23 January 2009
With just over 500 days to go before kick-off for the 2010 Fifa World Cup,
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sibusiso Ndebele is confident that the province is well
on track to host this historic event.
"KwaZulu-Natal is completing its most stable five years in the history of
the province. We have moved from a province of gloom to a province of
prosperity, occupying a well-deserved position of international prestige. No
longer do people identify the province with, merely, its big five or its
reputation for violence, but rather with the fruits of development and success,
which are evident for the entire world to see.
"The hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup will add to the gains of the
province. With 500 days to go on Monday, 26 January 2009, before kick-off,
KwaZulu-Natal is well on track to host this historic event. We hosted the 1 000
day countdown celebration as well as the 2010 Indaba. On 25 November 2007, the
2010 Fifa World Cup preliminary draw took place in Durban and was an
overwhelming success. The province hosted representatives from 204 of the 208
soccer-playing nations of the world as well as a contingent of international
media the largest Fifa representation ever.
"We are very excited about the spectacular progress being made on the new 70
000 seater Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. On behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal
Provincial Government, we want to commend the construction workers at stadium
for this progress. It will once more send out a loud and clear message that we
in KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of South Africa are on track for the World
Cup.
"We have no doubt that the new, more than R2 billion, stadium, which will
host 2010 World Cup group matches and one of the semi-finals, ranks among the
best sports facilities in the world. Our sport complex will be more like the
ones in South Korea, where they also have museums.
"Our museum will tell the story of the Zulu people and the story of the
people of KwaZulu-Natal. The sport complex will not be a white elephant
post-2010. The museum will contain various historic materials on politics,
sport, heritage and culture and we are also going to create a multimedia
centre. The museum will also capture historic events such as the formation of
African Wanderers as the first soccer club in 1906.
"We want to praise the people working on projects related to the 2010 Fifa
World Cup. We are working hard to bring all our people on board. We want
something similar to the Barack Obama wave, with almost everybody in the world
being excited that he is the new President of the United States.
"The province of KwaZulu-Natal is ready to host the world's greatest
sporting spectacle. There is no plan b. We are confident that you the people of
KwaZulu-Natal are already gearing up to provide our renowned hospitality in our
well-known spirit of Ubuntu, to our thousands of expected international
visitors.
Therefore, as the clock ticks inexorably down towards that epochal moment in
June 2010, may we, the people of this proud province of KwaZulu-Natal, proceed
with confidence and determination to hosting the most memorable of any World
Cup in history," said the Premier.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Premier's Spokesperson
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
Cell: 083 644 4050
E-mail: maistryl@premier.kzntl.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
23 January 2009
Source: SAPA
