Report Claims Benefits Already Seen in South Africa

A financial consulting firm reports that South Africa has already seen an economic benefit from hosting the World Cup.

International communities were not only watching their countries fight for the cup, but were witnessing a South Africa that continued to emerge as a competitive 21st-century economy, the consultancy said in a paper entitled "2010 Fifa World Cup, a turning point for South Africa".

"South Africa is reaping the rewards of hosting the cup - namely infrastructure improvements, an economic boost, and increased national self-esteem," it said.

South Africa had been described as a mix of the developed and developing world, said Deloitte Southern Africa public sector industry leader Lwazi Bam.

SA has begun reaping rewards of staging World Cup, says Deloitte
Cape Times
June 21, 2010

German Companies Provide Infrastructure for South Africa's World Cup

German companies played a large part in providing infrastructure and construction services for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, according to Southern African German Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Matthias Boddenberg.

Engineering and special equipment material for the stadiums was sourced to a large extent form Germany. The total investment in the 2010 FIFA World Cup infrastructure projects amounted to about R35-billion, he adds.

The infrastructure pro- jects that German companies were involved in included roads, the bus rapid transit system and the Gautrain. The total infrastructure project, valued at R450-billion, is ongoing beyond the FIFA World Cup as it is an infrastructure legacy project, explains Boddenberg.

Germany extensively involved in World Cup infrastructure
Engineering News
June 18, 2010

Labor Union Disputes Claims of Economic Growth Related to World Cup

One of South Africa's main labor unions is disputing a recent report from the state statistics office about economic growth related to the World Cup.

"These [latest] figures make a mockery of economic growth. It is clear to Uasa that employers exploited the recession by drastically reducing employment numbers."

Stats SA revealed on Tuesday that employment numbers were down by 242 000 between end March 2009 to March 2010.

Venter said job losses had become synonymous with the world wide experience after the recent recession.

Reports of economic growth misleading, says union
Mail & Guardian
June 23, 2010

'South Africa Ready for Olympics'

South African President Jacob Zuma says his country's hosting of the FIFA World Cup is proof that it is ready to host the Olympics. Cape Town submitted a bid to host the 2004 Summer Olympics, but lost out to Athens, Greece.

"We have got the facilities. Those who take decisions (about the hosting of major sports event) have seen how South Africa is. I'm sure we could do it," Zuma said.

'SA ready for Olympics'
Independent Online
June 22, 2010

BRT Sees Positive Reviews Halfway Through World Cup

FIFA takes a favorable look at the new bus rapid transit system in Johannesburg.

The Rea Vaya transports fans to Soccer City in around 10 minutes from the Westgate station in the Johannesburg CBD, and under 15 minutes from the Thokoza Park station in Soweto. “The BRT saves people time, they can beat traffic as the system reliable and quick,” said Khumalo.

A new era of transport for Johannesburg
FIFA
June 24, 2010

Thanks to urban planning student Linden Weiswerda for the link!

Cold Leaves Fan Parks Empty

Due to a cold streak rushing across South Africa, fan parks in Johannesburg and other cities have seen lower than expected attendance rates.

[O]ne week into the tournament, a cold spell of weather added to a disappointing defeat by South Africa to Uruguay on Wednesday have left only a few dozen die-hard believers, wrapped up warm and huddled together braving the outdoor parks where temperatures have hovered around zero degrees.

Fan zones frozen out
June 18, 2010

FIFA Pulls in $3.2 Billion

FIFA expects to make about $3.2 billion from the 2010 World Cup.

Spokesperson Nicolas Maingot said the World Cup was the main source of income for FIFA and its revenue from this one would tide it over for the next four years.

He added that 75% of its revenue would be invested into football development.

FIFA to rake in billions
News24
June 18, 2010

Striking Security Guards Canned

The contract of a private security company whose employees had staged a wage protest at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium has been terminated.

Following an emergency meeting between police and Fifa on Wednesday, it was decided that police officers would take over security duties at Soccer City, Moses Mabhida, Green Point and Ellis Park stadiums for the rest of the World Cup.

The meeting came after security guards embarked on a strike over salaries. They claimed they had been promised R1500 a day, but were getting only R190.

On Sunday, security guards at the Moses Mabhida Stadium walked off their post just before the Australia- Germany match. Police replaced them immediately to provide security.

Yesterday, some of the sacked guards said they were shocked by the decision to fire them

Striking World Cup guards regret losing jobs
The Sowetan
June 18, 2010

Power Outages Strand Soccer Fans

Power outages in Johannesburg crippled train lines, including some that were to carry World Cup fans back from the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. Roughly 2,000 fans were forced to wait until the early morning to catch their trains back to the city.

Metrorail trains were forced to switch from electric to steam locomotives because of the power cut, delaying the last two trains by between two and three hours with the last fans only arriving at 03:30, said Tumisang Kgaboesele, head of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.

Power cuts strand SWC trains
News 24
June 17, 2010

Home-Made Public Viewing Area in Durban

Community members in Durban plan to create their own public viewing area in a local park.

“We are known as the ‘corner boys’, but we have formed a committee to formulate what we are doing,” Buckley says. “Everyone is so excited about the spectacle coming to our country – it’s a once-in-a-life-time opportunity.”

Buckley said the plan was to convert the local park into their own fan park in time for the kickoff on June 11.

“We plan on setting up a big screen in the park to show the games.”

2010 World Cup mania - fans can’t wait for kickoff
Sowetan
May 27, 2010

Fears That Xenophobic Attacks Will Pick Back Up After Cup

Officials in Gauteng Province are concerned that life after the World Cup could bring back the xenophobic attacks on foreigners within South Africa that resulted in dozens of deaths and thousands of displacements in 2008.

GCRO [Gauteng City Region Observatory] senior researcher Annsilla Nyar told Sapa she believed the end of the World Cup would leave many people, who had high expectations of material benefits, disappointed.

"Life will pretty much return to normal... The World Cup will end and then we will have local government elections in a few months' time.

"It creates a heightening of tensions... and these kind of tensions can degenerate into xenophobia. It's a real recipe for disaster."

Migrants fear attacks after SWC
News 24
May 27, 2010