How cities and countries get ready for big events like the World Cup and the Olympics, what challenges they face, and what opportunities these mega-events can create.
While most South Africans will be relaxing over the holidays, the 2010 Organising Committee and the more than 37 000 shortlisted volunteers will be hard at work.
The selection process begins in earnest next month, committee spokesperson Rich Mkhondo said yesterday.
Volunteers would be selected from a shortlist of 37 080 people, who were pre-selected from 64 500 initial applications from South Africa and abroad.
The group of about 700 young volunteers, organised by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, has embarked on a massive clean-up campaign under the banner “New Vision for 2010.”
They want to ensure that Johannesburg, and its surrounds are spotless during the biggest sporting event to be held in this country.
The spokeswoman for the group, Nametso Mofokeng, said the volunteers were hoping that soccer lovers and tourists would be greeted by a ‘ ‘clean and fresh host city”.
‘‘Litter is a big problem in the city centre and young people are eager to make a difference,” said Mofokeng.
‘‘The city [council] is trying its best to clean up, but the problem is too big. That is why we are coming on board.”
She said the project wanted to recruit more than a thousand people, plus the homeless and hawkers.
