People who were in Cape Town last week can attest that 2010 Fifa World Cup fever has hit South Africa.
Football and 2010 was the language that many spoke. If you were in Long Street, you would understand what the fuss was about. This is where an estimated 50 000 people gathered at the fan fest to witness the spectacular 2010 Fifa World Cup final draw. Those who came through had a jol of a time throughout the day and into the night.
But it was not all smooth sailing. There was chaos when thousands were turned back because the organisers expected only 15 000 fans. Finding a parking spot around the area was a nightmare.
This has raised concerns about whether the host cities will be able to handle larger crowds next year. Similar concerns were raised in June during the Fifa Confederations Cup about the park-and-ride system, with people saying that they had to wait in long queues to get on buses. With the numbers expected to double next year, will the host cities cope with the influx?
The 2010 Local Organising Committee is adamant that the host cities will cope. It gave the Mail & Guardian an update on security, transport and accommodation.
Transport
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa will spend an estimated R6-billion on upgrading 65 trains for the 2010 World Cup. During the Confederations Cup, trains transported fans from Johannesburg to Rustenburg and Bloemfontein.
With 450 000 fans expected in South Africa, there will be frequent flights between cities, with typically two or more departures an hour. Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) will adopt a three-hub approach to international flights coming into the country to try to ease the pressure on OR Tambo International. Flights from the Americas will be directed to Cape Town International, those coming from Asia will be directed to La Mercy in Durban and flights from Europe will land at OR Tambo.
During the football showpiece all airports will operate for 24 hours a day and will increase their peak operating times to 15 hours each day. The number of frequencies granted to airlines will also be increased to cope with the demand.
To cope with the influx, Acsa will spend about R19,5-billion on the airport infrastructure expansion programme. This includes major expansion projects at OR Tambo International, Cape Town International, a new terminal at Bloemfontein Airport and a new airport north of Durban.
Safety and security
Other than a theft from the Egyptian team, no other major incidents were reported during the Confederations Cup. All the teams coming for the World Cup will bring their own specially trained police officers to support the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The SAPS will also be boosted by Interpol, which will set up offices in South Africa for the duration of the tournament. There will be specially identified police stations in close proximity to each of the 2010 stadiums, as well as dedicated crime investigation teams and special courts to investigate and deal with event-related crime.
This week Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said mechanisms to keep hooligans from attending the World Cup were in place. “An advanced passenger processing system allows us to bar undesirable elements from entering South Africa before boarding from various countries,” she told the media.
This will work to bar hooligans from entering South Africa. The system began operating on November 23 and 79% of the airlines flying into the country have enrolled for the programme.
Accommodation
Match Services, a Fifa-appointed company that oversees accommodation, ticketing and event information technology solutions, has secured 47 000 rooms for the event. About 4 500 rooms have also been secured in other African countries, including Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, Lesotho and Namibia, with the majority in Mauritius.
For the first time in the history of Fifa, non-hotel accommodation has been contracted. Non-hotel accommodation includes bed and breakfast, guesthouses, timeshare accommodation, university accommodation and rooms at game parks.
Fans have an option of purchasing accommodation as part of match-inclusive travel packages from participating tour operators or directly from Match Services.
The department of tourism, in conjunction with the South African tourism industry, has developed a database of accommodation around the country and will launch a last-minute booking website towards the end of April.
The website will facilitate interaction between establishments that have available rooms and fans wishing to book accommodation.
So do not despair — everything looks to be in order for the 2010 World Cup. Get your tickets before it’s too late, is the message from the organising committee.