2010 Soccer world cup host cities undergo assessment

By Ofentse Mokae
06 April 2010

With less than 70 days to go before kick-off to the 2010 FIFA World Cup parliamentarians have embarked on a week-long visit to all the Cup Host Cities to get first-hand information on the preparations for the event.

The visit which starts today follows an establishment of a Joint Committee that will assess the country's readiness for the world's biggest soccer event on the African continent.

Members to the committee are drawn from eight National Assembly Committees including transport, tourism and energy.

Energy committee chairwoman Elizabeth Thabethe says the delegation has been divided into two, one focusing on the inland Host Cities and another on the coastal ones.

“Once these delegations are in the Host Cities, they will break into smaller groups that will focus on aspects that include road construction, stadia and fan parks, clinics and hospitals; tourism and hotels,” said Thabethe.

Last week Arts and Culture Minister Lulu Xingwana met with a delegation of South African artist to discuss their concerns around the lack of South African and African artists participating in the FIFA June 10 concert at Orlando Stadium.

They argued that during the tournament the artistic programme should reflect a holistic African experience and that the June 10 concert at Orlando Stadium in particular should have 80% representation from South African and African artists.

A fellow up meeting was conducted by the ministry with the 2010 Local Organizing Committee on Thursday.

The LOC CEO, Dr Danny Jordaan, shared the same sentiments with those of the artists.

He indicated that it would be important to take the concerns of artists further with FIFA and the organizers.

A meeting with FIFA and the concert organizers is scheduled to happen within two weeks time.

Two-day public hearings are due to be held at parliament after the visits in which the 10 FIFA guarantees and any other matters of interest relating to the event will be assessed.