Troubled Future for South Africa's World Cup Stadia

With few takers seeking to occupy the new stadia built for the World Cup, concerns hang heavy over South Africa's World Cup host cities and the investments they made in sports infrastructure.

There’s virtually no way that South Africa’s football, rugby, and cricket teams will have use for ten stadia, all of which hold at least 45,000 people (Soccer City stadium, pictured at left, holds 95,000). In the 2009-2010 season, South Africa’s Premiere Football League played 212 games — only four drew more than 40,000 fans, according to Sports Industry magazine. Five of these stadia are brand new, built just for the World Cup. Many of them have been built on land that could have been used for much-needed housing. The costs of maintaining these structures — from regular building maintenance to power to security — are big enough to raise the question of whether, and how, they will be kept up

Will the World Cup Stadia Become South Africa’s New Slums?
The Infrastructurist
July 13, 2010

What Future Beyond the Cup?

As the World Cup fades away in South Africa, locals are left wondering whether the investment was worthwhile, and how the government will shift its focus to the country's pressing social and economic problems.

[I]t remains to be seen if the enthusiasm and unity fostered by the World Cup can be sustained, or if a national torpor will overtake a fractious country in which much of the population lacks basic services. If the resolve that led to a successful tournament can be marshaled to provide needed services, it could be testament to the power of sport to improve lives. But South Africans are wary that once the enthusiasm of the tournament dissipates, this country of 48 million people will return to normal, which is to say 25 percent unemployment and wide disparities between the rich and the poor.

South Africa Wonders What Lies Beyond the Cup
The New York Times
July 12, 2010

LOC Says South Africa Can Handle Olympics

South Africa's 2010 Local Organizing Committee head says that the country's hosting of the World Cup proves that it is capable of hosting other major events, including the Olympics.

"This World Cup has helped change the image of South Africa, achieved an image makeover of the country, almost a rebranding of the country. And also a demonstration of the capacity of the country," said [Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the 2010 organising committee].

The infrastructure investment required to deliver Africa's first World Cup was the subject of intense argument, but organisers consistently claimed that changing perceptions of potential investors and tourists would be a key benefit.

Now for the Olympics, says man who brought World Cup to South Africa
Guardian
July 11, 2010

Brazil Invests in Transit Ahead of 2014 World Cup

As Brazil prepares to host the next World Cup in 2014, its government is planning to invest heavily in urban mobility systems in its 12 host cities.

Twelve Brazilian cities have been selected to host World Cup matches. These cities now face a daunting but exciting challenge: to seize this opportunity to boost urban transit systems in a meaningful and lasting way. World Cup transit investments — meant to help Brazilian cities manage the estimated 2.98 billion additional visitors that the Cup will generate — have the potential to improve quality of life, safety and accessibility in Brazilian cities long after the Cup is over.

The federal government has set aside R$7.68 billion (US$4.34 billion) for “urban mobility” infrastructure improvements in host cities; state and local governments have committed an additional R$3.8 billion (about US$2.15 billion), bringing the total to R$11.48 billion (US$6.48 billion). Private investments will increase this figure. Ideally, transit projects should be nearly complete by the Confederations Cup, which will Brazil will host in 2013 as a prelude to the World Cup.

Spotlight on the World Cup: Brazil Gears Up for Games with Urban Transit Investments
The City Fix
July 9, 2010

Using The World Cup as a Springboard

Officials in South Africa are saying that the country needs to use its success hosting the World Cup to continue to make progress as a nation.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup has formed a basis on which real opportunities can be built and the potential it has provided must be expanded, the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said on Monday.

"This event has provided a positive impetus to economic trends which may not have otherwise have existed," Sacci said in a statement.

World Cup 'a basis to make progress'
Fin 24
July 12, 2010

South Africans: Was World Cup Worth it?

With the 2010 World Cup now over, locals are asking the inevitable question: was the World Cup worth the effort and investment?

The government certainly seems to believe so, which a cynic might point out is hardly surprising given that many of the governing elite and their friends and families treated the World Cup as an opportunity to party for a month at the taxpayer's expense. But this is not a time for cynicism, especially since there are clear indications that the goodwill South Africans of all colours and classes exhibited towards each other during the honeymoon period after 1994 has made a welcome comeback as a direct result of the World Cup.

South Africa: Was the World Cup Worthwhile?
Business Day
July 12, 2010

South Africans: Now What?

Now that the 2010 World Cup has ended, locals in South Africa are left wondering what will come after the event that has dominated the nation's attention for years.

Sport's biggest showpiece was six years in the planning and came to define the national agenda, shaping budget priorities, infrastructure development and daily conversations from townships to vineyards.

Over the past month it has put South Africa at the centre of the sporting world, silencing the critics with its smooth operation and vuvuzela-blowing joie de vivre. It has helped challenge the way Africa is perceived around the world.

But when the final whistle blows at tonight's final between Holland and Spain at Soccer City, and the global gaze shifts elsewhere, it will leave a World Cup-shaped hole in many South Africans' lives. Tomorrow morning they will wake up with one almighty hangover.

South Africans ponder life after the World Cup
Guardian
July 11, 2010

Johannesburg Crime Down During World Cup

Crime is markedly down in Johannesburg during the World Cup, which has some locals calling for the city to sustain its increased police presence after the World Cup ends.

Facing unprecedented global attention, South Africa dedicated more than 40,000 police officers to World Cup security. But many have been paid overtime, which will be unsustainable in the long term.

[Clive Humphrey, managing director of ADT in South Africa's northern region], called on the government to consolidate the gains. "We're just desperately hopeful the levels of policing to sustain the visibility can be maintained. If they don't, we all fear crime will return to the levels we saw before the World Cup."

World Cup kicks violent South African crime into touch
The Guardian
July 9, 2010

Blatter Backs SA Bid for 2020 Olympics

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has annonced that he will fully back South Africa if any of its cities choose to bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

South Africa's successful hosting of the World Cup has increased its prospects of hosting the event when bidding opens for the 2020 Games. President Jacob Zuma told reporters last week that South Africa was up to the task.

The International Olympic Committee awarded the 2016 Games to Brazil, making it the first time a South American country will host the games. This will leave Africa as the only continent yet to stage the Olympics.

South Africa: Olympics Hopes Get Blatter's Backing
Bua News
July 9, 2010

Cape Town Fan Walk Likely Here to Stay

Officials in Cape Town are planning to keep the Fan Walk pedestrianized link between the Green Point Stadium and the central business district as an ongoing public amenity. The Fan Walk will be closed to traffic during large events at the stadium.

Beach Road in Sea Point could also be "vehicle-free" on weekends if a plan by local ward councillor JP Smith gets the go-ahead from residents and the council.

Smith said the fan walk would most probably be a permanent feature in the future.

"I've had a number of conversations with residents, but people are divided. But in future, when we do have large events, we should have it."

Fan walk here to stay
Cape Times
July 9, 2010

Delays Threaten Sao Paulo's Hosting Duties for 2014

Sao Paulo's hosting of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil are still up in the air, as progress on the city's stadium have been mired in delays. FIFA officials and Local Organizing Committee head Ricardo Texeira are warning that the city needs to speed up its preparations.

Sao Paulo's plans were thrown into confusion last month when the committee and world governing body FIFA dropped the proposed venue, the Morumbi stadium, because the city had failed to provide financial guarantees for the renovation of the arena.

"If Sao Paulo wants to host the opening game or the competition as a whole, the deadline is getting close," Teixeira told reporters.

Time running out for Sao Paulo 2014 hopes
Reuters
July 8, 2010

Port Elizabeth Booms During Cup

Businesses and tourism officials in Port Elizabeth are reporting high visitation rates and economic activity resulting from its hosting of World Cup matches.

"We are expecting the influx of supporters for these teams will translate into high rand figures. The World Cup has been very good for us," Chuene said.

Port Elizabeth's Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Percci) said many of its retail and tourism sector members had reported an increase in turnover.

PE to cash in on the World Cup
Independent Online
July 9, 2010

Brazilian Host Cities Back On Track

Despite complaints from FIFA just two months ago, Brazilian host cities are reportedly on track to meet stadium deadlines ahead of the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA awarded the 2014 World Cup hosting rights six years ago, but Brazil has barely begun building and renovating the 12 stadiums it needs. [Brazil football federation president Ricardo] Teixeira said that "the situation is completely different" to when [FIFA secretary general Jerome] Valcke spoke.

"Some of the stadia have commenced building. We have already defined exactly what's going to be happening in terms of budgets for the construction up to December," he said, although he failed to highlight any specific details.

Brazil 2014 preparations "on track"
ESPN
July 10, 2010

Mistakes to Avoid for Brazil's 2014 World Cup

Despite claims that the 2010 FIFA World Cup went off "nearly perfectly", mistakes were made, and there is room for improvement over the next four years as the tournament prepares to head to Brazil, according to this article.

The tournament may have at times been a playground for the world's rich and famous, with celebrities flocking to South Africa's biggest cities to soak up some of the action, but on the ground there was still considerable ground for improvement.

At the top of this list was the issue of tickets and making sure there is no repeat in Brazil of the vast empty spaces we saw, especially in the group phase. FIFA's insistence before the tournament that 97% of tickets had been sold hardly seemed credible. If that was indeed the case, then huge amounts of seats earmarked for the so-called "football family" - mainly sponsors and VIP bigwigs - were not taken up and needs to be thoroughly re-examined as a principle.

Lessons to learn before Brazil 2014
ESPN
July 10, 2010

Cape Town: Where Walking Is An Option

This post from ESPN discusses the poor walking environment in Johannesburg, and the safer and more walkable urban realm of Cape Town.

Cape Town is different. Police and security guards line pedestrian corridors and populate street corners, so that it's possible for people of all races to stroll from pub to club to restaurant after midnight without ever dealing with an automobile.

In the grand scheme of things, that's a recipe for safety. The security of car travel is an illusion here; highway wrecks were a common sight. I counted six in one day early in the tournament, and the tournament opened with a tragedy when Nelson Mandela's 13-year-old great-granddaughter died after the opening concert, the victim of a drunk driver.

A stroll in South Africa -- weird, huh?
ESPN
July 5, 2010

Thanks to urban planning student Linden Weiswerda for the link!

Success on Cape Town's Fan Walk

This post from Cool Town Studios gives a favorable review of the Cape Town Fan Walk, a pedestrianized 1.6 mile/2.6 kilometer promenade connecting the Green Point Stadium with the central business district.

You can’t ask for a more entertaining walk, or rather, experience. What’s more, it’ll be a cultural showcase of the best Cape Town and South Africa have to offer in terms of local food (braai, potije, boerewors, gourjons…) to local entertainment (from live bands to drum circles).

Now, in the spirit of crowdsourcing, with the tremendous success of the Fan Walk demonstrated by the enthusiastic crowds, should there by any surprise that the local government is now looking at making it more of a permanent feature?

Also linked this video about planning the Fan Fest:



Cape Town’s spectacular World Cup fan walk
Cool Town Studios
July 9, 2010

Zuma: $4.3 Billion Was Worth It

South African President Jacob Zuma says the 33 billion Rand (~$4.3 billion USD) spent by the national treasury to host the World Cup was a worthy investment. He specifically cited long-term improvements to communications and transportation infrastructure, as well as social improvements.

But the social impact had been even greater, he said, as black and white fans packed into stadiums and fan parks together, 16 years after the first all-race elections ended white-minority rule.

"The social benefits are priceless. We have seen remarkable unity, patriotism and solidarity being displayed by South Africans, which has never been witnessed before," Zuma told an investment meeting.

Zuma hails World Cup benefits
Sport 24
July 7, 2010

Foreign Visitors Top 1 Million Mark During World Cup

More than a million foreign visitors have come to South Africa during the World Cup period, according to figures from the Home Affairs department.

The Movement Control System (MCS), which was launched by Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and linked to Sars and law enforcement agencies, had enabled the country to monitor movements of persons entering the country, particularly during the period leading up to and during the various phases of the World Cup.

In that regard, the MCS recorded a total number of foreigners visiting the country from June 1 to July 1 as 1 020 321 compared to 819 495 for the same period in 2009. This represented an increase of 200 826 or 25%.

1 million tourists enter SA
Sport 24
July 4, 2010

Stadia Need Rugby To Break Even

Officials are calling on South African rugby teams to take up the new or upgraded World Cup stadia as their new homes to help offset the costs of building them for the event. But some are unwilling to move.

[W]hile the world champion Springboks are set to play their archrivals, the New Zealand All Blacks, at Soccer City next month, other rugby sides are reluctant to move from their homes to the new stadiums, indicating tough prospects ahead for the future upkeep of the new venues.

"I think that clearly there will have to be good balance of both football and rugby together to ensure proper use of the stadiums," said Danny Jordaan, the chief organiser of South Africa's hosting of the World Cup.

Rugby, soccer must pay for stadiums
Independent Online
July 4, 2010

World Cup Creates Up to 50,000 Permanent Jobs

New estimates predict that more than 50,000 permanent jobs have been created by the World Cup.

Gillian Saunders, the principal of Grant Thornton Strategic Solutions, said on Friday that between 20 000 and 50 000 sustainable jobs could be created in South Africa as result of the World Cup.

This is in line with the 50 000 jobs created during the 2006 event in Germany.

Cup tally may top 50 000 permanent jobs
Business Report
June 28, 2010