Only 40 days left to the FIFA World 2010!
40 days left to go until the Fifa 2010 World Cup and the South African government has seemed to have calmed the "storm" caused by Julius Malema the ANC youth league leader. There has been silence from the Julius Malema camp of late. This after he swore at a BBC reporter and refused to comply with a court order banning him from singing the song "kill the boer" (kill the farmer). The right wing (AWB) has also been quiet and no revenge has taken place for the brutal murder of their leader Eugene Tereblanche. Jacob Zuma has also tried to squash rumors of a Zimbabwe style land grab after the 2010 World Cup. Either the ANC has changed tactics or they are just preventing further unrest before the 2010 World Cup. We will only know the truth after the 2010 Fifa World Cup is over.
Last week the government displayed the R650 million ($88 million) law enforcement by a procession from Cape Town City Centre to the Cape Town Stadium. The procession consisted of South African Police Units, Defence Force Personnel, Traffic Police and Metro Police. At the Stadium they were greeted by top brass officials including Fifa representatives and the state president Jacob Zuma.
Currently, all seems calm in South Africa, except for the many strikes in the services sector and ongoing taxi violence. Taxi organisations have threatened to cause mayhem during the Fifa World Cup due to the Rapid Transport Systems that are under construction in major city centres. Taxi organisations feel threatened by the government's investment in public transport. Taxi Organisations in SA are like mafia organisations at war over routes. Concerned with the safety of commuters the government recently provided taxi owners with a subsidised grant to upgrade their mini buses, but this has failed to please them.
Fifa World Cup fever has yet to hit South Africans. Television adverts of official sponsors have started to air more frequently and some official sponsor brands like Coca Cola have wrapped their products with football promotions. In stores there are a few football items and official FIFA items on sale, which for the majority of South Africans are unaffordable.
The majority of whites in South Africans are rugby fans and don't enjoy football. The feeling most have about the Fifa World Cup is more an irratation. Many people will be negatively affected due to disruption in the business sector. Schools in South Africa will be closed during the Fifa World Cup and many people have decided to take leave during the event.
Another concern to many would be the noise made by spectactors, especially that of the "vuvuzelas" that many South African football fans will be blasting. Many fans have suffered loss of hearing after footbal matches due to the tremondous noise of "vuvuzelas".
Roads works are nearing completion, although it is still unclear if these road works will be completed in time. It is clear however, that all the Stadiums are complete and ready to host the games. The statdiums are world class and constuction was completed ahead of schedule.
In conclusion it looks like SA is ready for the Fifa World Cup, and the stage is set for what will be SA's chance to show the world that we are able to host such a prestigous event...
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