FIFA President, Mr Joseph Blatter
FIFA Secretary General, Mr Jerome Valcke
Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers
Premier of the KwaZulu-Natal province, Dr Zweli Mkhize
Members of the Executive Council (MECs)
The Mayor of Durban, Councillor Obed Mlaba
Mayors from other host cities
Chairman and chief executive of the 2010 Local Organising Committee
Members of the diplomatic corps
The African legends
Distinguished guests and
Ladies and gentlemen
As we mark 100 days to the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we do so with immense pride. We are proud because, in many respects, we are able to pronounce ourselves ready to welcome the world three months ahead of schedule.
From the year 2004 when we were announced as the first African hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we committed ourselves to put the entire necessary infrastructure in place and on time to ensure a successful and memorable tournament.
Tonight, as we gather here to mark 100 days to the start of the event, we do so after having delivered on the bulk of the required infrastructure. No football fan will sit on wet cement come June!
When the teams and the fans arrive, we will be comfortably ready in all areas of preparation.
We have gathered here to begin a countdown to the greatest football tournament on earth, the 2010 FIFA World Cup. On behalf of the people of the Republic of South Africa, I wish to extend our gratitude to all the men and women who have worked on World Cup projects and those who are still working on the last phase of our preparations.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We have always insisted that we will put together the requisite infrastructure in accordance with agreed deadlines and we have done so. Despite the magnitude of the work, we said we will pull through and we have pulled through. South African workers have toiled through day and night, on the roads, in the stadiums, at the airports, to help us keep our word to FIFA and we have done exactly as we said we would do.
We said that the world cup will help us expedite infrastructure development and economic growth. Even in the midst of a global economic recession, we continued to improve our infrastructure and protect jobs, particularly in the construction industry.
During the months of June and July, the world will be exposed to our diverse and unique arts and culture activities such as music, dance, theatre, films and even African cuisine. I assure you that South Africans will go an extra mile to create a memorable cultural experience for the fans and visitors.
Ladies and gentlemen,
With the 2010 FIFA World Cup coming to Africa for the first time, one can say without any fear of contradiction, that football is coming back home. For many years African football stars have lightened up the world of football in major competitions around the world, contributing to the development and popularity of the sport.
For the first time in history, these stars will have a chance to shine at home. We cannot wait to welcome them in June, and I know that the broader South African population is waiting with great anticipation to celebrate the first World Cup on African soil.
South Africans will come out, united in their diversity to make the 2010
FIFA World Cup a memorable experience for all those international guests who will be coming here and for the billions who will be watching on television.
Apart from South Africa as the hosts, the other African teams participating in this world cup are Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. When combined, we call these national teams the “African Six Pack”.
Distinguished guests,
I would like, at this point, to acknowledge all the representatives here for member teams of the African Six Pack.
We are using the occasion of the 100 days countdown to launch the African Six Pack tonight for one main reason: to emphasise the point that these are the teams that Africans will be pinning their hopes on. These teams will be playing at home, in front of a predominantly African home crowd, and they are not going to have this privilege anytime in the near future.
Similarly, as for the current crop of players, they may never again play a world cup game in front of an African home crowd. So, when we say that “Africa’s Time Has Come”, we also mean that we must use our home ground advantage well and advance through the stages and perhaps even have one of the African Six Pack teams play in the finals.
It is not impossible, especially given the talent we have!
Ladies and gentlemen,
We have always said that this is not a South African world cup. This is an African world cup. I am delighted that for the first time ever there will be six African teams in South Africa 2010.
Programme director,
It has not always been easy, but I would like to commend my compatriots and brethrens for working together like never before to ensure that we did not disappoint. We would never have gotten to this point if it were not for the efforts of millions of South Africans. We would never have gotten to this point if we had not all come together, as government, business, labour and sport sectors to make this happen.
I want to thank all South Africans for making this possible: the construction workers, the ambassadors, the engineers, the sports administrators, the Bafana Bafana supporters because without you none of this would have been possible.
We have 100 days left to go. It is time for South Africans to be proud of what they have achieved. It is time for South Africans to get ready to celebrate this once in a lifetime experience.
I call on all South Africans to sing their national anthem and to fly the flag with pride. We have already achieved so much and have many reasons to celebrate.
With the support of all our partners, local and international, we have arrived where we are today. We now need to get behind our national team, Bafana-Bafana, who I am sure will make us proud.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Throughout the last 16 years of our democracy, the world cup has been an important rallying point and has served as a common goal for us to all work towards. 11 June 2010 has given us a firm deadline, a deadline for us to achieve so many of the plans we have for our young country, to ensure that we host a successful tournament, but more importantly to ensure that the quality of life for the vast majority of our people is improved.
Finally, I am confident that South Africa and Africa in general, will play host to a great 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“Ke Nako! Celebrate Africa’s Humanity!”
Thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
1 March 2010
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/)
