Dr Irvin Khoza, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of South Africa
2010 Project Managers, from various municipalities; host cities and gate entry
All stake-holders and role-players
Representatives of media houses
Ladies and gentlemen
The people of Gauteng
What a weekend it was for sports! Two Gauteng Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams contested the Nedbank Cup Final.
Congratulations to Moroka Swallows for winning the cup and I should also express my word of appreciation to the University of Pretoria FC for their super performance throughout the tournament to reach the finals.
They showed that, despite the almost non-existent sponsorship in the first division, the gap in the field of play is closing between the PSL and first division. Who can forget the great semi-final win by the Blue Bulls against the New Zealand's Canterbury Crusaders in the Rugby Super 14 March?
We are not only wishing them good luck in the final this coming Saturday at Loftus but we are behind them to win against another New Zealand outfit, Waikato Chiefs.
This did not only end there. Gauteng was home to both semi-finals of the cricket Indian Premier League (IPL) and the final match yesterday at Wanderers Cricket Stadium between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Deccan Chargers which was also graced by the presence of the President Jacob Zuma. Indeed Gauteng is the home of champions.
I would be failing in my duties if I don't congratulate Stephen Muzhingi of Zimbabwe for winning the Comrade Marathon yesterday. He has made Southern Africa and Africa proud since made a halt to the Russian dominance of the ultra marathon in past three years.
Lovely day isn't it? By the way, my name is Nelisiwe Mbatha-Mthinkulu, Member of the Gauteng Provincial Government Executive Committee responsible for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation – having taken over from my colleague, Ms Barbara Creecy, who is now responsible for Education.
Ladies and gentlemen
I rise to greet and welcome each one of you to the launch of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) Smile Campaign to drive our communication and marketing plan towards the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Tournament and 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament.
This launch also comes when South Africa is preparing herself to observe the 33rd anniversary of the June 1976 uprisings, in recognition of the young people's patriotic contributions towards our liberation, and the reconstruction and development of our country.
Comrades and colleagues
On 15 April 1958 in Ghana, African leaders and political activists gathered at the first Conference of the Independent African States, which was attended by representatives of the governments of Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, the United Arab Republic, and representatives of the National Liberation Front of Algeria and the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon.
This conference, colleagues, was significant in that it represented the first Pan-African Conference held on African soil. It called for the founding of African Freedom Day, a day to mark each year the onward progress of the liberation movements, and to symbolise the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation.
Five years later after the first conference of the Independent African States in Ethiopia, another historical meeting occurred. On 25 May 1963, a year before life-imprisonment of our very own Nelson Mandela and other icons of our liberation struggle; other leaders of the thirty-two independent African States met to form the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). By then more than two thirds of the continent had achieved independence from colonial rule.
At this historic meeting, the date of Africa Freedom Day was changed from 15 April to 25 May and Africa Freedom Day was declared African Liberation Day.
Ladies and gentlemen
We therefore could not have come with a more appropriate date for this launch – the launch of world tournaments by Africans on African soil.
From the wise words of George Will, "Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence." The hosting of the two world-spectacular events in South Africa bears testimony to mother Africa's progress towards excellence. This is yet another indication that we are indeed on the right track.
Programme director
Please allow me to extend to all of you an apology of Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, who would have personally wanted to come and officiate over this event of immeasurable significance to our province of sports-loving people – should it not have been of other commitments of equal importance.
The Premier sends to all of you and the people of Gauteng her warm greetings and solid support.
The FIFA Confederations Cup is taking place from the 14 to 21 June 2009, featuring Brazil, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the United States of America (USA), New Zealand, Iraq and South Africa, amongst many other participating countries once more provides our province and country with a golden opportunity to showcase our cultural diversity, hospitality and hosting potential in preparations for the 2010 World Cup tournament.
The Gauteng province is the epicentre of the two Confederations and the World Cup.
Our brand Gauteng slogan does not say "it starts here" for nothing. It is here that the opening and closing of the two tournaments will take place. Since we will be hosting eight of the sixteen matches of the Confederations Cup and twenty of the sixty-four matches of the world cup, we will be the focus of the World. It is here the OR Tambo International Airport that will be the main gateway of the estimate 400 000 football supporters' and visitors who will be landing in the shores of this country.
Let us welcome our visitors in our beloved country and continent with a smile. Let us welcome "home" as the Cradle of Humankind - here in Gauteng is home to the origins of the forbearers of the present human species. We promise that those who need help and those who want to make a contribution will be embraced, entertained with our music, dance and other genre. They are here not only to watch football but also to see the beauty of our country, world-class standard facilities and our fine weather.
It is therefore very important that government should join hands together with communities to work as a team that must lift and make South Africa to shine and its flag to fly high.
We must join sports administrators and our people in other sporting fraternity in encouraging all Gauteng residents and South Africans at large to participate, purchase the Confederations Cup and World Cup tickets and rally behind our national team by wearing Bafana Bafana colours during the period of the event and beyond. Each of us must become ambassadors of Gauteng and South Africa, when our vuvuzelas are to be heard well across the Lebombo mountains, Kruger National Park and borders.
I must also emphasise the importance of the Smile Campaign, and encourage the people of Gauteng to welcome our visitors in the two tournaments with smiles – in a true friendly Gauteng and African manner.
It is important that our visitors remember the warm welcome through which they have been received even long after they have left South Africa. We must be friendly, helpful and hospitable to our visitors. That will make them to see the need to come and visit again and our tourism will grow. Let us protect the visitors like you would protect your own child.
Africa is for all Africans. The not-so-long ago senseless xenophobic attacks on our foreign brothers and sisters which took place throughout the length and breadth of our country, deserve no place in our free and democratic South Africa. The gold of South Africa, the iron-ore and manganese of Zimbabwe, the diamonds of Angola and the mineral resources of Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique belong to all of us in Africa. Africa is for all of us to share and these are African World Tournaments!
Let me re-emphasise what I have said earlier. It is not only how perfect we organise the World Cup, how fantastic Bafana Bafana performed, how best our facilities are, and how fine our weather is that will entice our visitors to return in future to our country, but the treatment they will receive from all of us.
Program director
In conclusion, I want to invite all of you to also join us at our subsequent event to be held at the Soccer City Stadium this afternoon. The significance of these two venues is that Ellis Park Stadium will be hosting the opening match for the Confederations Cup and Soccer City Stadium will be hosting the opening match for the 2010 World Cup.
Gauteng – It starts here! It is the centre of 2010, centre of football, home of vuvuzela. It is where business starts, mo diwanv, kwayama ayipheli, kwandoga ziyaduma, 'n plek ek noem tuis, ons phola hierso.
I thank you very much for your patience.
Issued by: Department of Sports, Arts, Recreation and Culture, Gauteng Provincial Government
25 May 2009
Source: Department of Sports, Arts, Recreation and Culture, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.srac.gpg.gov.za)
