Logo for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.
(FIFA.com)
ON 15 May 2004, the Federation of International Football
Associations announced South Africa would host the 19th edition of its
flagship competition to spark wild celebrations back home as the Rainbow
Nation, once again revelled in its unofficial status as the continent's
model state.
The proclamation also made headline news elsewhere in Africa, as fans
and stakeholders united in celebrating what was rightly billed the continent's
biggest sporting coup, to date.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter had come good on his promise to rotate the
tourney between federations, and then started the countdown as stakeholders
positioned themselves ahead of what is generally regarded the greatest
show on earth.
Africa's celebrations were at the business opportunities the showcase
has always guaranteed in previous host countries and their neighbours,
but no sooner had the ululations subsided than doubts on the wisdom of
bringing the tournament to these shores started creeping in.
There have always been folks who cannot be persuaded into believing anything
good can come out of Africa, but the 2006 World Cup in Germany ensured
the South Africans were spared an all-out attack. But not anymore, as
detractors both within South Africa and outside continue to undermine
the project.
I was in East London with our cricket team in September and was completely
wrong-footed following a lengthy conversation with a certain local gentleman,
who was scathing of what he thought was South Africa's obsession with
the "one-off thing".
"It's as if the world will end in 2010. And what will happen after
the World Cup is over?" was what the bleary-eyed gent wanted to know.
And it appears the same doubts have spread among many people, who no longer
believe it was the wisest of moves to bid for the tournament.
The country's tourist hub of Cape Town is prepared to go to the courts
to stop government from imposing a 68 000-seater stadium on the city,
and Durban -- the east coast city -- has also blasted plans to make them
host one of the two semi-finals at the 70 000-seater King Senzangakhona,
according to media reports.
And the costs of making sure the country is ready for the tournament continue
to skyrocket, much to the consternation of government and the Local Organising
Committee. Add the waning fortunes of the country's national team -- Bafana
Bafana -- and one has a perfect case of getting the willies, a real recipe
for night-sweats.
And where Africa was celebrating the dawn of a new era, it appears some
countries now think it was an error of judgement to beg Fifa for the tournament.
Isn't it odd the same African Football Confederation, basking in the World
Cup euphoria only a couple of years ago, has not come out in defence of
the country's preparedness to host a successful World Cup come 2010?
International media has taken every given opportunity to point out weaknesses
in the South African armoury, among them the high crime-rate and perceived
slow pace in pursuing construction projects but Caf, and its equally docile
sibling the Council of Southern Africa Football Association, have not
uttered a word of support.
Little has been heard from the rest of the continent either, leaving one
wondering whether the four countries South Africa beat to the vote --
Egypt, Libya Morocco and Tunisia --were genuine in their congratulations
the day South Africa prevailed over the Moroccans by 14 votes to 10, which
had Nelson Mandela shuffling his famous Madiba dance.
A new challenge for the South Africans emerges with each passing day and
one would have expected a united African front as problem after problem
pushes our neighbours' backs to the wall.
Lloyd Mutungamiri. ,
December 11, 2006.
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