South Africa’s political climate will not deter the country from hosting a successful Soccer World Cup in 2010, President Thabo Mbeki said on Sunday.
”No matter what happens here … with regards to political challenges, this country will meet its commitment to Fifa to ensure that we have a very successful 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup,” Mbeki told the media following a meeting with Fifa president Sepp Blatter.
”I’m saying quite frankly we are on course with regard to meeting our obligations. We will have elections [next year] and a new administration but there won’t be any change in policy or position [regarding the World Cup].”
Blatter said he was positive that the country would be prepared.
”I am happy and you must be happy.”
Mbeki would not be drawn into discussing the country’s political challenges, saying it was not an appropriate forum.
Mbeki is under fire following a damming High Court judgement that let Mbeki’s bitter foe, Jacob Zuma, off the hook on Friday.
The African National Congress’s national working committee will be the first to discuss Mbeki’s fate on Monday, ahead of the party’s national executive committee meeting starting on Friday.
Blatter came to Mbeki’s defence, saying it was not ”fair play” to be discussing politics.
He said that there was no plan B to move the tournament from South Africa.
”The plan B is South Africa and the plan C is South Africa.”
During Blatter’s stay he will visit facilities in Cape Town and Johannesburg to get a first-hand impression of the country’s progress towards hosting the Confederation Cup in 2009 and the World Cup the following year.
He would also be paying a visit to former president Nelson Mandela, whom he said was instrumental in bringing the tournament to South African soil.
He referred to Mandela as the ”monument of the modern South Africa”.
Blatter was also expected to meet former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner FW De Klerk, ANC president Zuma, Cape Town mayor Helen Zille, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa.
Blatter said at a previous meeting with Zuma in Zurich, the ANC president had showed he was fully committed to the country’s preparedness.
Blatter also said Bafana Bafana needed to work a ”little more”, to which Mbeki interrupted and said: ”You [Bafana Bafana] are the next champions of the world”. – Sapa