The day Fifa gave Africa the nod
Michael Appel
15 May 2008
It was to thunderous applause and tears of jubilation that Fifa President Sepp Blatter announced four years ago - on 15 May 2004 - that South Africa's would host the 2010 World Cup.
When 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 country ever since has been palpable.
Back to the drawing boardSouth 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 first time, South Africa's bid committee once more notified Fifa of South Africa's intention to bid for the event.
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," the Department of Sport and Recreation said in its latest mid-term report.
"It had strong commercial backing from leading international corporations, the continent's largest and most stable economy, a sophisticated media and broadcast industry, and a huge support base from its million of citizens."
South Africa also boasted an impressive track record, 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.
South Africa's bid committee told the 24-member Fifa executive committee what South Africa had to offer and, as if that wasn't enough, lined up three Nobel Peace laureates to help convince them.
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.
Country becomes a construction siteNow, with 756 days to go before the country hosts the biggest sporting event to hit African shores, South Africa has been turned into a construction site as it works to meets the guarantees set by football's governing body.
According to the Department of Sport and Recreation, 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.
"The South African government made a final commitment ... that these guarantees would remain valid and operable irrespective of any change in government or its representatives."
On top of the R70-billion budgeted for road infrastructure in 2007, the South African National Roads Agency and the Rail Commuter Corporation has received a further R1.7-billion to upgrade roads and stations in areas critical to the World Cup.
Projected investment in airport development is R19.5-billion, air traffic navigation R400-million, and passenger rail investment R16-billion.
Host cities are also doing their utmost to make sure transport in and around stadiums is quick and easy with the development of a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) programme involving a dedicated bus lane running from surrounding areas into the cities.
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.
'A question of confidence and trust'Four years later, Sepp Blatter is more determined than ever that the country will be a "magnificent" host for the world in 2010, stressing that he continues to have the utmost faith in South Africa's capabilities to stage the event.
"It is a question of confidence and trust," Blatter said in a statement to mark the fourth anniversary of the announcement. "Confidence and trust in a continent, and confidence and trust in a country like South Africa, a well-organised country, able to organise this competition."
Blatter added that the world had shown its trust in South Africa, with major global companies and broadcasters investing heavily in the 2010 World Cup, and more companies poised to follow.
"I am sure it will be a great, great World Cup and I am happy to be the [Fifa] president at this period of time," he said.
'A special moment'Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of the South Africa Local Organising Committee (LOC), remembers the time when Blatter opened the envelope and revealed South Africa as the 2010 host as "a special moment".
"It was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life, along with the release from prison of Nelson Mandela," Jordaan said. "It was a release of emotions, joy and pain, of years of sitting at airports, on the road, on taxis and trains, going to houses and knocking on the doors of members of the Fifa executive committee."
The most memorable image of that day is an emotional Nelson Mandela holding aloft the sports world's most famous trophy, saying the moment made him feel "like a young man of 15".
Four years on, Mandela believes the country has all the attributes to host a memorable World Cup.
"We South Africans have to look forward to hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2010. This event has the power to break down barriers and unite people around the world in a way that little else does ...
"I am proud and honoured that the greatest single-sport event in the world will be staged in my home country on African soil, and I am confident that it will be the best World Cup yet."
Source: BuaNews, with additional reporting by Ndaba Dlamini, City of Johannesburg
