The president punched the sky and leapt into the air as ordinary South Africans laughed, cried, danced and hugged when the country was named the host of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. On landing, President Thabo Mbeki was inundated with hugs and kisses from minister and deputy ministers.
”Fifa has made the right decision. It’s time to go out an celebrate,” said Mbeki as the bells of the Union Buildings in Pretoria rang out in celebration.
Moments earlier, Mbeki and approximately 200 guests had stared stony-faced at the television screens beaming live footage from Zurich, as Fifa president Sepp Blatter made his pre-announcement speech.
Blatter told a news conference at the World Trade Centre in Zurich the vote was over in the first round with South Africa receiving 14 votes to Morocco’s 10.
”We can all applaud Africa. The victor is football. The victor is Africa,” Blatter said.
The win came four years after South Africa lost the bid to host the 2006 event by one vote to Germany.
The South African delegation in Zurich, including former president Nelson Mandela, erupted in noisy celebrations, international news agencies reported.
Mandela, the country’s favourite pensioner, said: ”I feel like a young man of 50 … The beauty of this victory is that we were dealing with highly capable competitors.”
Five countries originally bid to hold the event, but Libya was asked to withdraw and Tunisia voluntarily pulled out of the race on Friday. The two countries were hoping to co-host the competition.
The secretary general of the Egyptian Soccer Federation was devastated that his country did not secure a single vote despite getting the second-highest marks in a technical report in the run-up to the decision.
”I can’t comprehend what’s happened. I never felt that our chances were very great, but I never imagined that we wouldn’t get a single vote,” Adly al-Qaei was quoted as saying.
”We had all the capabilities to organise the tournament, but we couldn’t convince a single member.”
The Moroccans, who were seen as the main threat to the South African favourites, failed in their fourth bid to be the first African and first Arab country to host the finals.
”Today Blatter used all his weight to influence the outcome of the vote,” a member of the Morocco 2010 organising committee told the RTM radio station, agencies reported.
”He is the master of Fifa and decides everything,” he added.
South Africa came to a standstill moments before Blatter’s announcement. As Blatter drew the card stating ”South Africa” from the envelope, the country erupted with jubilation.
Blaring hooters and firecrackers rocked the Five Roses Bowl in Mofolo, Soweto, as thousands of township residents and their white countrymen celebrated.
Thrilled residents felt that the South African bid company, led by Irvin Khoza and Danny Jordaan, strengthened their presentation immeasurably by involving Mandela.
”He held the ace for us. Mandela represents everything that is good and vibrant and positive about South Africa,” said Gugu Sibiya.
Mangethe Zwane, a former soccer player for Zola Young Stars, commended Khoza and Jordaan on a job well done.
”They have put in a wonderful effort. His sleepless nights are definitely over. We are very excited,” he said.
”Doors are opening wide for every South African. A man in the street is guaranteed a job now.”
At Cape Town’s Good Hope Centre the crowd of several thousand erupted in spontaneous cheering, dancing, crying, laughing, high-fives, handshakes and kissing anyone in sight. On stage, VIPs, including Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, provincial minister of sport and cultural affairs Chris Stali and Cape Town Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo could barely contain their glee.
People streamed from the centre into the street, where festivities continued amid car and minibus taxi hooters blaring.
About 2 500 revellers on Mary Fitzgerald square in Johannesburg leapt for joy, waved South African flags and blew vuvuzela horns.
Durban was quick off the mark, with eThekwini Mayor Obed Mlaba lobbying for the city to hold the final match in the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
”We have the biggest soccer fan base in the country, the best accommodation facilities, wonderful leisure and recreation facilities; security that has been tried and tested with international heads of state like the Non-Allied Movement conference and the racism conference; and then, of course, a great stadium,” he said in his victory speech at King’s Park Soccer Stadium.
Recently appointed Minster of Sport and Recreation Makenkisi Stofile had a good start to his new position by doing his bit to help South Africa secure the bid.
Stofile and Brazil’s Fifa representative, Ricardo Teixeira, just happen to be the best of friends and it was the new minister who managed to convince Teixeira to cast his vote in favour of South Africa.
This was confirmed by the sports ministry on Saturday.
United Cricket Board of South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola said: ”Cricket was fortunate enough to host a World Cup last year and the legacy will have a lasting effect on the game for many, many years to come. I have no doubt that the entire country will enjoy the same benefits of football’s success for generations to come. Well done!”
The leader of the Democratic Alliance, Tony Leon, said: ”We have proved that when South Africa makes success the number one priority, we are virtually unstoppable.”
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk said: ”This is the single most important boost ever for South African tourism. We will be ready.”
The New National Party also congratulated the bid committee.
”They have done South Africa proud,” NNP spokesperson Carol Johnson said in a statement.
Entrance fees to World Cup 2010 soccer matches should be affordable for the poor and jobs and tenders that come out of the bid must be distributed fairly, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania president Motsoko Pheko said on Saturday.
When a traffic jam becomes a party
Nelisa Ndabeni, swaying with the wave of nervous anticipation among the 20 000-strong crowd at Vodaworld in Midrand, held her rosary high for an entire hour before South Africa was named as host of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
”My goodness,” said the 25-year-old who wants to be the first volunteer for the soccer spectacle. ”There is divine intervention here. God wants us to have this World Cup. He wants us to have it because our people need work. It will be our miracle to improve our economy and give us employment opportunities.”
Ndabeni was unaware of the 11th-hour miracle that had come South Africa’s way via new Minister of Sport and Recreation Makenkisi Stofile. who apparently clinched the deal by gaining the vote of bosom buddy Ricardo Teixeira of Brazil.
”If we get the World Cup, it will make many miracles happen in our country,” she whispered as silence fell like a heavy blanket over the crowd when the giant screen showed the envelope being handed to Fifa president Sepp Blatter in Zurich. It was a moment when the nation prayed as one.
From that silent vacuum the sound came as an explosion when the letter ”S” showed on the card being drawn from the envelope. Tears of joy flowed freely amid the jubilant eruption of cheering and dancing.
Basetsana formed a circle of joy. They are the ”little girls” of South African soccer and the juniors formed a dancing, cheering circle with an energy that became contagious for all around them. Viewed from above, they were the eye of the celebrating storm.
”Thank you Madiba,” said 17-year-old Basetsana team captain Dipuo Maboe during the live music and fireworks. ”I am so happy to see South Africa taking the lead and I thank former president [Nelson] Mandela to do all this stuff for us.
”This is going to make soccer in South Africa even better for all of us, boys and girls. Our team wants to play in the soccer women’s World Cup and we want to play for South Africa at the Olympics in Beijing.”
”South Africa will never be the same again,” yelled Basetsana’s assistant coach, Joseph Mkohonza. ”Look how together we are and the World Cup has not even started yet. So many things are going to change for us. Now we must start preparing to host an excellent World Cup.”
On the fringe of the dancing, Alfred Maphula — a Rasta with shoulder-length dreadlocks — charged 10 bucks a shot as he painted South African flags on faces. And they were queuing up fast.
”Tell all of South Africa we must be proud of our country. We are who we are because of Mandela. We have Madiba to thank for where we are now and I want to thank FW de Klerk for what he did for South Africa when he handed over power. We can all be proudly South African.”
Patrick Nobadula and Strike Nhisi, South African flags freshly painted on their faces, both said that they knew South Africa had won the hosting of the World Cup after Mandela had made his presentation of Friday.
”But still, right up until the final moment, you can be as sure as you want to be, but you just don’t know until you hear your country’s name,” said Nobadula. ”I just want to thank former president Mandela for participating in the bid.”
”I just knew we’d get it when I saw Madiba’s presentation on Friday,” said Nhisi.
Thousands of balloons were released into the air, and symbolic to the victory for Africa, they flew south.
Out on the roads hooters blared into Saturday afternoon.
”For once, we won’t have a single angry hooter today,” yelled an ecstatic motorist, waving a South African flag out his window as the traffic jam on to the highway became a party. It was that kind of South African day.
Congratulations
The entire continent must celebrate South Africa’s victory in winning the bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya Moyo, said on Saturday.
”Hearty congratulations to South Africa. We are proud as ever,” he said.
The Young Communist League of South Africa (YCL) said on Saturday it welcomed the decision of the Fifa executive committee to allow South Africa to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
”We also join the whole nation in celebrations, and congratulates the South African bid committee on their overwhelming work to ensure that our country host the world soccer tournament,” the YCL said in a statement.
”Where do I book my tickets?” was the first question South African Davis Cup player Jeff Coetzee posed when he heard the country had won the right to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
”I love soccer and I just cannot wait to be able to watch its showpiece at home,” said Coetzee, who along with doubles partner Chris Haggard is in St Poelten, Austria, for next week’s tennis event. — Sapa
Laduma! SA gets World Cup