Pretoria was a hive of activity on Monday with last-minute preparations for Tuesday’s inauguration of President-elect Thabo Mbeki at the Union Buildings and the simultaneous celebration of South Africa’s 10th year of democracy.
With security forces keeping an eye over the city, VIPs have started trickling into Gauteng from all over the world.
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe was among the first to arrive, landing at Waterkloof military air base on Sunday.
Other dignitaries to have arrived by noon on Monday included the presidents of Gambia, Chile and Dominica, the prime minister of Mauritius, the vice-president of Brazil and the governor general of the Solomon Islands, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
Delegates have also arrived from Finland, Mexico, China, Panama, the Seychelles, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Poland, Sudan, Yemen, Switzerland, the United States, Oman and the world football governing body, Fifa.
The government has budgeted about R90-million for Tuesday’s festivities, which will culminate in a music concert featuring about 200 artists on the lawns of the Union Buildings from 2pm to 7pm.
About 40 000 people are expected to attend the celebrations — not including an estimated 6 000 invited guests. About 40 presidents and royalty, 10 prime ministers and 43 ministerial delegations have been billed to attend.
Event manager Carl Niehaus said the budget is made up of about R60-million for the inauguration — including security and accommodating the visiting heads of state — and another R30-million for the 10th anniversary of democracy celebration party.
The R60-million, he added, is roughly the same amount spent on inaugurations in 1999 and 1994 — taking inflation into account.
On the security side, national police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Selby Bokaba said no problems are anticipated.
”There is no indication so far of any threat whatsoever to the event,” he said on Monday.
Police members from all over the country started arriving in Pretoria last Wednesday for special duties. The round-the-clock operation involves several specialised units such as the task force, bomb squad, dog and equestrian units as well as members of the metro police forces of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg, and soldiers attached to the special forces.
Their duties since last Thursday have included regular explosives sweeps of the hotels hosting VIPs — mostly in Johannesburg — as well as the Union Buildings and surrounding areas, Bokaba said.
Visible policing along the main routes into Pretoria had been boosted considerably, and crime prevention operations have been held in the city’s hotspots.
A no-fly zone was being enforced around the Union Buildings, and several streets in the area will be closed from 4am to 10pm on Tuesday. Streets in the vicinity of the State Theatre, Caledonian Stadium and Supersport Park in Centurion, from where guests and journalists will be ferried to the Union Buildings, will also be affected.
The day will start early for many, gathering from 2am at Supersport Park.
Guests will be entertained from 6am at the Union Buildings, followed by the induction of the country’s third democratically elected president at about 10.30am. This will be followed by air displays, a national salute and a military parade. Lunch will be served from 2pm.
A hundred big-screen televisions have been placed at venues around the country for a live broadcast of the events for those unable to attend in person.
South African missions will host similar festivities in several countries worldwide.
”Every attempt has been made to ensure that South Africans participate in this ceremony in a manner that will harness a sense of inclusivity, humility and a common nationhood in our pursuit to build a country united in its diversity,” the government said last week. — Sapa
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