/ 31 July 2006

Jo’burg’s eye on the ball

Sibongile Mazibuko is used to stress. She had better be, because she is in charge of making sure Johannesburg is ready and able to host the World Cup in four years’ time.

But if she is taking strain, her voice certainly doesn’t show it when she makes time for a hurried interview with the Mail & Guardian. She is calm and easy-going, and giggles appreciatively when I promise I’ll be nice.

Forty-three-year-old Mazibuko, previously the city’s chief operations officer, was last month appointed executive director for the World Cup, and describes time as the biggest obstacle facing the city.

“We need to be finalising our implementation plans as soon as possible,” she said, “but we should be able to deliver on time.”

According to its annual budget, the city plans to spend R500-million this year on projects relating to the World Cup. This includes upgrades to the water, electricity, sport and transport infrastructure, as well as upgrades to two match venues: Ellis Park and the FNB Soccer City stadium.

FNB is due for a major renovation, while Ellis Park needs cosmetic changes. Work on the R200-million upgrade has started for Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

As the primary city, hosting both the opening and closing ceremonies, it is critical that Johannesburg is prepared. The Local Organising Committee is in charge of disbursing Fifa funding and securing sponsorships, but the city needs to take care of its own infrastructure and stadiums.

The appointment of Mazibuko shows how seriously it views the preparations. In her previous role, she was the second-in-command to the city manager, Pascal Moloi. Before this she was the regional director for Orange Farm and Ennerdale until 2002.

Besides the World Cup preparations, the city’s other priorities are job creation, poverty alleviation, tackling social inequalities and HIV/Aids, upgrading technology, and dealing with urbanisation and urban renewal. All at the same time. Can it really be done, even with this year’s budget of R21-billion?

Executive mayor Amos Masondo thinks it can. He expects the city to have operating surpluses of R124,8-billion for this financial year, R209-million for 2007/2008, and R293,5-million for the 2008/2009 financial year. These will be used to address the capital infrastructure backlogs city residents love complaining about.

Then, there is the question of a not always reliable power supply. According to Johannesburg’s City Power, delays in receiving parts have held up the overhaul of the city’s electricity supply. Eskom has committed itself to spending R97-billion over the next few years to expand its electricity supply, with additional power stations planned.

But at a municipal level, upgrades are also urgently needed. Economic growth, increased urbanisation and greater prosperity have all contributed to a surge in demand. More houses are electrified now than ever before, though largely the same infrastructure is in place.

The upgrading of roads in Johannesburg has already started, Mazibuko said, with government funding of R200-million this year, in preparation for the World Cup. The government is also stepping in with major funding. It plans to spend R5-billion on building or upgrading the 10 World Cup venues, but it may need to rethink those figures.

Cape Town mayor Helen Zille says her city can only afford to spend R400-million on its R4,3-billion stadium, and wants the government to agree by November to fund the rest.

The construction was originally estimated at R1,4-billion, and the revised costs have prompted questions about the other stadiums too. Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit and Polokwane are also planning to build new venues, and there are fears that the bills could be higher than expected.

Mazibuko says that in Johannesburg, the planned funding has already been released.

The danger is that massive amounts of public money could be spent on infrastructure which isn’t necessary and won’t become long-term assets. So far, this is not a criticism that has been levelled at the organisers. Mazibuko says they have an eye on the future. “We are planning for sustainability,” she said.

Johannesburg’s preparations also need to take population growth into account. Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa has warned that the city and its surrounds could be the world’s 12th-largest urban region by 2015.

Gauteng’s population is expected to grow by five million in the next few years, to reach 14,5-million. HIV/Aids could curb this figure, he admitted, but it was critical to plan for this. The city council is encouraging densification and investing in public transport as a measure to alleviate congestion.

Having visited Germany twice for the recent World Cup, Mazibuko admits that the German organisation was very good “but nothing out of this world”. The public transport system in particular was very impressive.

“Germans aren’t as friendly as South Africans,” she said. “And the language barrier was a problem.”