600 million on new hotels, casinos and other leisure facilities. Maputo, Mozambique's capital city, is a few hours' drive from Nelspruit, one of the host cities, and six hours from Johannesburg where the opening and final games will be played.
5 July 2007 - Construction of the Gautrain rail link is on track. Project leader Jack van der Merwe said more than R5 billion out of the allocated R25 billion had already been spent. The first phase of the Gautrain construction, which includes the network link between the OR Tambo International Airport, Sandton and Midrand, is expected to be completed before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The second and final phase will be completed over 54 months.
4 July 2007 - Bafana Bafana will play a friendly match against World Cup holders Italy, in a series of friendly matches proposed by national team coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. The match is set to take place on 17 October 2007. Bafana Bafana will also play Saudi Arabia, the United States of America, Mozambique and Scotland - which Bafana Bafana will visit on 22 August 2007.
4 July 2007 - The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, together with provincial authorities, is drafting a waste-management strategy that aims to tackle the construction waste generated by preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
4 July 2007 - Some of the world's leading soccer clubs are expected to attend Soccerex, which will take place in November. Spanish La Liga champions Real Madrid and England's Everton are the latest teams to confirm their attendance. The event, which will be hosted by the Gauteng Provincial Government, will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 26 to 28 November. The other clubs that have already signed-up include Ajax Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Juventus (Italy) and Fulham (England).
4 July 2007 - Aveng, South Africa's biggest construction company, said yesterday that its full-year profit more than doubled on accelerating economic growth and building work on infrastructure needed to host the 2010 World Cup. Earnings a share, excluding a R6.4-billion gain from the sale of a stake in Holcim South Africa, was expected to be between 100% and 120% in the 12 months to June. South Africa's fastest economic growth in close to two decades and the construction of roads, stadiums and railways for the world's most-watched sports event have sparked the biggest building boom in more than a quarter of a century.
4 July 2007 - A new five-star boutique hotel is currently being constructed in Bluewater Bay, Port Elizabeth. The R1-billion hotel, named the Blue Water Beach Boutique Hotel, will include a health spa, conference centre, restaurant and gymnasium. The hotel aims to attract corporate tourists, as well as visitors to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Construction is expected to be completed by the middle of 2008, with a second phase to be completed six months later.
2 July 2007- More than two thirds of Capetonians are in favour of the Green Point Stadium. This is according to independent market research which found that 69% of Capetonians supported the stadium, while only 17% were against it and 13% did not know.
2 July 2007- Large numbers of art lovers have descended on the small town of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape for the annual National Arts Festival which is currently underway. The organisers of the event said they would like the festival to play a key role in the 2010 World Cup.
2 July 2007- Gauteng's freeway system will undergo upgrading and expansion over the next seven years. A total of R22 billion will be spent on the project that will be run by the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), the provincial government, and the Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metropolitan councils. The N1 Ben Schoeman highway will get an additional lane in each direction and two lanes will be added to the R21 highway in each direction. Projects linked to the 2010 World Cup include a R1-billion ring road to the north of Nelspruit, a road linking the eastern side of Polokwane at a cost of R400 million and the improvement of provincial highways in Rustenburg at a cost of between R250 million and R300 million respectively.
26 June 2007 - Zimbabwe's ZIMSUN Leisure Group Limited will increase hotel accommodation by 1 000 rooms throughout the country in a bid to strengthen the domestic market while preparing for arrivals ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group said the expansion programme would be executed through the construction and upgrading of existing hotels in the country's major resort areas, such as the Eastern Highlands, Harare, Masvingo, Beitbridge and the Victoria Falls.
25 June 2007 - The Ekurhuleni Municipality is upgrading the area's facilities ahead of the FIFA 2010 World Cup. Kwanele Regional Park has been upgraded to accommodate neighbouring areas, including Palm Ridge and Vosloorus, and will be completed in June 2009. The project forms part of the municipality's R4,4-million renewal project.
25 June 2007 - Preparations for FIFA's third Beach Soccer World Cup will start with the African qualifying tournament in Durban on 4 July 2007. The competition, which will take place on the beaches of this 2010 FIFA World Cup Host City, will be the first of six qualifying events in all confederations leading to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2007 from 2 - 11 November 2007.
25 June 2007 - The Union of European Football Associations announced changes to the qualifying format for Europe-based teams hoping to compete at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The teams will be split among eight groups of six teams, and one group of five. From the 53 UEFA-affiliated countries involved in qualifying, 13 will go on to compete at the 32-nation 2010 World Cup. The nine group winners will qualify directly and the best eight runners-up will play home and away play-off matches for the remaining four places.
22 June 2007 - The Garden Route in the Western Cape will be using its identity as a prime golf-tourism spot to attract tourists in the three years leading to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Garden Route was named the 2006 Golf Destination of the Year for Africa and the Middle East at the International Golf Travel Market in Spain, beating top destinations such as Dubai and Mauritius. It has golf courses designed by some of the world's best players, including Ernie Els, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus.
21 June 2007 - Durban, South Africa's second largest city, and one of the host cities of the 2010 World Cup, had a 15% increase in tourist arrivals last year, making it one of the busiest ports in Africa.
21 June 2007 - Dawn Properties Limited plans to establish hotels in the country in preparation for the 2010 soccer World Cup. Group chairperson, Mr Farayi Rwodzi, said Dawn had identified hotel sites and planning is already at an advanced stage. More sites will be identified during the course of the year. �These developments are likely to be funded by local and foreign investors who have shown interest in the proposed developments. Plans to enter regional markets are fairly advanced,' he said.
21 June 2007 - The Limpopo Government will be upgrading two stadiums in line with international standards as part of the 2010 World Cup legacy projects. �Upgrading the stadiums will also help in terms of the hosting of international matches,' said Limpopo Premier, Sello Moloto. Meanwhile, the Polokwane Gateway International Airport in Limpopo is also being upgraded.
21 June 2007 - The Limpopo Black Business 2010 Forum and Polokwane Chamber of Business have formed a strategic partnership that will see both parties benefiting from the 2010 World Cup. The new partners will share resources, expertise and will also look at black-economic-empowerment opportunities to assist in spreading the wealth to the people of Limpopo.
21 June 2007 - Construction of the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex, Polokwane - one of the venues for the 2010 World Cup - is starting to take shape. The new complex will include 5 000 seats for the media, 504 VIP seats and 12 VIP boxes each with a capacity of 12. Between 750 and 800 - mostly local - people will be working on the complex by the end