| Cape Town: Growing controversy over Green Point stadium - 12/04/2006 |
The governments decision to build the 2010 WC stadium on Green Point Common is unilateral and undemocratic, and alternative venues must be looked at during the environmental impact assessment process now under way. The Cape Times reports that "these arguments from the floor were greeted with loud applause and cheering by many in an audience of several hundred who packed the clubhouse of the Hamiltons Rugby Club for the first public meeting on the controversial 68 000-seater stadium proposal."
|
Full Cape Times report
|
 |
| Cape Town: South Africans up in arms about 2010 costs - 12/04/2006 |
Alarm and indignation hang heavy over the manicured greens of the 110-year-old Metropolitan golf course, which looks set to be devoured by a 68 000-seat stadium to be erected in the heart of Cape Town for the 2010 WC. Chron.com reports that "concern is not confined to the privileged putters on the nine-hole course. It is shared by town planners, the new mayor and many residents who argue the anticipated cost of more than R1bn is unreasonable, given a desperate shortage of decent housing and services in the citys poverty-stricken suburbs."
|
Full report on the Chron.com site
|
|
| Port Elizabeth: Businesses to benefit from R2bn boost - 12/04/2006 |
Economic benefits of almost R2bn could flow into the hands of Nelson Mandela Bay businesses during the preparation and event phases of the 2010 WC, said SA Football Association CE Danny Jordaan. The Herald reports that "he was briefing PE businessmen at an FNB-organised business function."
|
Full report in The Herald
|
|
| Cape Town: Locals voice concern over proposed stadium - 12/04/2006 |
A capacity crowd voiced concerns, including litigation, about a proposed Green Point stadium catering for Cape Towns 2010 WC ambitions. According to a report on the iafrica.com site, "the entire process will be subjected to a long and drawn out process in the courts... (and) no sod will be turned."
|
Full report on the iafrica.com site
|
|
| Cape Town: City Manager row delays 2010 stadium contract - 11/04/2006 |
The ousting of City Manager Wallace Mgoqi has delayed the award of the multimillion-rand contract to design, plan and manage construction of the proposed 68 000-seater stadium at Green Point for the 2010 WC. The Star reports that "every day is considered crucial, given the tight time-frame which the citys 2010 World Cup Office has drawn up to get the R1.28bn stadium constructed by the end of 2008 - a Fifa requirement."
|
Full report in The Star
|
|
| Cape Town: Tender boss speaks out against city council - 11/04/2006 |
A bold proposal by the new multi-party city administration to open tender meetings to the public could be foiled by its own executive director of finance, Ike Nxedlana. The Cape Times reports that "Nxedlana, who chairs the adjudication committee for the 2010 WC bid, said: There is no way that Im going to sit in on a public supply chain command meeting."
|
Full Cape Times report
|
|
| Port Elizabeth: No construction during the World Cup, says Fifa - 10/04/2006 |
The 2010 WC is coming to SA at a huge price. The Sunday Times reports that "Fifa, has given PE a list of contentious demands for the football bash – among them that all construction in the city must be halted for the entire months duration of the competition."
|
Full Sunday Times report
|
|
| Port Elizabeth: Airport runway extension must be made official - 06/04/2006 |
Transport Minister Jeff Radebe has urged the Airports Company of SA to move quickly to get official approval to extend runway 8/26 at the PE airport if it is to be ready in time to receive additional flights during the 2010 WC. The Herald reports that "replying to a written parliamentary question from Eddie Trent (DA), the minister noted that under the current capital expenditure programme that underpins the permission to levy tariffs issued by the regulating committee in 2003, provision had not been made for any runway extension at PE."
|
Full report in The Herald
|
|
| Cape Town: Zille gives Green Point stadium the go ahead - 06/04/2006 |
Cape Town mayor Helen Zille has lifted the moratorium on the appointment of consultants to carry out the design and business plan for the Green Point stadium to be built for the 2010 WC. The Cape Argus reports that "although she said that the latest report she had received on the financial modelling underscored her initial concerns, it did not alleviate those concerns."
|
Full Cape Argus report
|
|
| Cape Town: New stadium will increase international tourism - 03/04/2006 |
The proposed 65 000 seater stadium at the site of the Metropolitan Golf Course in Mouille Point has the potential to significantly increase international tourism, attracting further world class events more consistently to Cape Town, boosting the economy along with local house prices. According to a report on the News24 site, "Barak Geffen, Executive Director of Sothebys International Realty SA, feels that locals are unduly worried about the proposed development and should focus on the bigger macro-economic benefits of the project."
|
Full report on the News24 site
|
|
| Cape Town: City cannot carry baby in financing new stadium - 03/04/2006 |
Cape Town mayor Helen Zille was asked to explain her insistence that she did not know the financial implications of the Green Point Stadium set to be built for the 2010 WC. The Cape Times reports that "during question time at the council meeting, ANC councillor Vicket Ndlela Mavungavunga quizzed Zille on why she claimed that she did not know the stadiums financial implications."
|
Full Cape Times report
|
|
| Cape Town: Real cost of proposed Green Point stadium is R3bn - 02/04/2006 |
Cape Town faces a further WC shock as the real cost of the proposed stadium in Green Point could be closer to R3bn than the R1.4bn estimate that has been tabled before the mayoral committee. The Cape Argus reports that "a top city officia said that transport and other infrastucture costs would double the real cost of the project."
|
Full Cape Argus report
|
|
| Cape Town: 2010 LOC decide on how to split WC budget - 31/03/2006 |
The 2010 WC LOC will decide how to divide R240m in government funding for the planning phase of the prestigious football tournament among nine host cities, including Cape Town. The Cape Argus reports that "the Mother City is still looking good to host a semifinal match, despite the one-week moratorium on the signing of any further 2010 contracts ordered by mayor Helen Zille last week."
|
Full Cape Argus report
|
|
| Cape Town: 2010 stadium back on track - 31/03/2006 |
Planning for the redevelopment of Cape Towns proposed Green Point stadium, earmarked as a venue for a 2010 WC semifinal, appears to be back on track following a meeting between city mayor Helen Zille and Fifa LOC members. The Daily News reports that "LOC chairman Irvin Khoza said those at the two and a half hour meeting had agreed that preparation and planning of infrastructure delivery would continue."
|
Full Daily News report
|
|
| Cape Town: Stofile keeps his distance from stadium row - 30/03/2006 |
Sport Minister Makhenkesi Stofile is keeping his distance from the controversy about the proposed Green Point soccer stadium, said his spokesperson Bongi Sishi. The Cape Argus reports that "he was speaking ahead of a meeting between Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille, Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool, and the Fifa LOC, which hopes to allay Zilles concerns over the project."
|
Full Cape Argus report
|
|
| Cape Town: Sewers before soccer says Zille - 30/03/2006 |
Mayor Helen Zille is correct to put a freeze on the 2010 soccer stadium while Cape Town assesses how the stadiums R1.5bn price tag will affect the citys ability to provide essential services like water and sewerage. The Cape Times reports that "this was said by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestrys regional director, Rashid Khan."
|
Full Cape Times report
|
|
| Cape Town: Zille gets support from Cosatu on stadium freeze - 30/03/2006 |
In a split in the ANC-led tripartite alliance, Cosatu says it supports DA mayor Helen Zilles freeze on the proposed 2010 WC stadium at Green Point. The Cape Times reports that "earlier, ANC Western Cape secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha slammed Zille, saying her illogical excuses for the unnecessary delay are causes of grave concern."
|
Full Cape Times report
|
|
| Cape Town: Zille gives new meaning to the phrase political football - 30/03/2006 |
The brouhaha over executive mayor Helen Zilles imposing a temporary freeze on contract appointments for the proposed 2010 WC stadium has given new meaning to that hackneyed phrase, political football. Zilles announcement, made pending a comprehensive financial audit of this citys capacity to build the stadium, was met with an immediate outpouring of anger by the ANC. The Cape Times reports that "first, Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool called her decision irresponsible in the extreme and said: Provincial government will not allow this process to be derailed."
|
Full Cape Times report
|
|
| Nelspruit: Mpumalanga to hold meeting on WC needs - 29/03/2006 |
Mpumalanga will hold a meeting to thrash out football development issues ahead of the 2010 WC matches. Sports, arts and culture MEC Nomsa Mtsweni said the host municipality, Mbombela, would employ a project manager to manage the construction of a stadium. According to a report on the News24 site, "also in the process was the establishing of various sub-committees that wouldl look into such issues as safety and security and tourism."
|
Full report on the News24 site
|
|
| Durban: Urban renewal programme for 2010 - 28/03/2006 |
Durban will attract R10bn in investments ahead of the 2010 WC as the citys transport system is upgraded and a new stadium, training facilities and hotels are built. According to Business Report, "Mike Sutcliffe, the city manager of the eThekwini municipality, said that R1.8bn would be used to build the Dube Tradeport and King Shaka International Airport, R1.6bn for a new stadium, R2bn for upgrading transport networks and R3bn for hotels."
|
Full story in Business Report
|
|
| Port Elizabeth: Historic rugby stadium bites the dust - 29/03/2006 |
PE’s historic but neglected rugby stadium is to be bulldozed, with all future matches set to be played at the new 2010 WC stadium in North End once it has been completed. The Herald reports that "the Eastern Province Rugby Union stadium, originally known as Boet Erasmus and later as Telkom Park, will be made available for development and should attract considerable interest because of its location."
|
Full report in The Herald
|
|
| Cape Town: Rasool slams Zille on Green Point stadium plans - 29/03/2006 |
Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool has accused Cape Towns executive mayor Helen Zille of being irresponsible in the extreme by imposing a one-week moratorium on the appointment of consultants for 2010 WC projects and says he is to provide R10m from the provinces coffers to revive the planning phase. The Cape Argus reports that "the provincial government will not allow this process to be derailed."
|
Full Cape Argus report
|
|
| Cape Town: Zille puts Green Point stadium on hold - 28/03/2006 |
Executive mayor Helen Zille placed an immediate freeze on contract appointments for the 2010 WC, pending a comprehensive financial audit of Cape Towns capacity to host the event. And a much-needed R31m is being transferred from the citys capital budget to the ailing fire and rescue services. The Cape Times reports that "after hearing in the first open multi-party government (executive mayoral committee, mayco or MPG) meeting that the city would have to provide at least R1 billion - the total capital budget for 2006 - to build the new Green Point stadium, Zille said: Do we build this stadium or do we get essential services, like sewerage, to the poor?"
|
Full Cape Times report
|
|
| Cape Town: City transport system in a state of crisis - 28/11/2005 |
Cape Towns transport system is in a state of crisis with a rapidly deteriorating public transport system, massive road congestion and a bleeding of skills in transport planning at local and provincial government level. The Cape Times reports that "experts say if the authorities dont take radical action soon, the situation will continue in a downward spiral with profound social and economic consequences for the city."
|
Full Cape Times report
|
|
| Cape Town: City behind schedule in 2010 preparations - 17/11/2005 |
Cape Town was behind schedule in its transport planning for the 2010 WC, outgoing president of the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce Louis Steenkamp said. There was reason to be concerned about the lack of urgency in the Civic Centre, he told the chambers annual meeting. According to a report on the News24 site, "even the final decision on which stadium to use had not been made. He said 70 000 of the fans coming into the country for the tournament would probably be based in Cape Town and fly, drive or use tour coaches to attend games."
|
Full report on the News24 site
|
|
| |
