6 February 2006

South Africa owes it to the football world to prepare properly for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, President Thabo Mbeki has said, challenging South Africans to work together to ensure that the country hosts "the best Soccer World Cup ever".

Delivering his State of the Nation address at the opening of Parliament in Cape Town on Friday, Mbeki said that in five months' time, with the climax of the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the host country baton would pass to South Africa.

"From then on, until 2010, the whole world will watch us carefully to judge whether we will be a worthy host of this prestigious tournament," the President told Parliament.

"I am afraid that our performance in the current African Cup of Nations in Egypt did nothing to advertise our strengths as a winning nation," Mbeki said.

"However, starting today, the nation must bend every effort to ensure that we meet all the expectations of Fifa and the world of soccer, so that we host the best Soccer World Cup ever.

"Simultaneously as we work together to restore the sport of soccer in our country to full health, and prepare a winning national team, we must ensure that we work full steam ahead to get everything else ready for a successful Soccer World Cup."

These preparations would cover the 2010 stadiums, broadcast facilities - including high-definition television - transport and hospitality infrastructure, and safety and security arrangements, all of which would require "selfless dedication by the local organisers of the tournament."

Mbeki said the World Cup would make a huge contribution to South Africa's efforts to improve the lives of all its people, and give additional impetus to the development of the continent as a whole.

"In return for these irreplaceable benefits, we owe it to Fifa and the rest of the soccer world to prepare properly for 2010," Mbeki said.

"I trust that the domestic world of soccer will respond to this challenge with all necessary seriousness, commitment and patriotism."

SouthAfrica.info reporter

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