In a prelude to the 100 days festivities today, 2 March 2010, the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) chief executive Danny Jordan, FIFA Chief Executive Officer, Jerome Valcke, officials and a delegation of international and national media jetted into Nelson Mandela Bay yesterday to check on the stadium and bay readiness.
The visit was hot on the heels of a jam-packed sporting weekend which included rugby and soccer and the official opening of the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.
In general there was positive feedback from the LOC and FIFA delegation. Jordaan declared the stadium his favourite with Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Zanoxolo Wayile quipping that he had no choice as a Bay local.
Mayor Wayile also told journalists the stadium was completed well in advance and was functioning really well.
“Years of hard work have come to fruition we have already held 11 world class events (at the stadium),” said Wayile, adding that it was important to leave a lasting legacy for the people of the bay.
“Yesterday showed our readiness,” Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet told the delegation of 120 reporters referring to the official opening and Orlando Pirates versus Gaborone United clash. Today you will see for yourselves the strides we have made.
Reporters many of whom were seeing the stadium for the first time were impressed. One British journalist from The Guardian asked Wayile what challenges lay ahead with just 100 days to go.
Wayile said road infrastructure around the stadium and testing the buses which are coming from Brazil will operate on those routes were the main challenges, but that he expected everything to be ready by April, well ahead of the main event.
Today marks 100 days to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, with South Africans encouraged to celebrate in tandem with national Fly the Flag day today.
Contact person:
Kupido Baron
Cell: 082 780 2726
Tel: 041 502 0075
Fax: 041 502 0005
Fax to e-mail: 086 504 9384
Issued by: Eastern Cape Provincial Government
2 March 2010
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za/)
