Begging a Major Issue for Host Cities

While much attention has been laid upon human trafficking and sex work, begging is said to be one of the major problems facing South Africa's World Cup host cities.

[C]ity officials, such as City of Johannesburg spokesman Virgil James, say they want "to convey an honest image of SA".

"Begging is not something we think tourists would enjoy, obviously not, but it is a difficult problem to solve and a difficult one to police at any time, not just during a large sports event," James says.

There are no bylaws against begging or loitering.

"It's too difficult for the city to develop some kind of regulation against something that isn't illegal, even if the act of begging can lead to criminal activities," James says.

South Africa: Tackling Begging During the World Cup
Business Day
May 31, 2010

Cruise Ships Pull Out

Luxury cruise ships that had initially planned to dock in Port Elizabeth and other coastal World Cup host cities to serve as accommodations have announced that they won't be coming for the Cup.

Some tour operators have been left licking their wounds after the trip was cancelled due to a lack of cabin bookings.

The two cruise ships, the Noordam and the Westerdam, among the most luxurious in the world, were to have docked in Port Elizabeth, Durban and Cape Town and been used as bases for fans.

Africa 4 Real Tours owner Mark Heck said the cancellation was a real blow to the industry, and especially to his company, which had been contracted to provide local transport operations for the tourists.

Luxury liners won’t be docking in PE to serve as Cup hotel
The Herald
May 24, 2010

Measuring Impact of World Cup Will Take Years

The impact of the World Cup on South Africa will take many years to fully comprehend, according to this piece form Sports Illustrated.

Historian Peter Alegi views the whole thing as "a very expensive -- and very expansive -- branding operation. The World Cup is an opportunity to show that South Africa is a modern democracy, technologically advanced, business friendly and also an attractive tourist destination."

There is much to gain from such visibility. But it also carries risks.

Argentina's tournament in 1978 is an example. The country was ruled at the time by a sinister military junta, who, while murdering some 20,000 of its citizens also wanted to use the World Cup to make propaganda for its achievements. A U.S. PR firm was engaged to broadcast the message. But the junta found it hard to understand that the international press would not act like obedient soldiers. Some of the journalists would go looking for stories -- and an excellent one was the protest organization set up by mothers of the 'disappeared.' As a result of the World Cup, their tale was told all over the planet, bringing home to millions the true nature of the regime. There was no PR triumph, and the regime was not mourned anywhere when it collapsed five years later.

Legacy of South Africa's World Cup will take many years to measure
Sports Illustrated
May 26, 2010

Cape Town Accused of Cleaning Poor From Streets Ahead of Cup

Cape Town residents are accusing the city of forcibly moving poor people outside of the city center ahead of the World Cup. Local officials deny that this is a clean-up operation.

Homeless people claim they have been forced off the streets and taken there in an attempt to "clean up" before kick-off next month.

The city denies this, saying it is part of general policy.

"There has not and will not be a concerted clean-up campaign," said city spokesperson Kylie Hatton.

Cape Town's clean-up
Mail & Guardian
May 21, 2010

Making South Africa's World Cup More South African

This piece from The New York Times looks at how South Africans have pushed against the corporate bent of the FIFA World Cup to make it a little more accessible to its people.

“This is not our World Cup,” explained Greg Fredericks, a senior manager for South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee. He noted the dominant role of FIFA, soccer’s Zurich-based world governing body. “It is FIFA’s World Cup. We are just the organizers. We are the stage.”

That might have been the end of the story, except that this is South Africa, the country that ended a vicious system of racial segregation 16 years ago to create a noisy, fractious, vibrant democracy. Poking a finger in the eye of authority is part of the national DNA.

And so South Africans have pushed back — to get easier access to tickets, to see their wealth of musicians included in the FIFA concert and to ensure that more World Cup souvenirs were made in South Africa. Along the way, they have won modest victories that will give the slickly marketed, corporate-branded, monthlong sports spectacular splashes of African authenticity.

South Africa Pushes to Make the Cup Its Own
The New York Times
May 23, 2010

Russia Proposes $340 Million Investment in Stadia for 2018/2022 Cup

Russia is expecting to invest about $340 million on new stadia if it wins the right to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

"Sufficient funds have been allocated by the government for the reconstruction of existing bases, pitches, and infrastructure," [Russian Football Union head Sergei Fursenko] said. "Around 340 million until 2015 is expected to be spent on these needs."

He added that 13 new stadiums would be built for the tournament, and that even if Russia was unsuccessful in its bid, "we will build six stadiums in any case."

Russia to invest $340 million in football infrastructure
Rian
May 18, 2010

Foreign Visitor Expectations Fall Again

South African tourism officials are now estimating that only 300,000 foreign visitors will come to the country during the World Cup. This is down from an initial prediction of 450,000 and a reduced prediction only a month ago of about 375,000.

"It may be a little bit less than what we expected ... but four years ago nobody expected the global recession," [tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk] said, quickly adding: "But it is still a lot of people. Our stadiums are going to be full, it is going to an exceptionally good World Cup."

Of the 230 000 foreign fans who have bought tickets, Van Schalkwyk said just 11 300 are African -- 76% less than originally forecast for the first World Cup on African soil.

SA expects 300 000 World Cup visitors
Mail & Guardian
May 19, 2010

South Africa Asks Visitors to Help Conserve Energy During the Cup

Visitors to South Africa are being asked to help conserve electricity during the World Cup, as power supplies are expected to be pushed to their limits.

Power utility Eskom said in a statement that supplies would very likely be sufficient during the month-long World Cup starting on June 11 but called on the public to use electricity sparingly.

"It is expected that more than 200,000 tourists will arrive in South Africa during the next few weeks and although electricity supply is expected to be sufficient over this period, cold winter temperatures combined with high electricity demand are likely to place Eskom under additional pressure," the utility's Nosipho Maphumulo said.

Foreign visitors will be warned to conserve power through public announcements on flights and notices posted on airline seat tables and in flight magazines.

World Cup fans asked to save electricity
Reuters
May 18, 2010

Brazil Eyes $20 Billion Investment in 2014 World Cup

Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva has said the country will need to invest moe than $20 billion in stadia, transportation and infrastructure as it prepares to host the 2014 World Cup.

Silva said Wednesday that 53 transportation projects were in the planning stage and some had already been contracted.

Brazil: We must spend $20 billion on World Cup
Associated Press
May 20, 2010

Hawkers Flood Port Elizabeth With Applications to Vend at World Cup

More than 1,200 businesses have applied for licenses to trade wares at World Cup events in Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth).

The municipality said in a statement it was soliciting more applications so traders could “apply for a slice of the 2010 Fifa World Cup cake”.

Municipalities and Fifa had recently come under attack from hawkers and traders who said they had been excluded from conducting business around World Cup events.

More than 1200 trader applications for World Cup
The Herald
May 14, 2010

Township Residents Fuming Over Lack of Participation in Local Events

People in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra are vowing to disrupt any FIFA operations in their area. They're upset over what they say was a lack f coordination between the residents and the city, which they say pulled out of talks to have locals more involved in events.

"If you will not deal with us in good faith, we will also show you that it is our township and nothing will happen in this township, nothing will happen in Alexandra without our participation."

The statement followed a protest last week that resulted in talks with the City of Johannesburg. The businesspeople claimed the city backtracked on a promise made by local councillors to give them contracts for cleaning, catering, printing and providing linen, and called discussions a "smokescreen".

'Fifa have not bought Alexandra'
Independent Online
May 25, 2010

Joburg Officials Try to Dispel Soccer City Congestion Fears

Officials in Johannesburg are trying to allay fears that the World Cup matches in the city will be burdened with the same traffic congestion that hounded the opening of Soccer City Stadium last week.

City officials on Monday promised to fix major traffic problems that disrupted the inaugural match at the World Cup's showpiece stadium in Johannesburg, causing concern about the soccer spectacular.

The problems on Saturday caused fans to miss both the opening ceremony at Soccer City and part of an historic rugby match in Soweto's new Orlando arena.

Huge traffic jam causes World Cup worry
Reuters
May 24, 2010

Durban Business Owners Losing Out Over Stadium Vending Closures

Small business owners who'd hoped to cash in on their locations within the new Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban are now being told they won't be allowed to work in their vending slots until after the World Cup is over. They had previously thought they'd only have to close for official FIFA-approved vendors on match days.

Security concerns have been blamed for the closure, costing several people their jobs and the businesses millions of rands in lost income.

All activities at the R3.1 billion stadium must stop from Monday until July 14, as world soccer governing body Fifa takes over the facility to prepare for the football extravaganza.

Jobs, millions lost in stadium shutdown

Polokwane Takes World Cup Preparations Beyon Stadium

Polokwane and the Limpopo Provincial government are hoping their preparations for the World Cup will help foster relations between African countries.

These include a newly built tourism and information centre that will be utilized to attract tourists to the City of Stars and upgraded infrastructure such as roads and bridges. City officials have also incorporated a unique feature in the province's world cup fan fare programme by developing what has been named a 'cultural village', aimed at giving the World Cup an African feel. Organisers say the African village will also be used as a tourist attraction site in which 10 different African countries will showcase their heritage and culture. Plans are under way to ensure the idea is used to foster relations among African countries beyond the World Cup.

South Africa: Limpopo Ready for World Cup- Motlanthe
Bua News
May 23, 2010

Port Elizabeth's White Elephant Stadium

People in Port Elizabeth are worried about the long-term viability of its new stadium. Economists are arguing that the stadium won't be able to pay for its maintenance costs after the World Cup is over.

"In the South African case, all the stadiams were either renovated or constructed by the government. That means that the commercial consideration was never primary," said economist Stan du Plessis of Stellenbosch University.

"Some of these stadiums are simply not going to be in a position to cover their running costs. In that sense, they will be loss making."

'South Africans left with white elephants'
Independent Online
May 23, 2010

Host Cities Sweeping Vagrants and Prostitutes Off Streets

Street children, prostitutes and vagrants are being swept from the streets in South Africa's World Cup host cities. They are being relocated to places with services, according to some officials, but other say they are being put in concentration camps. Street vendors and advocates are outraged.

As the continent's biggest economy, South Africa's streets are a magnet for immigrant beggars, who see the country as a step out of poverty.

In the last two months, police in Johannesburg swooped on mainly Zimbabwean blind beggars who roam the busy streets and women who sit with babies at road intersections - much to the anger of rights groups.

"Their presence violates the city bylaws and we arrest them. In many cases those in need, like women with children and disabled people, are referred to places of safety, where they can access welfare services," said Edna Mamonyane, spokeswoman for the Johannesburg Metro Police.

Poor, prostitutes removed from streets
Independent Online
May 18, 2010

Australia Announces Big Infrastructure Investments for Prospective World Cup Bids

With three new stadia and nine renovations planned, Australia is planning to spend nearly $2.5 billion on infrastructure projects if it is chosen to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Three new stadiums would be built in Perth, Canberra and Blacktown in Sydney's western suburbs, while nine venues in other cities would be upgraded, the FFA said in a statement.

"The infrastructure investment will leave a legacy to all sporting codes in the nation before and after the FIFA World Cup for generations to come," FFA Chairman Frank Lowy said.

Australia World Cup infrastructure to cost $2.48 billion
Reuters via Sports Illustrated
May 16, 2010

Bribe Comments From the Top Hurt England's 2018/2022 Bid

After the release of a secretly recorded tape in which he suggested that Russia and Spain would try to collude and bribe their way into hosting an upcoming World Cup, the leader of England's Football Association and World Cup Bid Team has resigned. He claims the bribe comments were not meant to be taken seriously. England's bid team has issued formal apologies to the bid teams in Russia and Spain, and some now question whether this controversy will hurt England's chances of being selected as host of either the 2018 or 2022 World Cups. England was thought to be the favorite to win hosting duties for 2018.

The Mail on Sunday revelations came only two days after former England captain David Beckham had helped the FA submit a 1,752-page bid book as they try to persuade Fifa to award England the 2018 World Cup.

"I have decided to resign as chairman of the FA and the 2018 Bid board," Triesman said in a statement.

"A private conversation with someone whom I thought to be a friend was taped without my knowledge and passed to a national newspaper," he added, referring to former aide Melissa Jacobs, who met Triesman a fortnight ago.

Lord Triesman quits FA and 2018 World Cup bid jobs
BBC
May 16, 2010

Japan Emphasizes 3D in its Bid to Host the 2022 World Cup

Citing its predominance in the world of high technology, Japan is bolstering its bid to host the 2022 World Cup through its ability to present matches in 3D. Officials are also touting the nation's recent co-hosting run in 2002, and its financial ability to build the stadia necessary to host the event.

[Japan's soccer chief Motoaki Inukai] insisted there would be no financial barriers to staging the World Cup in 2022 if Japan were named as hosts by FIFA in December.

"If Tokyo had won the (2016) Olympic bid it would have simplified things a lot," he said, referring to the construction of an 80,000 capacity stadium required under FIFA rules.

"Osaka raised their hand and have signed off on the stadium so it will be built. If Japan are chosen as World Cup hosts there will be no (financial) concerns at all."

Japan offers 'Avatar'-style 2022 World Cup
Reuters
May 17, 2010

Xenophobic Attacks Feared to Rise After World Cup

Migrants from Zimbabwe and other nearby countries who have flooded into South Africa looking for work are being threatened with violence by locals who say the foreigners are stealing their jobs.

This week, two years after the start of the 2008 riots that left scores dead across the country, a consortium of leading migration organisations said it had received reports by foreign nationals that they were being threatened with violence after the tournament.

"These threats are coming from many different people: neighbours, colleagues, taxi drivers, passersby, but also from nurses, social workers and police officers," said Cormsa, whose members include Amnesty International, the South African Red Cross Society, and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation . "Some of those making the threats believe that they have the support of senior political leaders," it said.

Warning of xenophobic violence in South Africa after World Cup
Guardian
May 17, 2010