Durban — Local organising c ommittee (LOC) CEO Danny Jordaan and Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi yesterday convinced the majority of more than 200 international journalists that SA would host a successful 2010 Soccer World Cup.

The two were answering questions about the country's ability to host the world's biggest sporting event, at this year's tourism Indaba.

After the session, 214 journalist were asked whether they thought the country would host a successful tournament. About 68% of the journalists voted yes, more than 25% said maybe, and just more than 6% though SA was incapable of hosting the event.

Jordaan and Moleketi answered questions related to the "myth" about Fifa putting Australia on standby as a plan B host, stadium readiness, availability of proper infrastructure, accommodation, crime, and the availability of uninterrupted power supply.

Jordaan said anyone who thought Fifa had Australia as a plan B host misunderstood how events were awarded. He said no commercial sponsor had doubts about the country's ability to host the tournament.

He said that so far commercial partners had contributed more than $3bn and local sponsors about $100m.

Jordaan said all five stadiums under construction would be finished by October next year , more than seven months before the event . The country would be able to accommodate the expected 450000 spectators. "If we can accommodate 1,2-million in December annually, I don't see how we won't be able to accommodate 450000."

Moleketi assured the international media that all visitors would be safe in 2010. He said the government had allocated R1,3bn to provide skills, personnel and technology training to ensure the safety of visitors.

Moleketi said the government had also made resources available to Eskom to build power generation plants to improve the country's energy capacity.

He said although the country's roads were in a good state, the government had invested R11bn in improving transport infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Southern Africa Development Community tourism ministers said SA has so far kept its promise of ensuring that the 2010 World Cup will benefit the whole southern Africa region.

Tourism ministers from Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique, who also attended the tourism Indaba, confirmed the South African 2010 authorities' phrase, "We are ready".

The ministers said there had been good consultation between themselves and their South African counterparts in the preparation for the tournament.

"We have a 2010 team in government as well as a technical team. We are working closely with the Mpumalanga local organising committee as well as the national (South African) LOC," said Swaziland's tourism, environment and communications minister, Thandie Shongwe.

She said SA needed an extra 19000 beds, which the region could provide. New hotels were being built in Swaziland and people were being encouraged to enter the tourism business.