I am suitably impressed with a news article that I was emailed by a South African friend of mine (Thanks Courts) living in Australia. The article is fair, just and doesn’t bounce about the fact that SA has problems. But it is well-balanced and positive too.
Let me just specify however, that this article was not written by a journalist but an Australian living in SA.
Here’s a little excerpt:
Is South Africa up to hosting an event of this size? Until about a month ago, many locals would have said “no”.
Spookily reminiscent of Sydney immediately before the 2000 Olympics, the locals seem to have passed through an arc of emotions ranging from “no one is going to come” to “the transport is going to be a disaster” to their current mind-set: “This is going to be a hell of a jol [party].”
If Sydney is any guide, the South Africans will spend the latter stages of the tournament putting their case that they hosted “the best World Cup ever” and be properly morose when it is all over.
Do yourself (and me) a favour and go and read this short and interesting article. It’s worth the read.
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June 10th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
howz some link love huh? hehe.
June 12th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Sydney cannot be any comparison to WC2010: the Olympics are far more of a lgistical and monetary challenge, Australia a wealthy developed country that can afford to stage such Games and the political and social fabric are intact in Australia.
Most people believe that WC2010 will take place in South Africa, and they also believe that the tournament will be managed in ways uncomparable to the developed world. After one day, the audience in SA and abroad know that that is true: mishaps, failures and deaths abound, there is no surprise left. Unlike Australia, which was very successful in her Olympic Games, South Africa will fail early on, and the excitement soon give way to somber questions why we had to shed billions for some White trash in Europe, chiefly the FIFA hoodlums.
June 17th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Took me a while! But Linklove is added!
Sorry about that bro!