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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
The South African petroleum industry will be ready for the 2010 FIFA World Cup when demand is expected to spike significantly across the entire supply chain of petrol, diesel, and particularly, jet fuel. That's the assurance from Maurice Radebe, incoming chairman of the South African Petroleum Industry Association. Radebe says a major programme is being developed by a World Cup Fuel Task Team chaired by the Department of Energy to ensure that about 2.7m spectators are able to travel to the 64 matches around the country.  How big is this operation? Visitors and teams will start arriving two to three weeks prior to the tournament and many will stay on afterwards to holiday in the country, so from a fuel supply perspective, this will be a major logistical exercise, the likes of which we may never see again. Are you on track? We will be ready to meet the needs of transport operators, airlines, tourist destinations, industry and commerce in the run up to the FIFA World Cup and beyond when South Africa will be showcased to the world. So the World Cup is key to these initiatives? 'It has provided a basis for co-operation by all stakeholders in the petroleum industry which will be invaluable over the next five to ten years as critical supply and production issues are tackled. It is for this reason that the industry has applied for exemption from the Competition Commission. The basis for working together in preparation for the FIFA World Cup should be taken forward to meet these challenges, working within the framework of the Energy Security Master Plan agreed to by Cabinet in 2007. more interviews... |
