Date: 26/01/2009

Source: Department of Provincial and Local Government

Title: SA: Shiceka: Address by the Minister for Provincial and Local Government, Sicelo Shiceka, at the 2010 FIFA World Cup host city posters launch

Honourable mayors and executive mayors of the host cities
Dr Irvin Khoza, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC)
Dr Danny Jordaan, CEO of the LOC
Mr Jerome Valcke, Fifa Secretary General
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Introduction

I am honoured to be afforded an opportunity to address you on this remarkable event.

Going back on the memory lane, I am standing here with the same emotions of warmth, excitement and pride that I felt when we received the news that this country had been awarded to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Today marks yet another critical milestone of the great journey pursued by the Local Organising Committee, government, business bodies and fellow South Africans in ensuring that this 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament becomes a reality.

Dare to dream. On 15 May 2004, none of us could have imagined the strides we have made in preparing our country for the world's largest, most exciting sporting event after the Olympic Games. The statistics show that in terms of TV audience, this event is bigger than the Olympics "it is really in a class of its own."

We are bringing the World Cup for the first time in its history to the continent. The eyes of billions of television viewers, approximately three million international visitors, and the cream of the world's sporting media will be focused on the Southern tip of Africa. South Africa will be at the centre of this spectacular event.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are approximately 500 days before kick off of the Fifa World Cup South Africa and only 138 days left to the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup, which of course we are hosting. It is indeed a historic moment and a major milestone towards the realisation of a dream.

The South African Government is humbled by this vote of confidence by Fifa as a country, and a continent to host these games and host them successfully.

Benefits of the 2010 Fifa World Cup

During the 2010, the World and South African citizens, especially soccer lovers will enjoy benefits of a host of multi-million rand infrastructure projects sponsored by the government.

Ladies and gentlemen, between now and 2010, the South African government has committed to spend approximately 5 billion rands in the building and renovation of ten world cup stadium, 2,5 billion on upgrades to the country's airports and 3,5 billion on improvements on country's roads and railway networks.

It is expected of this spectacular event to generate about 21,1 billion for the South African economy; 12,7 billion in direct spending and creating about 159 000 jobs.

We will see our tourism industry experiencing an unprecedented upward spiral from estimated three million visitors expected for the tournament.

This will include many more benefits derived out of indirect impact of the event such as the change of perceptions that large number of foreign investors hold on Africa and South Africa.

Launching of 2010 Fifa World Cup posters

Ladies and gentlemen, as they say Ekasi "Idiski is the game of the people; soccer is the game of the people." It is therefore our firm view that the host cities should work tirelessly to ensure that stadium are packed with soccer loving fans.

Today gives me an assurance that the host cities are ready to host this tournament. The launching of their posters to brand their cities and South Africa as a capable host country for this soccer spectacular is a great success achieved in all of the projects that have been undertaken to date.

Hosting the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup should not be for the soccer fraternity or government alone but rather for a South African collective and Africa as a whole. It is for this reason that the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee, the host cities and the Federation International Football Association (Fifa) world body, had deemed it fit to launch the host city posters here today.

The world, and all South Africans have to know and be part of these events, and therefore the launching of these posters forms part of a range of material, tools and media to inform, raise awareness and excite our people about this great historical event taking place in our lifetime.

The host city posters will be used to promote the 2010 Fifa World Cup in all nine host cities and will be used for outdoor media posters, billboards, signage and for indoor decoration. We are unveiling the host cities face, their brand to South Africa, the continent and the global community.

This host city posters project should also been seen as a point where we are raising the public relations and marketing bar just a notch to publicise the FIFA sporting events as widely as possible. It should also be seen as an opportunity for all South Africans to increase their awareness and knowledge of these events, while at the same time building a positive image of the country.

We all have to play our part in creating a positive nation brand to the global soccer loving community, potential investors, tourists and anyone who is in some way touched by brand-South Africa through this marketing drive.

We need to be reminded that South Africa is characterised by two economies; one being affluent and urban; and the other being indigent and rural. It is therefore important that the host cities' marketing campaigns are sensitive to this reality.

It is government's view that there must be deliberate efforts to reach out to many of our people in particular those who are indigent, to ensure that they get an opportunity to watch the Fifa soccer events and be part of the hype that goes with it. Whether it is in the grandiose and hi-tech stadium we have built or the fan parks or in the public viewing areas.

It is without doubt, therefore, that we need to cascade information on 2010 World Cup preparations down to the local sphere, with more detailed province host city specific content being included. Municipalities and provinces also need to mobilise communities around the World Cup preparations. More creative and original ways must be found to include the participation of local government councillors, ward committee members, our traditional leadership to carry these messages to every corner of the areas under their jurisdiction.

South Africa is known for hosting major international sporting events such as 1995 Rugby World Cup, 2003 Cricket World Cup, Women's World Cup of Golf in 2005 and 2006 to mention but a few. We are ready to host the Fifa soccer events; it is Africa's time.

Conclusion

In closing I want to quote the words of Mr Joseph S Blatter when he said, "we have to trust the Africans' ability to organise the competition. Trust will give the confidence. If they have confidence, they will be better in the future."
As South Africans and Africa, we are really honoured to have such support from FIFA and we are indeed confident that we will deliver the great world sporting event with an African touch. "Yes we can."

I thank you.