Johannesburg's World Cup in Numbers

This piece from Sport 24 offers a few facts and figures from Johannesburg's hosting of the World Cup.

- Eighty-eight informal traders were registered to provide food to staff and volunteers.

- A total of 1 042 160 people attended matches in Johannesburg.

- Of those, 479 517 used public transport.

Joburg Cup in numbers
Sport 24
July 15, 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

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

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

Soccer City 1 Billion Rand Over Budget

Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium renovation has cost more than one-third more than initially estimated.

Johannesburg city councilman Parks Tau said Soccer City - the largest stadium built for a football World Cup, with a capacity of 90 000 - had gone R1 billion over budget to cost R3.2bn.

The venue, which will host the opening and closing matches of the June 11-July 11 tournament, was handed over to the city by the Aveng construction group with 99 days to go before it kicks off.

Soccer City R1bn over budget
Independent Online
March 3, 2010

Stadia Flaunted on Media Tour

This piece from The Sowetan takes a look inside three of the stadia to be used during the World Cup, Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Soccer City near Soweto and Super Stadium (Loftus) in Tshwane.

Come June, [local organising committee CEO Danny Jordaan] said, "This stadium is going to introduce the kind of World Cup that we want to see in South Africa. An African World Cup in a world class facility".

Stadium tours mark 100 days to World Cup kick-off (VIDEO)
The Sowetan
February 26, 2010

Johannesburg Stadium Hand Over Set for April

Officials claim that Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium will be ready in time to hand over to FIFA by April, slightly past a previously set deadline.

The initial deadline for delivery had been mid-March.

The grounds around the stadium, located between the famous township of Soweto and downtown Johannesburg, remain filled with construction equipment.

But the stadium will still be handed over Wednesday to local officials, who will then deliver it Fifa, said Sibongile Masibuko, the provincial head of World Cup preparations.

Soccer City stadium handover set for April
February 26, 2010

99-Year Lease Signed on Soccer City Stadium

The SA Football Association has signed a 99-year lease on the new Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, taking over operations from the city's department of public works.

[Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile] said the government had initially intended to donate the land. However, Stofile said in the past land grants to sports clubs had been exploited by rugby clubs.

99-year lease signed for Soccer City
Independent Online
August 7, 2009

Construction on Jahannesburg Stadium Halts

Stadium workers governed by the National Union of Mine Workers have stopped all construction work at Johannesburg's new Soccer City Stadium. The stoppage is part of a protes tover wages, in which the union is demanding that the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors increases wages by 13%.

The strike threatens the tight deadlines set for each of the new stadia being built for the 2010 World Cup.

But by midday the main 2010 World Cup venue resembled a battleground. More than 1 500 workers had swapped their picks and shovels for sticks as they toyi-toyied outside, demanding a pay rise.

Work at the opening and closing venue for next year's World Cup was brought to a standstill, with the only activity being that of the subcontractors. Even the foremen and site managers seemed at a loss and watched from inside the perimeter fence.

Work stops at Soccer City
Mail & Guardian
July 10, 2009

Soccer City Coming into Form

The brand new Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg is nearing completion. It will be the biggest stadium on the continent.

Costing R3-billion, the 94 000-capacity stadium is distinctive, resembling a huge calabash -- a hollowed-out gourd used as a cooking pot or water carrier throughout Africa.

The calabash has inspired the colouring of the orange and brown membrane that surrounds the stadium, while a ring of lights will illuminate the bottom of the building, simulating fire underneath the pot.

When it is completed later this year it will be the biggest soccer stadium in Africa.

'Spectacular' stadium will light up World Cup
Mail & Guardian
June 25, 2009

Webcams Offer Live View of Stadium Progress

This great post from Marc Forrest shows feeds from webcams monitoring construction progress at six World Cup host stadia. The following stadia are shown:

-Soccer City, Johannesburg
-Green Point Stadium, Cape Town
-Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
-Nelson Mandela Stadium, Port Elizabeth
-Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
-Peter Mokaba Complex , Polokwane

This is a very cool way to see how things are coming along. Refresh the page for the most up-to-date images.

2010 FIFA World Cup Stadium Webcams
MarcForrest.com
June 12, 2009

Using Soccer World Cup Developments to Fuel Rugby World Cup Bid

Looking to piggyback off the development and infrastructure related to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South African Rugby Union (Saru) President Oregan Hoskins is hoping to lure the either the 2015 or 2019 rugby World Cup back to South Africa, where the event was held in 1995.

"The government has been very supportive and they have provided the financial backing to allow us to complete what we believe is a compelling case to bring the Rugby World Cup back home," said Hoskins.

"South Africa in this day and age is set up to host the very biggest global sporting events and we believe we would offer rugby an unrivalled showcase for the game.

...Mark Alexander, bid Committee chairperson and Saru deputy president, said the newly refurbished 90 000-capcity Soccer City in Johannesburg would be the venue for the opening and final matches of any South African World Cup and other new stadiums, as well as existing rugby stadiums, would be used.

"South Africa is spending billions on upgrading our infrastructure and on venues to host the Fifa World Cup next year and the legacy of that tournament offers rugby an incredible opportunity to put on a spectacular tournament in ideal conditions," said Alexander.

Source:
SA Rugby Union bids for World Cup 2015 and 2019
Mail & Guardian
May 7, 2009