B Mbete on 2010 Fifa World Cup Projects progress

28 February 2009

Deputy President Baleka Mbete today concluded her one day working visit to
the Mbombela Local Municipality in the Mpumalanga province, confident that the
municipality will deliver on its 2010 FIFA World Cup commitments within the set
deadline.

The Deputy President was accompanied by several members of the cabinet among
them Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica, Provincial and Local
Government Minister Sicelo Shiceka, Intelligence Minister Siyabonga Cwele,
Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Lulu Xingwana, Deputy Finance Minister
Nhlanhla Nene, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, deputy Sport and
Recreation Minister Gert Oorsthuizen and deputy Health Minister Molefi
Sefularo.

A delegation from the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee led by CEO
Danny Jordan also attended the meeting. Mbombela Local Municipality Executive
Mayor Lassy Chiwayo and the municipality’s 2010 project team presented a
progress report to the gathering.

The Executive Mayor indicated that the stadium that would host the 2010 FIFA
World Cup matches is 75 percent complete. He indicated that the municipality
will be ready to hand over the stadium to FIFA in September 2009. Despite the
challenges that emerged from the progress report, the Deputy President said she
was confident that with the support of all levels of government, the
municipality will complete the stadium and other required infrastructure by
September 2009, ahead of FIFA's October 2009 deadline.

"We've had very fruitful discussions with the municipality. We are very
happy that work is beyond 70% complete with the construction of the stadium. We
go from here encouraged with the progress, very clear about the challenges we
face in this area and in a position to be able to work with the municipality to
meet our target in the remaining time that we’ve been given to get ready," said
the Deputy President.

Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer Danny Jordan said the visit to
the Mbombela Municipality by the Deputy President accompanied by a senior
cabinet delegation across a range of important portfolios, again reiterated the
South African government's commitment to ensure a successful 2010 FIFA World
Cup.

"We are now focusing on the FIFA Confederations Cup to be held in June this
year, but we must not forget that we must also focus on the other venues," said
Jordan.

"We are particularly happy that the Deputy President has taken the
responsibility, not just to get paper reports, but actually to visit and come
and see and make sure that we do not lose sight of the fact that there are
other venues that are equally important to the delivery of the FIFA World Cup,"
he continued.

Mbombela Local Municipality is one of the identified venues to host the
first four preliminary round matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The
municipality is in the process of constructing a FIFA compliant stadium and
other related infrastructure.

The Deputy President said it was important for every one involved in the
2010 project to join forces and combine resources with the sole purpose of
sharing necessary information and to understand the challenges around the 2010
project.

"The one thing we should all understand is that South Africa has the
responsibility to deliver on the commitments made to FIFA and the world. We
were given the responsibility to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and we made
certain undertakings. If we do not fulfil those, we will embarrass not only the
Mpumalanga province and South Africa, but the entire continent of Africa," she
said.

The meeting resolved that a technical team comprising national and
provincial governments, the Mbombela Local Municipality, as well as the 2010
FIFA World Cup Organising Committee should urgently convene on 2 March 2009, to
find solutions.

The team should comprise representatives of National Treasury, the
Development Bank of Southern Africa as well as the Department of Education,
Agriculture and Land Affairs, Provincial and Local Government and the
Department of Health to deal with the issues raised, such as labour disputes on
site and the resolution of the issue of the ownership of the land on which the
stadium was built.

Enquiries:
Denzil Taylor
Cell: 082 561 3772

Tiyani Rikhotso
Cell: 083 800 9936

Issued by: The Presidency
28 February 2009