| Massive party set for CT stadium - 22/07/2010 |
August 27 will see a massive party in Green Point as Cape Town Stadium hosts four PSL teams in one night of football action. Peace Fm reports that Morne du Plessis, the chairperson of SAIL STADEFRANCE, the operators of the Cape Town Stadium, said the ’party’ would feature the Cape Town kick off of the Absa Premiership season with a double-header. Although Du Plessis was confident the double header would take place, the PSL are a little more cautious saying they are set to meet with the authorities to finalise some issues.
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Full Peace FM report Peace
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| Bocelli to take to World Cup stage - 12/07/2010 |
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will lead a cast of local and international stars at the closing concert of the World Cup. Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams will also take to the stage on Friday alongside local stars Nianell and soprano Pretty Yende, and they will be backed by Johannesburg’s festival orchestra.
Bocelli says fans should expect pieces from both Italian opera repertoires and his personal work.
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Full report on the IOL site
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| Youngsters kick off township festival - 04/07/2010 |
The only South American side in the last four of the 2010 World Cup, Oscar Tabarez’s Uruguay are not the only representatives of their country enjoying themselves in the Rainbow Nation. Two days before the South Americans’ semi-final clash with the Netherlands, a team of youngsters from Uruguay opened the Football for Hope Festival 2010 with a victory over their hosts, Team Alexandra.
The match was a curtain-raiser for the inaugural festival, which takes place in the Alexandra township in Johannesburg from 4-10 July.
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Full report on the Fifa.com site
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| Arts Festival hit with soccer buzz – 28/06/2010hit |
It’s the biggest arts festival in the country, if not the continent, and it is here. Yep, even the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown has been hit by the soccer buzz. The Cape Argus reports that it’s a week into the festival and organisers are hoping their gamble to extend it to 15 days in order to attract international tourists attending Port Elizabeth fixtures is paying off. The artists aren’t quite as soccer mad, though there are some shows which deliberately incorporate the country’s obsession into their work (like Mpho Osei-Tutu’s one-man play Convincing Carlos, which imagines that a South African named Sechaba persuaded the national team’s coach to come back.
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Full Cape Argus report
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| Zuma to captain special soccer team – 25/06/2010 |
In about a week’s time, President Jacob Zuma will be discarding his suit in exchange for soccer kit and boots. The Star reports that Zuma, a keen footballer in his youth, will be captaining a team at a Unity Cup tournament on July 3 before a World Cup quarterfinal game at Cape Town Stadium. The tournament is part of a project between Special Olympics South Africa and the Coca-Cola Company. Annemarie van Wieringen, the CEO of Special Olympics SA, said the idea originated from the country’s role as World Cup host.
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Full report in The Starreport
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| Kick off concert surprises – 10/06/2010 |
South Africa’s legendary trumpeter Hugh Masekela will jazz up the 2010 World Cup opening ceremony with American R-and-B star R Kelly, but all eyes will be on the stands for a glimpse of Nelson Mandela. Sport24 reports that Mandela’s family confirmed that the 91-year-old icon of the anti-apartheid struggle would attend the opening match, if only for a while, but no details have emerged about how or when he will arrive. Organiser Derek Carstens promises a ’big surprise’ during the first seven minutes of the ceremony, but said the secret would not involve South Africa’s first black president, who is increasingly frail but still beloved.
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Full Sport24 report
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| City set for massive party – 10/06/2010 |
The Mother City is preparing for a party expected to draw over 60 000 people to celebrate the opening of the World Cup on Thursday, the City of Cape Town said. Sport24 reports that roads in and around the city centre will close from 14:00 to midnight to make way for a FIFA World Cup street festival. Up to 17 000 people were expected to attend the event at the official Grand Parade Fan Fest site, with another 50 000 people expected to gather in the city centre for the ’Welcome the World to the Mother City’ street festival.
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Full Sport24 report
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| Fergie takes to the pitch - 09/06/2010 |
Pop star Fergie wore a cute if unconventional kit as she took to the football pitch ahead of 2010 World Cup celebrations. The star wore a flirty feline-printed frock as she greeted the press with her Black Eyed Peas bandmates at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg. The group will perform at the 2010 World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert tomorrow alongside a host of big names, including Alicia Keys, John Legend and Freshlyground.
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Full Daily Mail reportDaily
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| Fans urged to use public transport – 09/06/2010 |
Soccer and music fans who are planning to go to Thursday’s 2010 World Cup opening concert at Orlando Stadium and Friday’s opening ceremony and first match at Soccer City should plan their route well and give themselves enough time. Sport24 reports that this was the message from the Johannesburg metro police and city council. Sibongile Mazibuko, executive director of Johannesburg’s SWC 2010 office asked people to use the park-and-ride facilities. Director Gerrie Gerneke of the Johannesburg metro police and operational head at Soccer City during the World Cup, said there was no parking available in the vicinity of the Orlando Stadium during the concert.
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Full Sport24 report Sport24
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| Road closures during street festival – 08/06/2010 |
The City of Cape Town has announced a series of road closures for its spectacular street festival to ’welcome the world to the Mother City’. On Thursday, 10 June, some 17 000 revellers are expected to gather at the FIFA Fan Fest on the Grand Parade and another 50 000 in the city centre. ’This party promises to be bigger, better and safer than any of the City’s previous parties. But with safety in mind, the City will be closing certain roads from 14:00 to 24:00 on that day,’ says Executive Mayor Dan Plato.
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Full press release
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| Tshwane rolls out the red carpet – 31/05/2010 |
Tshwane will use next week’s game between Bafana Bafana and Denmark as a test of the City’s readiness for the 2010 World Cup. ’We have made commendable progress in our preparations and I can now say we are indeed ready and will use the upcoming Bafana match to test our systems,’ said Mayor Gwen Ramokgopa on Friday. Last week, the City officially handed over the Loftus Stadium to FIFA following renovations and erection of additional new seats.
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Full press release
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| A winter tonic for Capetonians – 25/05/2010 |
Cape Town’s premier comedy festival, The Vodacom Funny Festival, will run for the duration of the 2010 WC at the Baxter Theatre. Media Update reports the popular annual event, which has become ’Cape Town’s Winter Tonic’, will open on 7 June and run for five weeks through to 11 July. The acclaimed production showcases a range of international and local performers. The hugely popular festival is the only comedy project to be awarded Official Event status by Cape Town’s tourism authorities.
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Full Media Update reportMedia
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| Bafunny Bafunny set to hit CT - 21/05/2010 |
The 2010 World Cup is no laughing matter. Unless the team you’re watching is Bafunny Bafunny. Eight top stand-up comedians, all appropriately kitted out in green-and-gold blazers emblazoned with a chicken emblem, will entertain Capetonians at the GrandWest Arena at the end of this month. Unfazed by their own limited sporting ability, coach Mark ’Markos Santanos Bankos’ Banks and captain Barry ’The Cousin’ Hilton will head the team of Trevor ’Delicious’ Noah, Nik ’Bokkie’ Rabinowitz, Loyiso ’Laduuuma’ Gola, Marc ’Long Shot’ Lottering, Kagiso ’Kaka’ Ladiga and John ’Die Voël’ Vlismas.
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Full Tonight report
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| CMA rallies behind Bafana - 18/05/2010 |
The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has organised a walk event in Pietermaritzburg on May 25 to galvanise support for the 2010 World Cup. The Sowetan reports that this is a joint partnership between the association and the City of Pietermaritzburg, who will also set up public viewing areas during the World Cup for local residents. CMA marketing coordinator Thami Vilakazi said: ’We expect thousands of people to join us on the day - it will be a great platform to show our support for Bafana Bafana. As South Africans, we must all rally behind the national team because they really need our unwavering support in a big tournament like the World Cup.’
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Full report in The Sowetan
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| Melrose Arch kicks-off soccer festivities – 18/05/2010 |
With only a few weeks to go before South Africa hosts the 2010 World Cup, the country’s leading cosmopolitan and lifestyle retail centre, Melrose Arch, will play host to a spectrum of colourful football festivities, notes a Media Update report. Melrose Arch, which was awarded ’Best Place to See and Be Seen’ in Johannesburg for the last seven years, is the only retail precinct in Johannesburg that will offer a FanRide for 2010 World Cup ticket holders who are hoping to avoid the heavy traffic rush during the World Cup.
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Full Media Update report
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| 20-day countdown celebration set for Joburg – 17/05/2010 |
On 21 May you will see Joburgers getting their weekend off to a rousing start as they celebrate the 20-day countdown to the 2010 World Cup with a sizzling street party in Vilakazi Street, Soweto, starting at 14:00, notes a Media Update report. ’Once again tourism industry stakeholders throughout the City of Gold are joining forces to stage a colourful, vibrant community celebration to demonstrate to the world that we are geared, ready, and waiting to show our visitors a great time in the city that we love!’ says Johannesburg Tourism Company CEO, Lindiwe Kwele.
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Full Media Update report
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| Ghaza strip organises it’s own WC – 17/05/2010 |
Passionate of football but off the world, the Ghaza strip organizes its own ’World Cup’, an initiative that is very popular even if it is symbolic, to demand the lifting of the Israeli blockade imposed on the small Palestinian territory. ’You want to go to South Africa but the borders are closed? The World Cup, it’s happening now in Ghaza, announced last few days of big billboards. Ennahar Online reports that with humor, they call Ghazzawi to attend this event by proxy, the first of its kind in the narrow enclave controlled by the Islamist movement of Hamas in three years.
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Full Ennahar Online report
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| Tshwane is hosting a business conference – 14/05/2010 |
The City of Tshwane is hosting the Tshwane International Trade and Infrastructure Investment Conference (TITIIC) at the CSIR International Convention Centre from 24 to 26 May 2010. Already in its third successful year, this conference is strategically pitched before the 2010 FIFA World Cup to take advantage of the influx of business people to the country. The event comprises a two-day conference, business-to-business meetings, business and industry exhibitions and networking events. Daytime tours to the city and related investment destinations, as well as a golf day, have been organised for the third day. A highlight is the mayoral gala dinner at which business and tourism awards will be presented to companies to reward them for performance excellence. A concurrent exhibition will showcase the very best Tshwane has to offer, while also offering South African, African and international organisations the opportunity to exhibit their services and products.
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Full Sa Cities report
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| eThekwini fan fest is searching for talent! – 14/05/2010 |
Live music, visual and performing arts practitioners are needed for the eThekwini Municipality Fan Fest, Beach Festival and Public Viewing Areas during 2010 FIFA World Cup. Calling on all the undiscovered talent out there!
This invitation goes out to singers, musicians, bands and performance artists to apply for auditions to be considered to perform live at the Official Fan Fest, Beach Festival and Public Viewing Areas during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. There are several performance slots to be filled on the various stages in these areas. So, this is not just any audition! This is a golden opportunity for new talent based within the boundaries of the eThekwini Municipality to share their talent with the world!
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Full Artlink report
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| Newtown festival for WC – 14/05/2010 |
Newtown, Johannesburg’s creative hub is gearing up for a six-week long festival extravaganza of arts, culture, entertainment and literature which will showcase South Africa and Africa to international visitors, notes a Screen Africa report. The Newtown 2010 Festival has been made possible by a grant of R3,109-million awarded to the Newtown Management District (NMD) by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF), and forms part of the NMD’s plans for marketing the area.
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Full Screen Africa report
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| Bafana, Thailand friendly to open Mbombela stadium – 10/05/2010 |
The Mbombela Municipality will use Sunday’s international friendly between Bafana Bafana and Thailand to officially open the new 2010 World Cup match venue, notes a report in The Sowetan. Thailand, ranked 105 by FIFA, did not qualify for the World Cup but SAFA are confident the match will assist Bafana Bafana during their preparations. Mbombela Municipality were initially planning to officially open the stadium on Saturday but have decided to merge the celebrations with the 90-Fifa ranked Bafana Bafana match.
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Full report in The Sowetan
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| Soccer-themed musical a hit - 09/05/2010 |
The soccer-themed youth musical ’African Dream’ has been packing out venues in the North West province, and will soon be taking the Eastern Cape by storm too. Presented by non-profit organisation Seboka Training and Support Network with support from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, the musical is aimed at youth audiences, who can come and see it for free in various venues. Dance, drama and theatre management workshops are also being held.
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Full Artslink report
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| WC trophy hits Khayelitsha - 08/05/2010 |
Thousands of excited township dwellers gathered in Cape Town’s sprawling Khayelitsha to catch a glimpse of the 2010 World Cup trophy at the start of its SA tour. Construction workers, civil servants and the unemployed thronged to be photographed with the gold trophy in the city’s largest black township. The Witness reports that organisers are hoping that the trophy’s journey around the country will heighten excitement ahead of the tournament.
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Full report in The Witness
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| SA hits flower show with soccer-themed exhibit – 07/05/2010 |
After 34 years of award-winning exhibits at the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious annual Chelsea Flower Show in London, South Africa’s Chelsea team is hoping this year’s display will also be a winner, notes a Pretoria News report. Designers David Davidson and Ray Hudson, who have designed the exhibit for the past 16 years, took up the challenge to explore the theme of biological diversity, in celebration of 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. While South Africa is in the grip of World Cup fever, the design also has a fascinating consonance with the sport.
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Full Pretoria News report
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| Get ready for the party of a lifetime - 06/05/2010 |
Organisers of the 2010 World Cup say the country should brace itself for the mother of all ceremonies ahead of the opening match on June 11, notes a Goal.com report. The opening ceremony will be preceded by a ’test’ event dubbed the Bafana Bafana concert, to take place on May 25, a day that also marks the commemoration of Africa Day. LOC member and head of the tournament’s legacy projects, Greg Fredericks, said the concert will feature only South African-based artists and only people wearing Bafana jerseys will be allowed into the venue, which is yet to be confirmed.
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Full Goal.com report
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| Disappointment over new concert line-up – 04/05/2010 |
The new line-up for the 2010 World Cup concert does not address recommendations made by local artists, South African singer and poet Mzwakhe Mbuli has said. City Press reports that FIFA announced the line-up of the concert, which is set to take place on 10 June at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg. ’Artists are deeply shocked and disappointed,’ said Mbuli, adding that they had been ’misled, manipulated and fooled’. The agreement that the new line-up for the 2010 concert would address concerns over gender and demographics were not taken into account, Mbuli claimed.
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Full City Press report
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| SA artists in WC grand finale – 03/05/2010 |
South African opera singer Pretty Yende will share the stage with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Canadian rocker Bryan Adams to mark the end of the 2010 World Cup. Dubbed Celebrate Africa Grand Finale, the concert has been endorsed by FIFA and will take place on July 9 at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg. The Sowetan reports that concert organisers have confirmed that the event will happen in Johannesburg two days before the World Cup final.
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Full report in The Sowetan
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