BuaNews (Tshwane)
Michael Appel
15 May 2008
Pretoria — It was to a thunderous applause and tears of jubilation that FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced four years ago that South Africa's bid to host the World Cup was successful.
When Mr Blatter opened the envelope with South Africa's name on it, many believed it signified an end to pessimism surrounding Africa and the beginning of new things to come - not just for South Africa, but for the continent.
The excitement that has gripped the nation ever since has been palpable.
With 756 days to go before the country hosts the biggest sporting event to hit African shores, the country has been turned into a construction site, the Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka once said.
South Africa has been hard at work ensuring it meets the guarantees set by football's governing body.
According to the Department of Sport and Recreation's Mid-Term Report, any country wishing to host the world cup is required to provide a number of guarantees before it can be granted the right to host the tournament.
"In supporting the South African Football Association (SAFA) in its bid to host the world cup, the South African government submitted a declaration to FIFA to issue all the guarantees required in accordance with the list of requirements to ensure the success of a world cup.
"The South African government made a final commitment on behalf of all its departments that these guarantees would remain valid and operable, irrespective of any change in government or its representatives."
South Africa had to roll up its sleeves and get back to the drawing board after narrowly losing the 2006 world cup bid to Germany in 2000.
In 2002, with renewed vigour and determination to bring the tournament to Africa for the very first time, SAFA bid committee once again notified FIFA of South Africa's intention to bid for the world cup.
South Africa's message during the bid was simple but powerful.
"It had the best stadia facilities in Africa - many already in existence, some to be upgraded, and some new.
"It had strong commercial backing from leading international corporations, the continents largest and most stable economy, a sophisticated media and broadcast industry and a huge support base from its million of citizens," said the report.
South Africa's bid committee offered the 24-member FIFA Executive Committee what South Africa had to offer, and if that wasn't enough, a line up of three Nobel Peace Prize recipients would have done the trick.
Former President Nelson Mandela, accompanied by FW De Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu were on hand to pledge their support for South Africa's cause.
Having hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, the 1998 IAAF Athletics World Cup, the 1999 All Africa Games and the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup has branded South Africa as a reliable, consistent and perfectly capable host to any event.
Since South Africa was appointed the next host of the coveted event, the country has quite literally become a construction site with upgrades to all airports and the construction of a state-of-the-art rail system known as the Gautrain.
On top of the R70 billion budgeted for road infrastructure in 2007, the South African National Roads Agency and the Rail Commuter Corporation received a further R1.7 billion to upgrade roads and stations in areas critical to the World Cup.
Other projects include a R7.7 billion Taxi Recapitalisation Programme, which will see about 80 percent of the country's taxis being replaced with safer more modern vehicles.
Projected investment in airport development is R19.5 billion, air traffic navigation R400 million, and passenger rail investment will total R16 billion.
Host cities is also doing their utmost to make sure transport in and around stadiums is quick and easy with the initiation of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) programme which involves a dedicated bus lane running from surrounding areas into the cities.
Emphasis is foremost being placed on the creation of lasting legacies for the country and the people of Africa that will benefit generations to come long after the final whistle has been blown.
Apart from the physical structures that will remain after the world cup, the potential for growth in tourism in Africa and South Africa will far outweigh any immediate benefit the tournament brings.
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