21 November 2006
The Gauteng Premier, Mbhazima Shilowa, will lead a provincial delegation to
Dubai to attend a Soccerex handover ceremony from November 26 to 28. The
province has won the rights to host Soccerex, the world's largest soccer
exhibition, for the next three years starting in 2007.
Soccerex, the only business-to-business convention for football, includes a
football festival and global exhibition and conference for stakeholders in the
football fraternity, contributing to new ideas and innovation to take the sport
into the future.
"This is an opportunity to market and position Gauteng as a global city
region and the country as a whole and to build momentum towards the 2010 Soccer
World Cup," the Premier said.
Football legends, top football clubs and football playing nations are
regular participants at the event, where about R5 billion worth of business
deals were negotiated during the 2005 edition. This is projected to jump to R7
billion with the Soccerex Gauteng in 2007.
The hosting of Soccerex in Gauteng will promote investment in the country
and increase tourism. It will assist with the development of soccer within the
country.
The Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Barbara Creecy,
said, "The Gauteng province prides itself on being the home of champions and
the hosting of Soccerex is yet another example of the vision of our government
and fellow stakeholders, as we strive to bring major sporting events to our
province and contribute to the economy in Gauteng."
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Tel: (011) 355 6036
Cell: 082 551 9892
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Tel: (011) 355 2578
Cell: 083 507 8068
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
21 November 2006
Source: SAPA
