Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has become the 20th member of the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC), as it moves to enhance the African platform from which the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be presented to the world.

Tim Modise, communications officer for the LOC, said on Thursday that Ms Dlamini-Zuma's presence on the LOC board would strengthen the world cup's potential to leave a legacy that would benefit the entire continent.

Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad would represent the department in place of Ms Dlamini-Zuma during the periods when she is travelling, a local organising committee staffer told BuaNews.

Mr Modise was on Thursday briefing 30 African editors who form part of the African Editors' Forum on progress being made towards South Africa's hosting of the tournament.

The editors were brought to Cape Town at the expense of the LOC, Mr Modise said.

The LOC, he explained, felt it was important to brief African media leaders directly on progress towards 2010, rather than leave them to rely solely on reports in the international news media.

Mr Modise told the group of African journalists that preparations were well underway and that the work was on schedule for the 10 stadiums being prepared for the World Cup's 64 matches.

South Africa would be ready to host as many as 3,2 million visitors during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which is expected to draw in a cumulative worldwide television audience of 40 billion spectators.

It would take the efforts of all Africans, said Mr Modise, to dispel the "afro-pessimism" still prevalent in some corners of the world.

The African Legacy Project for 2010 were being funded jointly by the South African Organising Committee and the South African government, and up to R75 million would be made available for its activities.

Some funding would be used to train and develop sports administrators across the continent, which has been a longstanding plan of the Organising Committee and FIFA, whose approach was summed up in the slogan "Win in Africa, with Africa" and the rallying cry, "Africa's time has come".

FIFA had budgeted R3,2 billion towards the games and that the people of South Africa through the government are investing about R17 billion - with over R8 billion going towards the stadia - he told the African editors.

Additional investments of up to R1,015 billion were being made in 2010, through SA Tourism and the Department of Arts and Culture, which had a variety of cultural activities planned, he said.

Several companies had 2010-related marketing plans in place, such as "football appreciation sites" at shopping malls, while South Africa's Organising Committee itself had as many as 30 marketing campaigns planned.

The African legacy element of 2010 has been further cemented, said Mr Modise, by the recent appointment of the head of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou of Cameroon, to head FIFA's own executive organising committee for 2010.

Thus, FIFA oversight of the international process towards hosting the games has been handed to an African, said Mr Modise.

The African Union has declared 2007 as the "Year of African Football", as the Confederation of African Football celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

Mr Modise added that while the LOC would be working with African football associations to strengthen African involvement, the presence of Ms Dlamini-Zuma on the board would allow relationships and partnerships for 2010 to be built with the inclusion of the continents' governments.

He added that he was "excited" about the impending visit to South Africa by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who would be visiting the site of Cape Town's new stadium on 19 June.

Source: BuaNews


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