Finance and Economic Affairs, Paul Mashatile
23 October 2006
Today marks yet another important milestone in our endeavours to build the
Gauteng city region as a premier destination for competitive sport. This is a
priority, not just because the people of Gauteng are passionate about sport,
but also because of the significant economic benefits which accrue from the
hosting of such events.
It therefore gives me great pleasure to announce that Gauteng has won the
rights to host the world's most prestigious soccer exhibition and conference -
Soccerex - for the next three years, from 2007 to 2009.
Soccerex attracts the who's who of soccer business from all over the world,
with an expected 5 000 international delegates representing the massive global
football industry. It is projected to bring in excess of US$100 million into
the South African economy as well as providing multi-billion rand international
media coverage.
In being awarded Soccerex we are joining the ranks of previous hosts London,
Paris and Los Angeles as well as the current hosts, Dubai.
Of significance is the fact that the event takes place in the build-up to
the 2010 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in
South Africa, with Gauteng hosting three of the ten official match venues.
Both Soccerex and the 2010 World Cup provide an opportunity to showcase our
competitive advantages as a province and a nation on the international stage.
This will enhance our ability to accelerate shared economic growth by
attracting investment, tourism and sporting and other major events. In
addition, it will contribute to our common efforts to build Gauteng as a
globally competitive city region. These are critical aspects of our programme
to successfully address our development challenges over the next few
decades.
Soccerex gives us an opportunity to once again demonstrate that we can host
successful world class events and showcase our business and conferencing
facilities, hospitality, transport and communications infrastructure, safety,
entertainment, culture and tourism destinations and business opportunities.
We know that Gauteng is South Africa's economic engine, responsible for over
one third of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the fourth largest economy
in Africa. We need to intensify our efforts to achieve our 2014 targets of
contributing to the national goal of halving poverty and unemployment and
achieving an 8% growth rate, as set out in our provincial growth and
development strategy. Soccerex and the competitive sport sector will make an
important contribution in this regard and it is our challenge to ensure that
the direct and indirect benefits of the growth of this sector reach our
communities through increased employment, opportunities for small, medium and
micro enterprises (SMMEs), skills development and other economic
opportunities.
The hosting of Soccerex places a responsibility on all of us as Gauteng
residents to make our visitors feel at home and to project a positive image of
our province and our country, because the global sporting fraternity would have
descended to our shores, while millions of others will be viewing the events
via the media.
We have an opportunity to ensure that, during and after the Expo and
conference, the delegates don't rush home but experience Gauteng's hospitality,
enjoy our night life, get to learn about the evolution of humankind at Maropeng
and visit Soweto, Alexandra and other areas. Let's give them an opportunity to
acquaint themselves with our culture, heritage and history and learn how the
human spirit conquered adversity so that they become our ambassadors in their
respective countries when they return home.
The Soccerex initiative gives us an opportunity to further forge
partnerships with our stakeholders including the South African Football
Association (SAFA) and South African soccer in general, which has played a key
role in Soccerex over the years.
Soccerex projects that R7 billion worth of deals will be negotiated at the
Soccerex 2007. We believe that it will also provide opportunities for local
business and small, medium and micro enterprises to get a slice of the pie
through marketing and selling domestic products including travel packages. In
addition, it promises other benefits through investment opportunities and
temporary jobs which will contribute to social upliftment.
Gauteng has hosted major national and international sporting and cultural
events including the Rugby World Cup Finals in 1995, the African Cup of Nations
Football Finals in 1996, the All Africa Games Athletics in 1999, the World
Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 and the Cricket World Cup Finals in
2003. Gauteng is also home to the Cradle of Humankind, which was declared a
world heritage site in 1999, and we have been host to the Pan African
Parliament since 2005. We are proud to add Soccerex to the list.
Our thanks to Soccerex for having placed their confidence in us. We have no
doubt that Soccerex 2007, 2008 and 2009 will be the best ever and we look
forward to working with you to make it a resounding success.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Finance and Economic Affairs, Gauteng Provincial
Government
23 October 2006
