Joburg's 2010 countdown clock
Ndaba Dlamini
13 October 2008
With just over 600 days to go before the first match of the 2010 Fifa World Cup kicks off, Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo urged residents to rally behind the city's efforts to make the event a success.
Unveiling Johannesburg's 2010 countdown clock at the municipality offices in Braamfontein, Masondo said that each day was a challenge as the World Cup approached.
"We must renew our vigour and awareness of the countdown to the World Cup each day. I am urging everyone in ... Johannesburg to make this event a success."
2009 Confederations Cup
Masondo added that focus was not only on the World Cup, but was also on the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
"This is also a challenge to us to show the world that as a host city of the Confederations Cup in 2009, we are capable and ready to host a successful World Cup event in 2010," he said.
Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium will host the opening and the final matches of the Confederations Cup, which runs from 14 to 28 June 2009.
The football tournament, regarded as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, features eight nations, namely Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, New Zealand, United States, Spain, and hosts South Africa.
'Need to push on'
The countdown clock to the World Cup bears the Joburg Host City 2010 World Cup logo. Underneath the logo, a digital clock ticks away the days to the 2010 World Cup.
2010 executive director in the municipality, Sibongile Mazibuko, said preparations for the event formed part of Johannesburg's long-term vision to position itself as a world-class African city.
"The countdown clock serves to remind ourselves that we are counting down to the World Cup; that we need to push on with major projects to fast track development that will change the face of Johannesburg forever," she said.
Local bank FNB, a World Cup national supporter, has also unveiled countdown clocks at some of the host cities and in airports around the country. These clocks however bear the colours of the bank, along with the official Fifa and 2010 World Cup logos.
Mazibuko said that Johannesburg was the first World Cup host city to erect their own countdown clock.
Source: City of Johannesburg
