Government is currently conducting a detailed assessment of the 2010 World Cup which should be completed by the end of September, President Jacob Zuma says. According to a report on the iafrica.com site, Zuma told a dinner hosted by the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Constructors at Ellis Park that ’from this review will emerge the lessons that will make us implement our new way of doing things even better in government.’ He said the most visible product of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup is the new infrastructure - roads, stadiums, airports, refurbished hotels and other buildings.
WC provided Aids lessons, says Motlanthe - 19/07/2010
The FIFA World Cup provided lessons on how to deal with the HIV/Aids pandemic, said Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said in Vienna. ’I want to believe this sporting tournament has provided all of us with lessons we can apply in our collective approach to deal with the HIV and Aids pandemic,’ he said at the 18th International Aids conference.
’One of those lessons is the importance of teamwork even in the battle against HIV and Aids.’ According to a report on the News24 site, Motlanthe said the World Cup had emphasised the importance of inter-dependence and co-operation.
Parliament is set to grill SAFA’s top brass on how the body plans to spend its R1 billion windfall from FIFA, especially in developing the game in the country. The Pretoria News reports that ANC MP and chairman of the National Assembly’s sport and recreation committee, Butana Komphela, confirmed they would be meeting football bosses to question them about plans for soccer development, for which some of the millions are earmarked. FIFA gave the local soccer body the money after the country successfully hosted the World Cup.
I never doubted SA, says Obama – 15/07/2010doubted
US President Barack Obama says he never doubted that South Africa would be able to host a successful 2010 World Cup. Sport24 reports that Obama said that South Africa was not only a ’national but a world treasure’. The American president said when he visited South Africa before taking office, he had realised that there was an ’extraordinary energy’ among South Africans. After he got to know President Jacob Zuma and understood more of the pride with which Zuma spoke about South Africa, he was convinced that the World Cup would be a success.
South Africa’s success in hosting the 2010 World Cup has made life more difficult for President Jacob Zuma by raising expectations his government can meet a series of unfulfilled promises in the same bold fashion. According to a repot on the IoL site, after his government has shown it can deliver all that was needed to host the month-long sporting event, the public now wants Zuma to show the same resolve in dealing with the problems that have lingered since the end of apartheid 16 years ago - unemployment, poverty and a woeful education system.
We need prayer and parties, says Zuma - 14/07/2010need
National prayer and a party would keep the World Cup spirit alive in South Africa, said President Jacob Zuma. ’We must maintain this spirit. It’s not something you can buy,’ Zuma said. ’Government is working on a prayer on how to sustain this. I think it is important as a nation that we have a national prayer to thank God for helping us with this success.’ According to a report on the IoL site, Zuma said the 2010 World Cup had proved that the country was prepared to host major international events.
The US government praised South Africa for hosting an ’excellent’ Soccer World Cup and congratulated Spain for capturing the trophy with a 1-0 finals victory over Netherlands, notes a Sport24 report. ’We congratulate and thank the people of South Africa for hosting an excellent month of soccer, ’State Department spokeman PJ Crowley said. ’It was the first time an African nation hosted the World Cup, and South Africa proved its ability to do so quite nobly.’
President Jacob Zuma on Monday said FIFA president Sepp Blatter had been vindicated because of his strong belief in South Africa’s ability to host the World Cup. ’Our hosting of this historic FIFA World Cup on African soil vindicates Mr Blatter’s strong conviction that we were capable of delivering a spectacular and successful event,’ he told journalists at a post World Cup briefing in Sandton, Johannesburg. Zuma said it was an ’emotional moment’ for the country, but it had shown the world it had what it took to compete with the best.
Finance minister to weigh in on ticket saga - 07/07/2010
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will soon meet with the Auditor-General and the chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) to discuss the issue of 2010 World Cup ticket purchases by government departments, public enterprises, and municipalities, the National Treasury said. ’While there may be legitimate reasons for buying tickets to advance the business case of public enterprises and government departments, concern has been raised as to what action may be taken should the Auditor-General deem this expenditure wasteful or fruitless’.
President Jacob Zuma thanked South Africans for warmly welcoming visitors during the World Cup and he described the tournament as incident free, notes a SPort24 report. ’Our visitors have been welcomed warmly and the stadiums have been filled to capacity. Government would like to thank South Africans for handling visitors well,’ Zuma said in Durban.
President Jacob Zuma said the 2010 World Cup had brought ’priceless’ benefits to South Africa, as the Netherlands went through to the final after a thrilling semi-final encounter with Uruguay. Sport24 reports that with Sunday’s final now just days away, Zuma said the R33bn spent by the national treasury had led to lasting improvements in communications and transport. But the social impact had been even greater, he said, as black and white fans packed into stadiums and fan parks together, 16 years after the first all-race elections ended white-minority rule.
A distinction should be made between parastatals and state departments spending money on 2010 World Cup tickets, Minister in the National Planning Commission Trevor Manuel said. According to a Mail & Guardian report, this follows an outcry over state entities spending millions on soccer tickets. Manuel said parastatals were business entities that needed to make profits by engaging on a social level with clients. ’Some of the parastatals are.’
Nigeria’s president lifted a ban on its soccer team playing in international competitions after the football federation (NFF) said it would disband and rebuild the side, notes a report on the IoL site. ’The NFF assured the president of their commitment to evolving an enduring football development programme, and grow a new senior national team that will bring glory rather than consistent embarrassment to Nigeria on the world stage,’ the presidency said in a statement.
Ghana President John Atta Mills called for the Black Stars to be given a heroes’ welcome when they return home from the 2010 World Cup, where they bowed out at the quarterfinal stage. ’The defeat was heart-wrenching, but we have to be proud of the honour that our national team has accomplished,’ said Mills ahead of the return of the national football team.
President Jacob Zuma said he was happy with the way the World Cup had progressed so far and was excited about the knockout stages of the tournament. Zuma was speaking after a meeting with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who also commended the South African public for their hospitality and the atmosphere they had created for the visitors. ’As you will be aware, we were consulting with Mr Blatter before the World Cup and during the tournament I went away for some days. Today we were discussing various issues and he also briefed me about the logistics leading up to the final of the World Cup,’ said Zuma.
Ministers to explain WC tickets spending - 30/06/2010
Ministers and heads of government departments will be asked to explain their expenditure on World Cup tickets, Scopa chairperson Themba Godi is quoted as saying in a Beeld report, which notes the government could have built at least 900 houses with the money spent on the soccer tickets. It says the confirmed bill for tickets currently stands at R48m, but the full extent of expenditure will only be known when the Auditor-General completes his reports.
President suspends Nigeria for 2 years - 30/06/2010
Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the national soccer team from international competition for the next two years following their poor performance in the World Cup, a senior adviser said. ’Mr President has directed that Nigeria will withdraw from all international football competition for the next two years to enable Nigeria to reorganise its football,’ Ima Niboro, a special adviser to Goodluck Jonathan, told reporters. ’This directive became necessary following Nigeria’s poor performance in the ongoing 2010 World Cup.’
Nigeria were knocked out in the first round.
A threat by FIFA to ban France’s national and club teams from international competition if the government did not stay out of soccer affairs failed to stop political debate over France’s World Cup debacle. The Times reports that FIFA President Sepp Blatter warned that soccer’s governing body would suspend the French Football Federation (FFF) if France’s politicians interfered in its business. If France were suspended, the country would be banned from international tournaments and French clubs could not take part in European competitions.
The DA has formally requested that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan be brought before Parliament’s Select Committee on Finance to answer questions about what action he is going to take against government departments and public entities that have spent almost R50m on Fifa World Cup tickets. The Witness says DA chief whip Ian Davidson confirmed he has written to the chairperson of the committee requesting that Gordhan be brought before the committee.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has warned French leader Nicolas Sarkozy that the country’s national team risks suspension from global competition if he meddles in the running of the side. Blatter says the French football federation cannot rely on protection from politicians – ’even if it is at the presidential level.’ Blatter says he is sending a ’clear and clean message’ to the French government and President Sarkozy.
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.
Sarkozy meets Henry over French failure – 25/06/2010
President Nicolas Sarkozy held a face-to-face meeting with Thierry Henry on Thursday after Les Bleus’ humiliating exit from the World Cup turned into a national issue the government has vowed to address. Sarkozy called on Wednesday for a wholesale review of French soccer after chairing a government meeting and Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot said on Thursday ’the resignation of French Federation chairman, Jean-Pierre Escalettes was unavoidable’.According to a report on the IOL site, France’s campaign, marred by infighting and the boycott of a training session, ended on Tuesday with a 2-1 defeat by hosts South Africa that left them bottom of Group A without a win.
Uganda’s head of state, Yoweri Museveni, is urging his people to ignore the 2010 World Cup, advising them to instead concentrate on income-generating activities. The Times reports that President Museveni says he was invited to attend the tournament’s opening ceremony but declined, instead suggesting parents should tell their children not to ’waste time’ watching the matches, the Daily Monitor reported.
Sarkozy demands review after ’disaster’ - 23/06/2010
President Nicolas Sarkozy called for a wholesale review of French soccer following the national team’s humiliation in the 2010 World Cup, and said no player should receive bonuses after their dire showing. According to a report on the IoL site, France’s campaign, marred by infighting and the boycott of a training session, ended on Tuesday with a 2-1 defeat by hosts South Africa that left them bottom of Group A without a win.
A successful hosting of the World Cup by South Africa should be the spur for a bid for a first African Olympics, said the country’s president Jacob Zuma. According to a report on the IoL site, he said he would support any future bid by one of South Africa’s cities to host the Games. ’We have got the facilities. Those who take decisions (about the hosting of major sports event) have seen how South Africa is. I’m sure we could do it,’ he said after Tuesday’s World Cup 2-1 win for his country over France.
A French minister reduced the country’s disgraced 2010 World Cup stars to tears as she gave them a dressing down over their tantrums ahead of their final group game, notes a Sport24 report. With the whole of France outraged at the antics of the millionaire footballers in refusing to train and threatening to boycott the match against South Africa, Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot said she had told the players they are a ’moral disaster’. ’They applauded me and they were crying,’ Bachelot said of the encounter at the team camp.
The ANC Youth League has been given a red card for criticising Bafana Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena. The Star reports that DA youth leader Khume Ramulifho said the league had no business giving advice on the national soccer team and said sport should be kept separate from politics. He was responding to a league statement which accused Mokoena of sometimes making ’costly mistakes’, although it lauded coach Carlos Parreira as ’excellent’.
Sarkozy enters fray as French players revolt – 20/06/2010
French politicians from the president down, plus a string of former soccer greats, led a chorus of dismay on Sunday as France’s World Cup campaign threatened to implode after an extraordinary training boycott. President Nicolas Sarkozy asked his sports minister in South Africa to prolong her stay to speak to the captain, coach and head of the French Football Federation (FFF) to calm the situation before Tuesday’s final Group A game against South Africa.
The lessons of the 2010 World Cup can be used to improve the justice system and service delivery, Democratic Alliance Leader Helen Zille said. ’The lessons of the World Cup extend far beyond sport,’ she said, citing the example of the 56 dedicated courts set up to deal with cases for the sporting spectacular.’ ’The results have, apparently, been astounding. Within four days of kick-off, 20 cases had been brought before the special courts and four finalised. At this rate, the special World Cup courts will finalise five times more cases per month than normal courts.’
Continue being good hosts, urges Maseko – 17/06/2010
Government appeals to the nation to continue rallying behind the country’s hosting of the historic 2010 World Cup. Government spokesperson Themba Maseko says: ’We are still in the initial stages of the tournament. And this is not the time to pull back, regardless of the disappointment we may feel after Bafana Bafana’s loss to Uruguay on 16 June 2010.’ ’The success of the tournament is dependent on our hospitality as a host nation. After all, this is still our World Cup. It is upon us to make it a success’, says Maseko
