S Shiceka: 2010 Fifa World Cup host city posters launch

26 January 2009

Honourable mayors and executive mayors of the host cities
Dr Irvin Khoza, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC)
Dr Danny Jordaan, CEO of the LOC
Mr Jerome Valcke, Fifa Secretary General
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Introduction

I am honoured to be afforded an opportunity to address you on this
remarkable event.

Going back on the memory lane, I am standing here with the same emotions of
warmth, excitement and pride that I felt when we received the news that this
country had been awarded to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Today marks yet another critical milestone of the great journey pursued by
the Local Organising Committee, government, business bodies and fellow South
Africans in ensuring that this 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament becomes a
reality.

Dare to dream. On 15 May 2004, none of us could have imagined the strides we
have made in preparing our country for the world’s largest, most exciting
sporting event after the Olympic Games. The statistics show that in terms of TV
audience, this event is bigger than the Olympics “it is really in a class of
its own.”

We are bringing the World Cup for the first time in its history to the
continent. The eyes of billions of television viewers, approximately three
million international visitors, and the cream of the world’s sporting media
will be focused on the Southern tip of Africa. South Africa will be at the
centre of this spectacular event.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are approximately 500 days before kick off of the
Fifa World Cup South Africa and only 138 days left to the 2009 Fifa
Confederations Cup, which of course we are hosting. It is indeed a historic
moment and a major milestone towards the realisation of a dream.

The South African Government is humbled by this vote of confidence by Fifa
as a country, and a continent to host these games and host them
successfully.

Benefits of the 2010 Fifa World Cup

During the 2010, the World and South African citizens, especially soccer
lovers will enjoy benefits of a host of multi-million rand infrastructure
projects sponsored by the government.

Ladies and gentlemen, between now and 2010, the South African government has
committed to spend approximately 5 billion rands in the building and renovation
of ten world cup stadium, 2,5 billion on upgrades to the country’s airports and
3,5 billion on improvements on country’s roads and railway networks.

It is expected of this spectacular event to generate about 21,1 billion for
the South African economy; 12,7 billion in direct spending and creating about
159 000 jobs.

We will see our tourism industry experiencing an unprecedented upward spiral
from estimated three million visitors expected for the tournament.

This will include many more benefits derived out of indirect impact of the
event such as the change of perceptions that large number of foreign investors
hold on Africa and South Africa.

Launching of 2010 Fifa World Cup posters

Ladies and gentlemen, as they say Ekasi “Idiski is the game of the people;
soccer is the game of the people.” It is therefore our firm view that the host
cities should work tirelessly to ensure that stadium are packed with soccer
loving fans.

Today gives me an assurance that the host cities are ready to host this
tournament. The launching of their posters to brand their cities and South
Africa as a capable host country for this soccer spectacular is a great success
achieved in all of the projects that have been undertaken to date.

Hosting the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup should not be for the soccer
fraternity or government alone but rather for a South African collective and
Africa as a whole. It is for this reason that the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local
Organising Committee, the host cities and the Federation International Football
Association (Fifa) world body, had deemed it fit to launch the host city
posters here today.

The world, and all South Africans have to know and be part of these events,
and therefore the launching of these posters forms part of a range of material,
tools and media to inform, raise awareness and excite our people about this
great historical event taking place in our lifetime.

The host city posters will be used to promote the 2010 Fifa World Cup in all
nine host cities and will be used for outdoor media posters, billboards,
signage and for indoor decoration. We are unveiling the host cities face, their
brand to South Africa, the continent and the global community.

This host city posters project should also been seen as a point where we are
raising the public relations and marketing bar just a notch to publicise the
FIFA sporting events as widely as possible. It should also be seen as an
opportunity for all South Africans to increase their awareness and knowledge of
these events, while at the same time building a positive image of the
country.

We all have to play our part in creating a positive nation brand to the
global soccer loving community, potential investors, tourists and anyone who is
in some way touched by brand-South Africa through this marketing drive.

We need to be reminded that South Africa is characterised by two economies;
one being affluent and urban; and the other being indigent and rural. It is
therefore important that the host cities’ marketing campaigns are sensitive to
this reality.

It is government’s view that there must be deliberate efforts to reach out
to many of our people in particular those who are indigent, to ensure that they
get an opportunity to watch the Fifa soccer events and be part of the hype that
goes with it. Whether it is in the grandiose and hi-tech stadium we have built
or the fan parks or in the public viewing areas.

It is without doubt, therefore, that we need to cascade information on 2010
World Cup preparations down to the local sphere, with more detailed province
host city specific content being included. Municipalities and provinces also
need to mobilise communities around the World Cup preparations. More creative
and original ways must be found to include the participation of local
government councillors, ward committee members, our traditional leadership to
carry these messages to every corner of the areas under their jurisdiction.

South Africa is known for hosting major international sporting events such
as 1995 Rugby World Cup, 2003 Cricket World Cup, Women’s World Cup of Golf in
2005 and 2006 to mention but a few. We are ready to host the Fifa soccer
events; it is Africa’s time.

Conclusion

In closing I want to quote the words of Mr Joseph S Blatter when he said,
“we have to trust the Africans’ ability to organise the competition. Trust will
give the confidence. If they have confidence, they will be better in the
future.”
As South Africans and Africa, we are really honoured to have such support from
FIFA and we are indeed confident that we will deliver the great world sporting
event with an African touch. “Yes we can.”

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Provincial and Local Government
26 January 2009
Source: Department of Provincial and Local Government (http://www.thedplg.gov.za/)