| World Cup stadium raises great controversy - 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 Star 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."
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Full report in The Star
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| South African up in arms about cost of 2010 WC - 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."
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Full report on the Chron.com site
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| 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 Daily News 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."
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Full Daily News report
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| 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 World Cup bid, said that there was no way that he was going to sit in on a public supply chain command meeting."
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Full Cape Times report
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| PE Airport runway extension must be made official, urges Radebe - 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."
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Full report in The Herald
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| Cabinet expresses concern over readiness for 2010 - 06/04/2006 |
The Cabinet expresses its disappointment at recent statements by public officials in various capacities regarding the countrys readiness to host the 2010 WC. The Sunday Times reports that "the Cabinet was of the opinion that negative public communication, aimed at accessing resources or any other purpose, did not help the image of the country nor did it reflect the true state of affairs."
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Full Sunday Times report
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| 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."
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Full Cape Argus report
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| German delegation offers SA World Cup support - 05/04/2006 |
An appeal for close co-operation on issues concerning the 2010 WC was made by the Premier of Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff on his three-day visit to SA. Engineering News reports that "the premier is accompanied by a German delegation of 20 business people in a bid to strengthen ties, especially those forged between the Eastern Cape and one of Germany’s largest states, Lower Saxony, eleven years ago."
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Full Engineering News report
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| City will not 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 Fridays council meeting, ANC councillor Vicket Ndlela Mavungavunga quizzed Zille on why she claimed that she did not know the stadiums financial implications."
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Full Cape Times report
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| Government commits to R242bn for 2010 WC preparations - 30/03/2006 |
The government has committed itself to spending about R242bn to prepare for the Fifa WC in 2010 - over half of the countrys annual budget. The Mercury reports however, "that all the money is going into the development of infrastructure that will remain for future use."
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Full report in The Mercury
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| Stofile keeps his distance from Cape Town stadium row - 30/03/2006 |
Sport Minister Makhenkesi Stofile is keeping his distance from the controversy about the proposed Green Point stadium, said his spokesperson Bongi Sishi. The Cape Times 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."
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Full Cape Times report
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| 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, who wanted to get into the situation Eskom found itself in the province."
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Full Cape Times report
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| 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 World Cup stadium at Green Point. The Cape Times reports that "the labour federation has broken ranks to welcome the opportunity for a more comprehensive discussion. Earlier, ANC Western Cape secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha slammed Zille, saying her illogical excuses for the unnecessary delay are causes of grave concern."
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Full Cape Times report
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| 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 WC 2010 stadium has given new meaning to that hackneyed phrase, political football.The Cape Times reports that "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."
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Full Cape Times report
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| Mpumalanga to hold meeting on World Cup needs - 29/03/2006 |
Mpumalanga will hold a meeting to thrash out football development issues ahead of the 2010 WC matches. According to a report on the News24 site, "Sports, arts and culture MEC Nomsa Mtsweni told the legislature that her department and Safa planned to hold the meeting next month. Also, were in the process of establishing various sub-committees that will look into such issues as safety and security and tourism."
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Full report on the News24 site
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| WC LOC requests meeting with Zille - 29/03/2006 |
The Fifa LOC for the 2010 WC has asked for a meeting with Cape Town mayor Helen Zille to defuse the controversy over Green Point stadium, said LOC chairman Irvin Khoza. According to a report on the News24 site, "he said Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool had also been invited to the meeting, which it was hoped would take place in Cape Town, ahead of an LOC board meeting. The move follows Zilles decision this week to put planning for the R1.5bn stadium project on hold pending a report on the full financial implications for the city."
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Full report on the News24 site
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| SA consider strategies to deal with asylum seekers during 2010 - 29/03/2006 |
SA will have to devise a strategy on how to deal with the possible influx of asylum seekers during the 2010 WC, according to the National Assemblys sports committee. The Pretoria News reports that "commenting on the large number of athletes from various countries who used the Commonwealth Games in Australia to disappear and try to make a new life in the host country, committee chairman Butana Khompela predicted SA could experience the same phenomenon. Khompela said the problem would have to be discussed by the committee."
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Full Pretoria News report
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| 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."
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Full Cape Argus report
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| Sport MEC supports freeze in Green Point stadium - 28/03/2006 |
Sport MEC Mzonke Whitey Jacobs has come out in support of the City of Cape Towns decision to halt progress on the proposed R1.28bn African Renaissance Stadium at Green Point pending a financial review. The Cape Argus reports that "at its inaugural meeting, the new mayoral committee expressed serious concern about the project, saying the stadium, the citys proposed World Cup venue, was unaffordable as currently planned."
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Full Cape Argus report
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| 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. The Cape Times reports that "a much-needed R31m is being transferred from the citys capital budget to the ailing fire and rescue services."
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Full Cape Times report
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| Italian Football Federation to assist SA in 2010 preparations - 23/03/2006 |
The Italian Football Federation has been drawn in to assist SA in preparing for the 2010 WC. SABC News reports that "President Thabo Mbeki met Franco Carraro, the president of Italys football federation, in Rome to discuss the state of preparedness for the World Cup, the first to be hosted in Africa."
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Full SABC News report
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| SA will not be ready to broadcast 2010 - 14/03/2006 |
Parliament has been told SA would be not be ready to broadcast the 2010 WC without massive infrastructure investment. According to a report on the iafrica.com site, "multibillion-rand investments in digital broadcasting transmission was needed to properly serve a worldwide television audience of 3.6bn people."
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Full report on the iafrica.com site
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| Government unveils plan to save Bafana Bafana - 08/03/2006 |
The government has unveiled a plan to get Bafana Bafana back on track before the 2010 WC in SA. Take 45 young soccer players and accommodate them at a cost of R90 000 each a year in a camp for the next four years. According to a report on the News24 site, "the government hopes to change Bafana Bafana into a winning team at a total cost of more than R60m. Parliament is excited about Camp Bafana Bafana, which officially will be known as Project Bafana Bafana."
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Full report on the News24 site
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| Cosatu demands to be included in 2010 organising committee - 17/02/2006 |
The Congress of SA Trade Unions has demanded that a Cosatu labour representative be included on the 2010 WC LOC. The Citizen reports that "Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi gave the SA Football Association two weeks to meet this demand otherwise it would mobilise its members en masse to be involved in Safa’s meetings. Failure of Safa to do so will lead to an unprecedented confrontation between Safa and Cosatu."
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Full report in The Citizen
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| Manuel finds use for luckless Bafana - 15/02/2006 |
On a lighter note, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has found a use for the luckless Bafana Bafana - clearing rubble on building sites ahead of the 2010 WC, with no pay. And they should be joined, he suggested to the National Assembly, by the Proteas. According to a report on the iafrica.com site, "his jibe follows President Thabo Mbekis rebuke in his State of the Nation address, in which the President said the national soccer teams performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, where they did not score a single goal, did nothing to advertise our strengths as a winning nation."
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Full report on the iafrica.com site
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