Monday, March 22, 2010

Cape Town to Face Capacity Test

In a final test of its readiness, Cape Town's new World Cup stadium will host a capacity crowd on April 10 for an international soccer match. Roughly 68,000 spectators are expected to attend.

The challenge will follows a prayer gathering on Monday, when more than 55 000 people are expected to pack the Cape Town Stadium.

Transporting spectators to and from the stadium is expected to be the city's biggest challenge during these two final test events.

Organisers have vowed to make it easy for soccer fans to get to the final event but authorities say transport and traffic management will be a major challenge.

Stadium to test capacity at soccer challenge
Cape Argus
March 16, 2010

Personal Security Costs Expected to Rise Over $1,000 Per Day

Private security firms are hoping to cash in during the World Cup, with prices for personal bodyguards and protection during the World Cup ranging up to R7,500 per day (~$1,000 USD).

Chris Beukes, the chief executive of TSU Protection Services, said a diplomat, celebrity or wealthy business executive could pay anything between R3 500 and R7 500 a day for a bodyguard, depending on the individual's profile.

Since the beginning of the month, he said, his company had received requests from high-profile executives for protection services during the World Cup.

World Cup security: High rollers to dig deep
Cape Argus
March 16, 2010

Generators Act as Safety Net Against Power Outages During Cup Games

The threat of intermittent power outages throughout South Africa will be addressed in World Cup stadia during events through the donation of diesel generators from energy corporation BP.

It was confirmed in April last year that neighbouring countries of South Africa would, if called upon, divert electricity supply to South Africa however, these now appears to be a backup solution if all stadiums are now to run on BP powered generators.

BP to power 2010 World Cup stadiums
World Cup 2010 South Africa
March 16, 2010

Expanded Johannesburg BRT Hits Some Roadblocks, But Moves Forward

The first day of expanded BRT service in Johannesburg went ahead relkatively smoothly, despite some related violence and vandalism at bus stops.

Mayoral committee for transport member Rehana Moosajee, said the Rea Vaya system showed it could handle an increased volume of passengers.

"We experienced some initial first-day challenges but, in the broader context, the success of the service demonstrated the need that existed for a rapid bus service to move passengers safely and effectively across our city," Moosajee said in a statement.

...

The service introduced on Monday included a main route between Dobsonville and the Johannesburg city centre and Ellis Park Station, as well as feeder services from Naledi to Thokoza Park Station, from Jabaavu to Lake View Station and from Mofolo to Boomtown Station.

The next phase will be introduced on May 3.

Rea Vaya bus violence condemned
Independent Online
March 15, 2010

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Soccer City Construction Company Denies North Korean Worker Rumor

In the face of reports that North Korean workers were being employed to finish construction of Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium, construction company officials have stated that no North Korean workers have been hired for those jobs.

The Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit was also reported to be using North Korean workers.

The Mbombela Municipality could not immediately be reached to comment on the report.

The report said the sanctions-hit state sent the workers "in an apparent attempt to earn much-needed hard currency".

Company says no North Koreans at work on 2010 stadiums
Mail and Guardian
March 15, 2010

Cape Town's Non-Motorized Transport Infrastructure Expands

As part of its Integrated Rapid Transit plans, the city of Cape Town is installing bike and pedestrian lanes throughout the city, a system officials say will be ready in time for the World Cup.

Although there will be no bicycle access in Government Avenue before the World Cup, repairs and upgrades to the paving in the area will make this route more pedestrian-friendly.

The construction of an NMT route along Old Marine Drive outbound has started, but has been put on hold.

The NMT routes from Cape Town Station to the North Wharf via Thibault Square and upgrades to Shortmarket Street are expected to start soon.

Projects already under construction include NMT upgrades to Somerset and Main Roads in Green Point, the construction of a pedestrian bridge across Buitengracht at Coen Steytler Avenue, and NMT improvements to Waterkant from Adderley Streets.

Waterkant Street will be part of the official Fan Walk linking Green Point and the stadium preceinct with Cape Town station and the inner city.

Cape Town prepares for non-motorised transport revolution
Independent Online
March 16, 2010

Temporary Accommodations Won't Be Built

Temporary accommodations planned near Johannesburg -- including a proposed "container city" made of shipping containers -- will not be built, according to local officials.

Local residents are also objecting to the establishment of a tent city in Waverley.

The City of Joburg intended to pitch 40 tents for 1 500 backpackers in a park in Waverley for fans. Although the campsite is almost fully booked, residents are threatening legal action if it goes ahead.

Brian Miller, chairman of the Waverley, Highlands North Extension and Abbotsford residents' associations, said this was not a Fifa or City of Joburg project, but that of a private commercial company.

He said it had been put out to tender, but the process had been flawed.

World Cup 'tent cities' look doubtful
Independent Online
March 16, 2010

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Thousands Protest Over Poor Housing Conditions

Township residents in Soweto are protesting over their living conditions, barricading roads and demanding better housing options. More than 1,000 Sowetans participated in the recent protests, which many say are exacerbated by the country's large World Cup-related expenditures.

The protests have spread. This week, they reached Pretoria where demonstrators demanding better housing, schools, roads and sewage systems threatened to disrupt the World Cup.

Nthamaga Kgafela, a researcher at the independent South African Institute for Race Relations, said the protests had escalated since the election last year of President Jacob Zuma, whose pro-poor image had raised hopes of change.

Protests spread ahead of World Cup
Independent Online
March 10, 2010

Taxis Want to Know Role During World Cup

Taxi officials in Johannesburg are still uncertain about what, if any, role they'll play during the World Cup. The city's new bus rapid transit system is rolling, and local efforts to improve service have left the taxi industry in the shadows.

Irate South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) members told MPs on Tuesday that 93 days before the kickoff, they had yet to hear a word from Ndebele about the part their taxis would play in transporting visitors during the event.

Santaco was at a meeting of the National Assembly's transport committee to hear Department of Transport officials report on progress with the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system and other World Cup transport plans.

Taxi bosses give minister ultimatum
The Star
March 10, 2010

UK and SA to Join Police Forces During Cup

South Africa and the United Kingdom have made a deal to jointly handle policing during the World Cup, which is expected to increase the amount of police on the ground during the event -- an issue that had worried many in South Africa and beyond.

The agreement on police co-operation includes intelligence sharing, measures taken in the UK to stop hooligans travelling to South Africa and the roles and remit of each country's police forces, the department said in a statement.

SA, UK sign World Cup policing agreement
Independent Online
March 9, 2010

World Cup Revenue Not as Much as Expected

A researcher in Durban who's been focusing on the World Cup says the revenue boost expected from the World Cup will in reality be much smaller.

"All of South Africa's urban ills will not be solved by 2010," warns Dr Udesh Pillay, principal investigator and researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council who is leading their World Cup Research Project.

Over the past five years, Pillay has been researching the World Cup and South Africans' views on its benefits.

His findings also indicate that poor local ticket sales means more foreigners will have to buy tickets for the event to be a success.

2010 revenue over-rated
Daily News
March 8, 2010

Bafana Bafana Changes Mind on Home Base Again

The South African National Team has again pulled out of a prospective home base and training ground for use during the World Cup.

After negotiations last week concluding an agreement "in principle" that Sandown High School would be Bafana's training ground, it was a shock for Oupa Keele to receive news saying otherwise.

Keele, the chairman of the school's governing body, said he had received an e-mail on Tuesday from the legal department of the Fifa World Cup Organising Committee SA. The short communication informed the school that the South African team had "opted for another venue as their camp and that negotiations are terminated with immediate effect".

Bafana again homeless hosts of the World Cup
Independent Online
March 11, 2010

Friday, March 12, 2010

Nelspruit's Stadium A Sore Spot for Impoverished Locals

Nelspruit's $137 million World Cup stadium has locals angry about the lack of attention officials are paying to the city's thousands of impoverished people. This piece examines the controversy surrounding the stadium, corrupt local officials and the ignored needs of locals.

Such boasts may well turn out to be true, for South Africa has spent more than $6 billion on stadiums, roads, airports and other projects. But Nelspruit, in preparing for its own six hours of championship soccer, is instead an example of the nation at its worst, with distressing inequality — measured by some economists as the worst in the world — and an epidemic of local corruption that often leads the downtrodden to rise up in anger.

Simon Magagula lives in a mud house accessible by a dirt road whose cavities deepen with each rainfall. His doorway is a short jaunt to the new stadium. “Those who’ll benefit from this are the wealthy that already have plenty in their hand,” he said, not in resentment so much as weariness.

And indeed, with the stadium project came an infusion of money, catnip to the corrupt who congregate at the junction of money and power.

Cost of Stadium Reveals Tensions in South Africa
The New York Times
March 12, 2010

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Bar Owners Hope to Cash In With Strip Club During World Cup

This piece looks at business owners in Rustenberg who are hoping to cash in on visitors to the country for the World Cup by running a shuttle service between their bar and nearby "gentleman's club".

Lourens Opperman, 45, and Louis Coetzee, 40, own Castle Corner in Rustenburg in the North West Province where six matches will be played at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium and where the England squad will be based.

Opperman also runs a "gentlemen's club" a few kilometres out of the city where they plan to lay on a courtesy "bonk bus" to transport visitors.

"In town we have a pub and outside is the club," says Coetzee.

They will hire buses to run a shuttle service to the sprawling estate.

Laying on the ladies for the World Cup
Independent Online
March 5, 2010

Police Official Assures South Africa's Safety

South African Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa is reassuring the press that the country will be safe during the World Cup.

The host nation for this summer's finals are devoting huge resources to ensuring the fans' safety, including the deployment of 41,000 police officers.

Security has been an issue that has dogged preparations for the World Cup because of South Africa's crime rate, which is among the highest in the world.

Police chief insists South Africa safe
ESPN
March 5, 2010

Durban Stadium Heralded As City's Iconic Landmark

Locals in Durban are calling the new Moses Mabhida Stadium the city's most iconic landmark.

For Florina Maphalala, the Moses Mabhida Stadium is like Durban's table mountain, a marvel that will attract people from all walks of life for many years to come and when she speaks about the stadium, her eyes light up and her passion for the Durban landmark shines through.

Maphalala, who has been dubbed Mama 2010, is responsible for managing and running the visitors centre at the stadium. She is one of the busiest people in Durban these days and with the interest in the World Cup gaining momentum, her workload is bound to increase.

South Africa: Moses Mabhida Stadium, the Jewel of Durban
BuaNews
March 5, 2010

Soccer City Handed Over to Johannesburg

The Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg has been officially handed over to the city by its developer.

The R3,2-billion Soccer City stadium, which resembles a calabash, will host the opening ceremony, first match and final game, as well as five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarterfinal. The stadium had its seating capacity increased from 80 000 to 94 000.

Roger Jardine, chief executive of Aveng Group, said pessimists had been proved wrong. "Like an African calabash that securely stores food and drink, this calabash-inspired stadium will securely hold almost 90 000 fans who will witness the opening match of the World Cup,” said Jardine.

Soccer City up and running
Mail and Guardian
March 5, 2010

Grass Troubles Plague Nelspruit Stadium

Two failed attempts to grow the field grass at Nelspruit's Mbombela Stadium have organizers and locals worried that the stadium won't be ready to host its World Cup matches.

They now face a race against time to get the stadium ready for the first game between Honduras and Chile on June 16, followed by Italy against New Zealand on June 20. There is local speculation that another pitch failure could force Fifa to switch the fixtures to a different venue.

Conflicting official explanations of what has gone wrong served only to sow confusion on a tour of nine cities. Ronnie Moyo, a 2010 marketing and events manager who gave a guided tour of the Mbombela Stadium, said the original pitch was removed in December after failing a Fifa inspection because "25% of the pitch had clay soil".

Will the pitch Mbomb?
Mail and Guardian
March 5, 2010

Upper Classes to See Most World Cup Benefit

This economic analysis suggests that recent policies will isolate the economic benefits of the World Cup to the upper classes.

Yet amid last minute projects to ensure that the stadiums are ready to host the international teams, fine tuning of the host cities' infrastructure and overall excitement, eviction campaigns against people living in low income housing and informal traders threaten to isolate the economic gains of the tournament to the upper crust of society.

A bylaw passed by the city of Cape Town restricts informal traders or street vendors from working in the city center. A communiqué from Cape Town's mayor, Dan Plato, on 17 February described his view of the effect of a large population of informal traders: "The current trading area has ballooned out of control, congesting and obstructing walkways and lanes." So the Municipal Council has restricted trading in the city center as part of other infrastructure developments in preparation for the world cup. "The creation of public market squares, along with the upgrade and renovation of walkways will transform the Town Centre into a world-class facility. This will ensure that Mitchells Plain is regarded as a bustling economic centre that is safe, secure and financially viable," Plato's communiqué added, but without presenting alternative economic activities for informal traders.

South Africa: Preparation for World Cup Disenfranchises Poor
MediaGlobal
March 3, 2010

Zuma Says SA 'More Than Ready'

South African President Jacob Zuma claims the city is "more than ready" to host the World Cup.

"At the beginning, many people said it would be very difficult for South Africa to host this. We can say now without any fear of contradiction that we are ready, if not more than ready," said Zuma, who later just avoided missing an open goal on the hallowed Wembley turf when invited by Fabio Capello to take a penalty.

South Africa 'more than ready' to host World Cup, says Jacob Zuma
Guardian
March 4, 2010