World Cup Preliminary Draw
12 November 2007
KwaZulu-Natal is going all out to ensure that the 2010 Fifa World Cup
Preliminary Draw which will be held in Durban on 25 November 2007 is a
resounding success.
Briefing editors at the Hilton Hotel in Durban this morning (12 November
2007), KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sibusiso Ndebele said that preparations for the
2010 Fifa World Cup Preliminary Draw were well on track. The Preliminary Draw
in Durban will draw thousands of delegates including journalists from 204
countries.
The main purpose of today's briefing was to appraise Editors about salient
issues regarding KwaZulu-Natal's 2010 plans as well as preparations for the
2010 World Cup Preliminary Draw. The briefing was attended by Premier Ndebele,
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance and Economic Development Zweli Mkhize,
KwaZulu-Natal Director-General Kwazi Mbanjwa, Head of KwaZulu-Natal Treasury
Sipho Shabalala as well as eThekwini City Manager Mike Sutcliffe.
KwaZulu-Natal will host 2010 matches and Confederations Cup matches in 2009,
at the Moses Mabhida stadium. The Moses Mabhida Stadium is tipped to cost more
than R2 billion. Infrastructure preparations include the new International
Airport at La Mercy, which will cost approximately R6,8 billion.
The Premier said municipalities will have to define the Zulu brand and sell
it to international visitors coming to the World Cup preliminary draw.
The Zulu brand must be upheld through the courteous and royal treatment of
guests at the airport, he said.
"When they arrive we must make sure they do not want to go back. The
totality of their experience must be such that they will want to come back to
our province in the time leading to 2010 and beyond," said the Premier.
"This will afford us an opportunity to position and showcase ourselves from
the tourism and investment point of view," he said.
He said KwaZulu-Natal's participation in the Soccerex conference in November
will be another opportunity to market the province to an international
audience.
Contact:
Logan Maistry
Premier's Spokesperson
Cell: 083 644 4050
E-mail: maistryl@premier.kzntl.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
12 November 2007
