Three-month grace period for permits – 29/07/2010Three
The North Gauteng High Court has granted truck drivers three months to adjust to a new system that requires foreign drivers operating SA trucks to obtain work permits rather than use visitor permits. A Business Day report says the move was in line with the Department of Home Affairs’ continued tightening of entry requirements into SA that started before the 2010 World Cup.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele on Wednesday saluted transport operators for ’rising to challenges’ and ensuring that transport moved smoothly during the Soccer World Cup. ’Given the deep-seated historical legacy of apartheid-inspired geographical marginalisation of the majority of South Africans and decades of under-investment in public transport, access and mobility was going to be a challenge in hosting the World Cup,’ Ndebele said.
O.R. Tambo International airport will be able to deal with the influx of planes that will be flying into Johannesburg for the 2010 World Cup final at Soccer City on Sunday, says Acsa. On Wednesday, scores of soccer fans missed the semi-final between Spain and Germany at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium because the newly built King Shaka International Airport was unable to handle the number of flights landing there. Sport24 reports that air traffic into Johannesburg for Sunday’s final is expected to be exceed the number of flights that flew to Durban.
Three planeloads of soccer fans headed for the World Cup semi-final between Spain and Germany were forced to turn back from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, forcing the fans to miss the match. Sport24 reports that Spain won the match 1-0, to go through to the final for the first time. Two planes from Johannesburg and one from Cape Town were refused permission to land after the airport was swamped by arrivals, said airport spokesperson Colin Naidoo.
Over 50 000 flights authorised during WC - 06/07/2010
South African skies have been kept buzzing over the 2010 World Cup with over 50 000 flight authorisations issued, the defence department said. ’To date 12 621 aircrew have been screened and 51 294 flight authorisations have been issued,’ said departmental spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini. According to Business Report, he said there had been few violations of flight regulations during this time, comprising ’less than 0.1 percent’ of flights authorised.
European airlines are making emergency arrangements to cope with the demand from football fans. FIN24 reports that the 2010 World Cup is now almost a purely European affair. In the semi-finals, Germany will play Spain on Wednesday, while the Netherlands and Uruguay battle it out on Tuesday. The interest in flights has increased and KLM is doing its utmost to accommodate the augmented demand, Saskia Kranendonk, KLM press officer, says.
After about two years of losses the global airline industry has recovered to prerecession levels, with African airlines reporting a strong rise of 16.9% in passenger demand in May, likely to be boosted last month and this month by soccer fans flying to this country for the 2010 World Cup. International Air Transport Association (Iata) economists pointed out in their monthly analysis of international travel that African airlines were benefiting from ’more success in maintaining market share’.
Implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of the Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act will be delayed for a couple of months, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said. The Herald reports that RTMC acting CEO Collins Letsoalo saidlaw enforcement officers’ role in the 2010 World Cup had hampered preparations for the implementation of the project.
The LOC will pay thousands of rand to a group of drivers it had contracted to transport one of the teams for a job they did not do. The Sowetan reports that one of those contracted was Moshiashi Motumo of Honeydew, Johannesburg, who was assigned to work with the New Zealand team. Motumo and four other drivers were supposed to start work on June 6, ferrying members of the team to stadiums, training sessions and hotels. Their contract stipulates that they would start work ’effective from June 6 ... until the team you are allocated to is knocked out of the soccer spectacular’.
England’s John Terry made ’a very big mistake’ talking to the media about player unrest in the squad, hardline coach Fabio Capello said.
The England manager criticised his former captain for discussing squad morale publicly rather than with him as management and players closed ranks to deny talk of mutiny in the camp.
’I don’t understand why he didn’t speak with me,’ the Italian told Britain’s ITV television channel in an interview.
Paraguay beat Slovakia 2-0 in a Group F clash at the Free State Stadium. The opening half was controlled impressively by the Albirroja, though only Enrique Vera could find the net. Half-time seemed to half the South Americans’ momentum, but Slovakia barely stretched their opponents. Cristian Riveros secured the victory with five minutes remaining.
Greece beat ten-man Nigeria 2-1 in a thrilling encounter on Thursday to record their first ever victory at a World Cup finals. It also kept their World Cup dreams alive in a match that hinged on a first half red card for the African team. The Euro 2004 champions - who had lost all three matches in the 1994 finals and then to South Korea in their opening group match here - knew that defeat would end their hopes in South Africa and fell behind early on.
Rea Vaya bus drivers will go back to work following their ’illegal’ strike that left hundreds of soccer fans stranded at Soccer City, the company said. ’After a lengthy meeting...an agreement was reached which will see a return to work of drivers of both the ordinary commuter service and the 2010 event services this morning,’ Clidet chief executive officer Jackie Huntley said. Sport24 reports that Clidet is the company which manages Rea Vaya.
Airports around the country say they are coping with increased passenger traffic due to the World Cup, and are prepared for more, notes Sport24 report. Last week, the day before France and Uruguay met for their first 2010 World Cup match at the Cape Town Stadium, more than 23 000 passengers went through the gates of Cape Town International Airport. On the same day in 2009 just over 19 000 people were processed at the airport.
What did more than 20 000 South Africans decide to do with their Sunday? Why, try out the Gautrain of course. The Star reports that the spanking-new train system was the ultimate attraction in the city, with families taking a ride to try out the much-vaunted railway transport. Bombela’s marketing executive, Errol Braithwaite, said they had the biggest demand on their system yet, and they had to get more trains and ask staff to work in order to cope. The story echoes the success of the World Cup so far, but unlike the slick Gautrain, World Cup transport has been a nightmare.
Lanseria Airport is shut down after a plane made an emergency landing on its main runway on Sunday - and movie star John Travolta is one of the most prominent pilots who might have their flight plans delayed, notes a report on the IoL site. ’The airport is closed unfortunately... we have lots of aircraft still to land and take off,’ said Johan Opperman, marketing and public relations manager for Lanseria airport.
Roads around Soccer City stadium will be closed to traffic ahead of the 2010 World Cup kick-off on Friday, Johannesburg metro police said. Sport24 reports that the Soweto motorway from Booysens, Nasrec road from Main Reef road to the M1 and the Diepkloof turn-off from the N1 into Randshow road will be closed from 09:30, spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said. Anyone going to Soweto during the closures will have to use the M1, N12 and the N1, but they cannot get off at any of the affected roads.
Roads around Soccer City stadium will be closed to traffic ahead of the 2010 World Cup kick-off on Friday, Johannesburg metro police said. Sport24 reports that the Soweto motorway from Booysens, Nasrec road from Main Reef road to the M1 and the Diepkloof turn-off from the N1 into Randshow road will be closed from 09:30, spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said. Anyone going to Soweto during the closures will have to use the M1, N12 and the N1, but they cannot get off at any of the affected roads.
Excitement on 1st Gautrain trip – 09/06/2010Excitement
Several residents got up before dawn to be among the first Gautrain passengers on Tuesday, notes a report on the News24 site. A group of more than 60 people – most of them members of the Facebook group Gautrain Inaugural Breakfast Run – took the ride from Sandton station to OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park to have breakfast at the Wimpy. Although many of them had problems with the card machine and were unable to make the first train at 05:24, a large group in great spirits took their seats at about 06:00 on one of the trains. The excitement was almost palpable.
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.
Improved system to remain after WC – 08/09/2010Improved
The billions of rands spent on upgrading South Africa’s public transport for the 2010 World Cup will benefit South Africans long after the final match of the big tournament is played. ’It is here and it is not going to go away after 2010. The infrastructure that is now in place will still be here in August and even next year,’ Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said. Ndebele was confident that the country’s integrated transport infrastructure and networks would meet the needs of the 2010 World Cup.
The LOC urged soccer fans who will watch the 2010 World Cup to use park-and-ride facilities. The Sowetan reports that the warning comes after many people used their cars to travel to Bafana Bafana’s last four international friendlies. Hundreds of people opted to use their cars to get to the games against Bulgaria, Colombia, Guatemala and Denmark.
Durban city manager Mike Sutcliffe has called on 240 transport operators contracted to the city to operate from park-and-ride venues during the 2010 World Cup to obey the rules. The Sowetan reports that Sutcliffe, speaking at the launch of the transport shuttle service, told the transport operators that the city’s traffic police would not harass them if they abided by the rules of the road.
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.
Officials say they have cracked down on theft from luggage and stepped up security at South Africa’s international airports ahead of the 2010 World Cup, notes a Sport24 report. Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has spent R165m upgrading security ahead of the June 11 kick-off, including electronic bag scanners meant to cut down on luggage theft. That will be put to the test this week as 300 000 World Cup fans begin arriving in South Africa.
The Gautrain will help the environment, curb individualism and promote tourism, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said in Midrand. It would reduce single-vehicle occupancy, pollution and gridlock and, by getting people to travel en-masse, ’cut away the individualism of the past and, at the same time unleash national pride’, he said in Midrand on Saturday night. According to a report on the News24 site, he was speaking at a bash celebrating the opening of the train’s first phase - linking Sandton, Marlboro, Rhodesfield and OR Tambo International Airport - to the public on Tuesday morning.
KwaZulu-Natal’s King Shaka International Airport will move its public pick-up and drop-off areas in anticipation of the thousands of passengers who will pass through the airport during the 2010 World Cup. To accommodate the ’unprecedented high number of airline passengers into Durban’ for the tournament, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has developed a Special Transport Operational Plan.
The high-speed Gautrain moved out of testing and into fully-fledged operation between Sandton and the OR Tambo International Airport when it was awarded its safety permit, notes a Pretoria News report. ’Viva Gautrain, viva,’ Deputy Minister of Transport Jeremy Cronin said handing over the safety permit to the Bombela Operating Company. ’Above all, viva public transport, viva.’ The focus would now move from the Gautrain’s engineers to the operating challenge when the engineering was put to the test of providing a service on the line, he said.
Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was the surprise omission from Fabio Capello’s final 23-man England World Cup squad. Walcott, who has 11 caps, started both of England’s recent friendly victories against Mexico and Japan, notes a Zambia Post report. Darren Bent, Adam Johnson, Scott Parker, Michael Dawson, Leighton Baines and Tom Huddlestone also miss out.
According to a report in The Citizen an air of mystery shrouds the North Korean squad travelling to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The only other time the secretive nation reached football’s showpiece was in 1966 when a team of unknowns delivered a seismic shock by defeating fancied Italy 1-0 on a memorable run to the quarter-finals. But the 105th-ranked ’Chollima’ lack the same capacity to upset this time around after a gruelling qualifying campaign involving 16 matches over 20 months.
