It is kick-off time for the ”real hard work” in preparing for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, President Thabo Mbeki told a workshop in Cape Town on Tuesday.
He told the participants, who included Fifa representatives and a batch of his own Cabinet ministers, that South Africa will spare no effort to make sure that everything necessary for a successful Cup happens on time ”and preferably ahead of schedule”.
This includes preparation of stadia, the development of transport and communication systems, a security infrastructure ”and the cultivation of a positive public mood in the nation”.
”It is indeed kick-off time for the real work, the real hard work, of making the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup the most successful tournament of all,” Mbeki said.
”I’d like to assure the Fifa delegation … that our government and the entirety of our people have dedicated the period up to 2010 to the resounding success of the Fifa Soccer World Cup.”
The workshop, billed by Fifa and the 2010 local organising committee as a ”kick-off” workshop, is also being attended by Fifa’s 2010 commercial partners and representatives of cities that will host major games.
The ministers of transport, Jeff Radebe; safety and security, Charles Nqakula; environment affairs and tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk; and sport, Makhenkesi Stofile, plus Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi, attended the meeting.
They, or representatives of their ministries, will deliver presentations during the day-long event. On Wednesday there will be a more specialised workshop for the commercial partners, and a workshop for the media.
Head of Fifa’s media department Andreas Herren said Tuesday’s event was the first meeting to bring together all the major groups with an interest in the South African event.
Fifa executive committee member Dr Amos Adamu, standing in for the organisation’s president, Sepp Blatter, who could not travel to South Africa for health reasons, told the workshop that the country has made ”tremendous progress” in developing facilities and mobilising all sectors towards 2010.
Those unfamiliar with South Africa’s capabilities have questioned its ability to host the event, but he is convinced that, come 2010, people will salute the country for a great World Cup.
Fifa continues to have complete confidence in South Africa.
The chairperson of the local organising committee, Irvin Khoza, told the workshop that the committee is aware of the challenges ahead but will deliver on its commitments.
He said that since 2004, the committee, the government and Fifa have developed an outstanding working relationship, and this is growing stronger by the day. — Sapa