venue for 2010
23 June 2006
For the first time the football fraternity of the Western Cape Province has
voiced its unanimous support for Green Point Stadium as a venue for 2010 World
Cup.
This emerged at a meeting attended by the leadership of the five regions of
the province, the Boland region, Central Karoo, Cape Town region, West Coast
and Overberg regions at the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in Cape
Town this morning.
The meeting was initiated by MEC Jacobs to discuss strategies to develop
football beyond 2010, the infrastructural and facility challenges as well as a
plan for the football summit to be held on 29 to 30 July 2006 in Cape Town.
The leadership was unanimous in their condemnation of the continued
disagreements between the Provincial Government and the City of Cape Town
around the issue of Green Point stadium. They have spoken with one voice that
the Provincial Government and the City of Cape Town must reach agreement on
Green Point stadium as the only venue when Premier Rasool meets the Mayor of
Cape Town on Monday, 26 June 2006 to finalise this matter. "All eyes will be on
South Africa as from 10 July as the next host nation of the world's greatest
soccer spectacle, especially Cape Town as one of the host cities. The
Provincial Government must get the City of Cape Town to agree otherwise we face
a real risk of losing out on 2010 as the City and the Province," says MEC
Jacobs.
The football fraternity has resolved to add their weight behind the
Provincial Government following threats that the Local Organising Committee of
South Africa will not consider the construction of a soccer stadium if the
planned meeting between the Provincial Government and City of Cape Town fails
to reach an agreement this coming Monday.
The meeting also agreed to establish a Task Team that would work with all
South African Football Association (SAFA) regions in co-ordinating and
launching new regions in line with the realignment processes of SAFA. The
regions have been asked to meet and update municipalities about this
realignment and their challenges to ensure that all stakeholders were onboard.
A Soccer Summit will be held to develop strategies for facilities beyond 2010
and the sustainable development of football and legacies of 2010.
The meeting also mandated MEC Jacobs to meet with all councillors
responsible for sport and recreation to brief them about the planned football
summit and its intended outcomes. The Eden was the only region that could not
attend and they had tendered an apology following the death in the family of
their regional chairperson.
Enquiries:
Mandla Yeki
Spokesperson for Department of Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation
Tel: (021) 483 9804
Fax: (021) 483 9801
Cell: 082 553 3477
Issued by: Department of Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation, Western
Cape Provincial Government
23 June 2006
