Chairperson
The Honorable Members
The purpose of the Unit is manage and coordinate all government’s involvement in the effective functioning of the 2010 World Cup Unit. The Unit also manages the effective use of contracted legal specialist and other technical areas of need in the unit.
As a result of that, I have since established and chair the following groups;
The latter is a continuation of what I found in existence.
The functions of the above 3 groups is to:
The agenda of these meetings is not restrictive we advise each other on important matters to be looked out for. These groups that comprise government and SAFA officials do not have decision-making powers. We concentrate on doing our work and report back to respective Ministries and SAFA.
To date, 2 meetings in each group, a total of 6 have been held.
The Unit also hopes to meet co-ordinators of the various government departments regarding information dissemination and bottlenecks experienced.
Secondly:
Treasury, which has a vested interest in what we are doing have also been approached. The Unit has proposed roles and responsibility to enable it to move on, and invite a work-study to determine human resources, physical, financial and any other need that is important to perform functions of the Unit.
On the 22/02 the Unit is meeting senior managers from Treasury regarding the roles and functions of this unit. The Unit has developed a job description and work plan and provided it to Treasury. They were satisfied with the content captured and progress made.
Thirdly:
The Unit is putting the final touches to the 1st Website Report regarding "Popularising the Bid Book"- {how South Africa prepared itself for the BID}. The report is due on 17 February 2005 to the HOD and hopefully will be on the Website before end February.
The website report on "where we are" and "where we are going" will be available soon thereafter.
The Unit is gathering momentum and the possible threat of operating like a sieve can manifest itself.
Another immediate threat is the need for careful selection of information disseminated to various groups during presentations e.g. Potential business investors, conferences and other.
Chairperson, Honorable Members, delivery is critical at every stage in this project, The Unit does not want to lag behind in addressing and meeting time-frames set.
1. Overview of the plans for the 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP
Hosting the 2010 World Cup is about preparing the country adequately for it. We are here to say to ourselves and to the world that we understand what is required of us, and that we are ready and capable of taking responsibility for the hosting of this major event.
We are mindful of the fact that we have yet to win the trust of the International Community in successfully hosting the 2010 World Cup.
This is the 1st time that the event is hosted on the African continent in the 100-year history of FIFA. South Africa must protect the "African" and strive to be as inclusive as possible in relation to the continent.
The Organisation Association Agreement was signed by SAFA and FIFA in August 2003 and October 2004 respectively.
7 phases for the planning, hosting and wrapping up of the
World Cup have been identified;
The time-lines running from this year through 2010.
We are currently at the end of the 1st phase and are now entering the 2nd phase of the project.
The requisite and suitable structures for organising and hosting this event have been put in place namely;
The interim LOC has met on two occasions. To date the 1st being 15 December 2004 and the 2nd recent being 01 February 2005. The current obstacle is the ratifying of the LOC by FIFA. SAFA held a meeting on Tuesday 08th February 2005 to finalise these issues. We await a date for the actual LOC to meet.
South Africa has indicated its desire that the LOC be housed in a section 21 company. FIFA is considering this.
2. GOVERNMENT GUARANTEES AND LEGISLATION
A legal workshop (involving SAFA representatives, Government and FIFA) has been identified to discuss any uncertainties pertaining to issues having a bearing on passing, repealing or amending legislation. This will ensure that government fulfils its mandate in terms of the guarantees furnished to FIFA.
My colleague, Mr Boshoff, will give you an indication of progress with respect to the Repeal Bills.
As FIFA/SAFA has not indicated a date since the postponed date of December 2004 and January 2005, the SRSA 2010 World Cup Unit has proposed the 16 –18 March 2005. SAFA/FIFA is still considering this as well.
3. INTERNATIONAL LIAISON
The Inter-Ministerial Committee and SAFA have also been in touch with FIFA and the German LOC for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The most important topics on the agendas of these meetings focussed on the shift from bidding to organising, establishing a partnership between FIFA and the Organising Association (OA) in South Africa. A list of key milestones and relevant delivery dates has been developed. LOC is expected to report to FIFA on a quarterly basis on progress achieved with planning.
4. BUDGET
FIFA had to be provided with comprehensive details on the budget for both revenue and expense items by the end of August 2004.
SRSA included the budget for Government’s commitment to the provision of stadiums in its Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). It is expected that the other Departments that provided FIFA guarantees will budget independently for the commitments that they made in those documents.
5. COMMUNICATION
GCIS has developed a draft, communication framework strategy
detailing the special opportunity that the 2010 FIFA World Cup™
presents for the country.
I am part of the Communications Task Team.
6. STADIUMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Originally, South Africa indicated that it would propose 13 Stadiums for the 2010. In the light of FIFA’s right to select only 8,
It was decided to engage the Development Bank to do a host cities capacity audit with a view to determining, objectively, and against set criteria, which cities are best suited to host World Cup matches. The decision on which venues to omit will have to be dealt with in an appropriate manner. The criterion includes the availability of existing facilities and what new facilities have to be built. This includes amongst others accommodation capacity, transportation infrastructure, safety, financial reserves, medical services, entertainment, accessibility for disabled persons, volunteer programmes, municipal capacity and readiness. It is likely that the venues that will drop off from the list could still host "warm-up" and practice matches.
7. Conclusion
From a government’s perspective, South Africans see hosting of the 2010 World Cup as addressing bread and butter issues, " a Better life for all"…says our president. The whole country needs to focus on changing the international community’s perception of South Africa. South African’s need to also change their perception of themselves. People’s lifestyles will change in terms of technology, investments, tourism potential, HIV, etc as a result of 2010.
The national HIV campaign "will we be there in 2010?" and the focus on saving, must be emphasised. It is these economic and health challenges facing Africa that hosting an event of this magnitude on African soil making the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a unique and interesting, African experience.
2010 is not just an event, the country needs to survive beyond it. We need to see and understand ourselves before 2010 and after 2010. The investment opportunities and sports development that would have been created must be maintained. The hosting and bidding strategy of SRSA provides insights into major events after 2010. The 2010 Unit will be developed to a major events Unit, becoming a knowledge repository from government’s perspective of hosting major events in future.