There will be no overspending on the R8,4-billion budgeted for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Deputy Sport Minister Gert Oosthuizen said on Thursday.
”We’ll be in on R8,4-billion,” he said at a media briefing following a two-day workshop on the 2010 World Cup African Legacy programmes.
His assurance followed a warning by the National Treasury’s deputy director general, Malcolm Simpson, who told Parliament on Wednesday that there was a risk that the cost of building and development in the nine host cities could rise beyond the budget.
The government said it will not come to the rescue of any of the host cities, as the cost is capped.
Oosthuizen, however, left the door open, saying that if there is any overspending there will have to be a good motivation for it.
”[Then the] route would be look at possible public-private partnerships or other innovative ways to get private sector to do some social investment,” he said.
Dan Moyo, chief operating officer of the 2010 unit in the Department of Sport and Recreation, said Treasury’s warning is not new or unexpected.
”There are serious challenges in construction industry and there are issues that can cause uncertainty in any building project … municipalities were urged to look at that and monitor very closely,” he said.
He said the escalating costs are already considered within the R8,4-billion budget. — Sapa