the A1 welcome dinner held in Durban
24 February 2007
All protocol observed; yet another privilege that the organisers of the A1
Grand Prix (GP) have granted us to host this international sporting event, we
wish to extend to you a warm South African welcome to the city of Durban.
Tomorrow, 25 February 2007 we will witness an important occasion in the
sporting calendar of KwaZulu-Natal, the AI GP race. Indeed the importance of
this event is not only limited to our province. It is the first race of its
kind to be held in Africa, let alone South Africa. It therefore assumes
continental importance.
We are however all aware that beyond the borders of Africa, there is a
significant amount of interest in the race. This is because the format ensures
that nations, as opposed to individual manufacturers' teams, are the
competitors in this series.
The hosting of this spectacle means that thousands will descend on our
shores while billions of others will be watching on television. As a provincial
government we are committed to using sport as a leverage to develop
KwaZulu-Natal.
Indeed around the city and province we are building the necessary sporting
infrastructure to successfully host events of this magnitude. We have some of
the best climate in the world and the best beaches and accommodation facilities
across the range. Our greatest asset however remains our people who in their
numbers will ensure we have an even better and successful A1 Grand Prix in
Durban.
As South Africa's Home of Sport, during this event it is our pleasure to
host some of the best A1 technical teams and drivers in the world. They are
here to compete for the glory of their national flags and have behind them the
hopes and aspirations of millions of their compatriots back home. When we look
back we will no doubt say that we were able to contribute, as best we could, to
the development and promotion of motor sport in our continent and country.
We are also in no doubt, that an event of this magnitude, coming as it does
before we host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, gives us a chance to reconfirm our
mettle as organisers and hosts of international standing. For our part, sport
represents the greatest opportunity we have of rallying our people, black and
white, towards an economically stable and peaceful KwaZulu-Natal. In pursuing
our path of nation-building we are aware of the capacity of the A1 Grand Prix
to focus the minds of our people around the singular goal of fair play with
victory as secondary.
We hope that in carrying out this responsibility, we can drive faster the
hopes of our people towards a prosperous future, towards a better
KwaZulu-Natal, country and continent for all. As boxing great Muhammad Ali,
easily one of the greatest sporting heroes in history and creator of witty
one-liners, once said and I quote: "The fight is won or lost far away from
witnesses behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before
I dance under those lights." Or as the great Italian-born American racing
driver Mario Andretti says: "Desire is the key to motivation, but it is
determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal, a
commitment to excellence that will enable you to attain the success you
seek."
Welcome to KwaZulu-Natal. Start your engines! Away we go! Have a fabulous
time at the A1!
Thank you.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Spokesperson to Premier Ndebele
Cell: 083 644 4050
E-mail: maistryl@premier.kzntl.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
24 February 2007
Source: SAPA
