An Introduction to South Africa's Planned Fan Parks

This post lists and describes the free fan park viewing areas that are going tobe set up throughout the country during the World Cup.

Every host city has set up FIFA Fan Fests, where soccer lovers will be able to watch their favourite teams compete.

The Fan Fest venues will be open on all match-playing days and entrance will be free.

Soweto soccer fans will watch all World Cup matches at the Rockville Fan Fest at Elkah Stadium. The venue is conveniently located next to the Thokoza Park station of Johannesburg's new bus rapid transit system. Up to 40 000 people can be hosted at Elkah Stadium.

FIFA Fan Fests - A Different World Cup Experience
Freenetafrica
My 12, 2010

Durban Waterfront Renovation To Complete Ahead of Schedule

Durban expects to finish upgrades to its Golden Mile of beachfront by May 30, ahead of previous deadlines it had set to be ready in time for the World Cup. The 200 million Rand (~$26.4 million USD) upgrade plan includes new restaurants along the shore and a new 6km pedestrian promenade.

On Friday, workers were busy putting the final touches to four restaurants decorated in yellow, red and green stones.

Grass and trees were also being planted along the promenade, which stretches from uShaka Marine World to the Suncoast Casino near the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The only thing that makes the beach area still look like a construction site are workers still busy with paving, drilling or final touches.

Durban's R200m beach upgrade
News 24
May 14, 2010

Cape Town Square to Host Fan Park

A town square in front of Cape Town's city hall will be transformed into a fan park for one month during the World Cup tournament.

The historic square opposite the city hall will be the official fan park for the World Cup.

Phase one of a multi-phased upgrade has been completed, with city officials expected to add the final touches closer to the event.

The 2010 Fifa fan fest tender was last month awarded to a joint venture between World Sport, VWV and Grand Parade Investments. World Sport is also the organiser of the J and B Met.

Get ready for a Grand Parade World Cup bash
Cape Argus
February 2, 2010

Johannesburg Beautifies Landscapes

25 sites in Johannesburg have been landscaped through a program aiming to beautify the city ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

Designed by landscaper Jan du Plessis, the roadside gardens are made up of various pebbles and low-maintenance plants such as succulents and aloes. In all, 25 sites across Joburg have been included in the beautification upgrades, a public-private partnership between the City and ADreach, the outdoor media company.

These roadside gardens were designed with the aim of welcoming tourists through impressive gateways, which reflect a clean and successful 21st century, noted Jacqui Khourie, the public relations officer for ADreach.

Joburg landscapes ahead of soccer World Cup
Independent Online
January 20, 2010

KwaZulu-Natal Hosts Public Viewing Areas

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has invested 20 million Rand (~$2.5 million) to set up four public viewing areas where locals can watch Confederations Cup games.

The province will host public viewing areas (PVAs) at four key districts in the province to give people a taste of the Confederations Cup excitement.

Entry to the PVAs is free.

Big screens for Cup action
The Sowetan
June 11, 2009

Nine SA Sites Chosen for Fan Parks, Neighboring Botswana Left Out

Botswana will not play host to any sanctioned fan parks during the 2010 World Cup. However, the country is not prohibited from setting up less formalized public viewing areas.

There were hopes that Botswana would have some fan parks during the month-long football jamboree, the first to be hosted in Africa.

"There will only be nine fan parks in South Africa. Botswana will not be able to host fan parks, but instead public viewing areas would be applicable here" Moopeloa said.

Fan parks are designated areas where fans can go and watch soccer matches live at public screening. The concept became popular during the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany. An estimated 20million fans thronged fan parks while the figure of supporters who went to the stadium was three million.

What would be considered for Botswana, are Public Viewing Areas (PVAs) and the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) is in contact with FIFA and other stakeholders in South Africa regarding the viewing facilities.

Source:
No 2010 fan parks for Botswana
Mmegi Online
June 2, 2009

Host Cities Adopt FIFA By-Laws During Event

World Cup host cities have agreed to adopt FIFA by-laws under which they must conduct themselves during the World Cup, which include strict rules governing the public areas in and around stadia. Drinking from glass bottles, spilling liquids are among the actions prohibited.

SOUTH Africans living in cities hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup matches and training areas may not spill any liquid on the ground, consume liquids from glass or use abusive and objectionable language in public open spaces.

In the vicinity of the stadiums, residents may not spill or drop any substance that may cause danger or harm to Fifa officials or players; use abusive language; “lie, stand, congregate or walk in a manner” that causes obstruction to Fifa officials; or tout a driver of a car for the “purpose and pretext” of watching over the vehicle.

These prohibitions are contained in the 2010 Fifa World Cup by-laws passed by the host cities and towns recently published in terms of the Municipal Services Act.

Source:
Hardcore by-laws for World Cup host cities
The Weekender
May 9, 2009

National Parks Hopeful for Visitation Bump During World Cup

Parks officials are expecting visitation to jump during the World Cup, and are working with a concessionaire to handle most of the hotel bookings for national parks facilities.

About 15 000 additional visitors to national parks during the 2010 soccer world cup should generate more than R50m in revenue, said a top parks official on Monday.

Source:
2010: Boom time for parks
Fin24
May 11, 2009

Poor Johannesburg Community to Get New Soccer Field by October

As part of FIFA's World Cup legacy program, one of 27 new artificial soccer fields will be built in the Orange Farm community near Johannesburg by October.

Complete with change rooms, training lights and security fencing, the stadium will serve the youth of Orange Farm, one of the poorer communities in the south of Johannesburg.

It will have a clubhouse and an office to be used by the local football community, reports Joburg.org.

The artificial pitch is one of 27 that are planned for townships and rural areas, at a cost of R81-million, in the legacy programme of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) and the National Lotteries Trust Fund (NLDTF).

The first nine pitches have already been approved. Ultimately, each province will have three artificial pitches located next to a school or public institution in a programme that will run over three years.

Source:
South Africa: Orange Farm to Get Soccer Pitch
BuaNews
April 16, 2009

Limpopo Province Plans 16 Fan Parks for World Cup

The provincial government of Limpopo has identified 16 sites to serve as fan viewing areas during the 2010 World Cup. Nationally, the government has plans to support 47 fan parks during the games. All of these fan parks will be free to enter.

The venues include Lesley Manyathela Stadium in Musina, Makhado Showgrounds, NkowaNkowa Stadium, BelaBela Stadium and Lebowakgomo Stadium .

NkowaNkowa Stadium will also be used as a pilot project during the Confederations Cup in June .

Pandelani Ramagoma, Limpopo’s World Cup project coordinator, said they wanted to ensure that all people in the province have access to the tournament.

Source:
Limpopo plans 16 fan parks
Sowetan
March 18, 2009