Programme director
Members of the Gauteng executive council
Mayors and councillors
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
In just 49 days from today the world will witness the start of the biggest and most spectacular global sporting event. Since FIFA announced the historic decision in May 2004 that the 2010 FIFA World Cup would be staged in South Africa, we have all been working very hard to ensure that this world cup, the first to be played on African soil, becomes the best ever.
We are all gathered here at this Gauteng Gateway 2010 Summit, as representatives of various organised formations, companies, politicians, community leaders and individuals because we all want the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be the greatest spectacle which will always ring in the minds of many people.
We are all aware that Gauteng is the centre stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Most of the matches will be staged here in Gauteng in our world class stadia including the opening match and the finals; 19 of the participating teams including five times champions Brazil, current champions Italy, Germany and other top football teams have their base camps in Gauteng and the OR Tambo International Airport will be used as the port of entry by most of the visiting fans, teams and officials coming to the world cup.
Gauteng will also be the home of the International Broadcast Centre (IBC), the nerve centre for all broadcasting operations and the world's news agencies during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. IBC will be receiving broadcast transmissions from the stadiums and distributing them across the globe. The cumulative television audience for the world cup event will reach about 26,9 billion. Gauteng, for the six weeks period will be the global spotlight.
It can therefore very clear that the success of the world cup will depend largely on what all of us do in our respective areas of responsibility. We therefore have to do everything to ensure that the 2010 FIFA World Cup indeed becomes the greatest football spectacle ever.
As government we have done our bit to create an enabling environment for a successful world cup. We have constructed new stadiums and upgraded some of the old ones and developed public transport infrastructure. We have also invested more money in new equipment to increase capacity of our emergency services and disaster management system.
Primary healthcare at official venues, 24 hours emergency medical services and international and local surveillance measures for disease outbreaks are all in place. A well equipped communications centre has been established for real-time coordination of emergency vehicles to the nearest available emergency centre. Medical helicopter services will also be extended and vast ambulance services will be operational.
We have an effective security plan which is being implemented under the command of the South African Police Services (SAPS) to ensure that the world cup takes place in a safe and secure environment. Players, officials, organisers, fans and all other people who will be part of the world cup will be able to move freely conveniently and safely within Gauteng during the tournament.
Programme director, football is the most popular sport in the world because of the support that it gets from the fans, many of them who would spend their hard earned money to buy match tickets and their favourite teams' regalia. Without the fans football would never be exciting. Although these days football seems to have moved away from its working class roots because of huge commercial sponsorships, it still thrives because it is supported by the fans, especially the working class.
As we move closer to the much anticipated kick-off we also have to ask ourselves whether we have done enough to create the possibility for the fans and the ordinary people, the workers, small and micro business operators, the street vendors, the unemployed and the school going children to be part of the world's biggest football festival staged on the African soil.
So this summit is more than just about the stadiums, buildings roads and other infrastructure that we have built for the world cup. It is also about what we are doing as the people of Gauteng to make the 2010 FIFA
World Cup the most exciting ever. I am informed that at this summit we have people who have taken their own initiatives in organised formations and as individuals to play a role as host to the visiting fans who are expected in our country during the world cup. Their stories must inspire all of us to take the necessary steps to become good host to the visitors.
The choice of Gauteng as home base by the majority of participating teams confirms the status of our province as the preferred destination for trade, investment, tourism and competitive sport. This and the many other activities that are scheduled in Gauteng as part of the world cup present an unprecedented opportunity to market and promote Gauteng internationally.
The warm reception and the truly African entertainment that we will give to the visitors will leave them with a good and lasting impression about Gauteng, one which will make them think about Gauteng long after the world cup is over.
In our culture, when visitors come we prepare the best meals and offer them the best of what we have. We literally take out the best of what we have to make their stay enjoyable. This is what we expect all the people of Gauteng to do. We must start by cleaning our yard, remove anything that we don't want the guests to see and prepare the best place for them to sit and relax. Lastly and perhaps more importantly, we must ensure their safety in our homes.
While the official events of the world cup will take place in the match venues and FIFA fan parks, the visitors can only have a better picture of Gauteng if they are able to visit many places of interest away from the stadiums and fan parks. They must be able to visit our townships and villages, sample our food and drinks and experience how ordinary South Africans live.
Tourists' attractions like the Cradle of Humankind, OR Tambo Museum,
Walter Sisulu Square, Sharpeville Memorial Site, Apartheid Museum,
Mandela House Museum in Vilakazi Street in Orlando, Newtown Cultural
Precinct and Freedom Park are some of the many places of interest that our visitors can visit in between the games.
As I have said earlier, football is supported mostly by the working class. Many of our people cannot afford to buy world cup tickets but want to be part of the historic experience. I hope some of the tickets that were bought by corporate bodies will be given to deserving people so that they can be part of this historic occasion. Government, for its part will identify deserving people including the youth and learners and make arrangements for them to watch some of the matches in the stadiums. Together with municipalities we are also setting up public viewing areas where the people can watch the matches live through television and make friends with visiting fans.
Programme director, based on the evidence that I have seen through the reports that have been generated by departments and public entities that are concerned with the preparations of the world cup I can say without fear of contradiction that Gauteng is ready for the big kick-off on 11 June 2010.
The enthusiasm and excitement that have been displayed at this summit and which we see and feel everyday throughout the province give me confidence that the people of Gauteng are ready to welcome the multitudes of visitors and make them feel at home away from their real homes.
Gauteng is ready for the kick-off of the world's biggest and most exciting football spectacle.
Thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
22 April 2010
