SA Rocks

It is official; the 2010 World Cup will be in South Africa is a few days less than 1 year. The biggest sporting event in the world is on its way to SA and President Zuma helped kick off the countdown.

Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town was the venue and all the relevant dignitries were in attendance:

This is a great Zille-Zuma moment after a very aggressive election campaign from both parties. Nice to see the two top politicians in SA doing their professional bit in front of the press.

Popularity: 8% [?]

The unique beat of South Africa was felt in last night’s INDABA 2009 opening ceremony, culminating in a message sent around the world that South Africa was ready for the 2010 World Cup – “We are Ready!” was echoed throughout the ICC in Durban. The collective anticipation of the 2010 World Cup exuded passion and exuberance, as the official South African Tourism 2010 TV ad was launched.

After the opening ceremony, the INDABA delegates kicked into party mode at the Beach party on Durban beach. Performers from the Drum Café got the partygoers dancing and even the driving rain couldn’t dampen the festivities.

Global Media Face-off

This morning, Richard Quest – host of CNN’s “Quest Means Business” – opened the Global Media Face-off with the words; “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. An accurate description of the excitement of the impending 2010 FIFA World Cup^TM and the effect of the global economic downturn on the South African economy.

These topics were the focus of the session, which featured panelists including Danny Jordaan, FIFA 2010 Local Organising Committee CEO and Monhla Hlahla, Airports Company CEO.

Quest vowed to keep the panel open and transparent telling the media that no topic was off limits. He readied the panelists with some questions of his own and then opened up the floor. The response was enthusiastic and tough questions were asked around the potential security issues, transport readiness and comparisons with the 2006 FIFA World Cup^TM in Germany.

Horst Schmidt, consultant to FIFA and general secretary of the German Football Association described how the World Cup in Germany united the East and West and changed the global perceptions towards the country. He expressed his belief that next year’s event would do the same for South Africa.

Throughout the session, Quest kept true to his word, deftly ensuring the panelists satisfied the media’s questions and concerns. This was made clear when he asked the audience to put up their hands if they believed the 2010 FIFA World Cup^TM would be a success – the room was filled with raised hands, whistles and applause.

It is clear that the global media agrees with the words of Carol Manana from last night’s opening ceremony – “It is Africa’s time to shine, Ke Nako!”

Visit the INDABA 2009 blog for more

Popularity: 12% [?]

I managed to secure 4 tickets to a Round 16 game at Ellis Park. Not too shabby I don’t think. To be honest, I just wanted to attend. This could be a once in a lifetime chance to go to the biggest sporting event in the world and not have to mortgage my house for the tickets!

Let me know what games you managed to get tickets for or if you were left empty-handed. A friend of a friend received 4 tickets to the final. I know it’s meant to be completely random allocation but I can’t help feel as if I’ve been hard done by. I want opening ceremony or finals. Come on!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Well, the statue of Madiba at Nelson Mandela Square is all dressed up for the 2010 World Cup. As you can see below he is wearing a lovely yellow football jersey!

It might be something “small” in terms of marketing and promotion but I think it’s a fantastic idea considering the amount of people in general and tourists in specific who take their picture with the massive and interestingly proportioned Madiba Statue.

Good work I think. Very nice.

Popularity: 8% [?]

It appears that the new Bafana Bafana football jersey has been unveiled.

The photo’s appeared on Flickr today.

And here they are:

It appears that credit for the photos go to Shine2010

Popularity: 13% [?]

I absolutely love Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame. He’s a laugh, he’s witty, he says what’s on his mind and he gets at everybody.

I subscribe to his column in the Times Online and read it every week. The man is brilliant.

This week his target is good old Johannesburg. And boy does Clarkson have it in for us.

The article is titled: “I dare you to visit Johannesburg, the city for softies“. I was a bit concerned about the article and Joburg receiving even more bad press. I was almost right. But it’s not Joburg receiving the bad press, it’s us, the people living here. Clarkson believes that we’re all sissies who need to get over ourselves and start positively promoting our incredible city.

His closing lines:

Johannesburgians are telling the world they live in a shit-hole to save their lions. That’s the sort of people they are. And so, if you are thinking about going to the World Cup next year, don’t hesitate.

The exchange rate’s good, the food is superb, the weather’s lovely and, thanks to some serious economic self-sacrifice, Kruger is still full of animals. The word, then, I’d choose to describe Jo’burg is “tranquil”.

I await the backlash for his article and my posting of it. I am sure it is to follow.

Popularity: 9% [?]

While taking a helicopter flight around Cape Town I noticed the Greenpoint stadium.

It looks incredible. People tell me that there are some issues right now but from where I was sitting it looked magnificent.

For more content from WeBlogTheWorld bloggers visit the WeBlogTheWorld South Africa website.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Popularity: 20% [?]

It seems as though the very first Gautrain car “four-car train sets” have been handed over to SA!!

This is fantastic stuff.

Here’s a short press release and Pic below!

Custom branded in Gautrain’s distinctive golden colour, the first four-car train set was proudly handed over to Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa at Bombardier’s Derby assembly plant in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, 8 July.

The Gautrain rolling stock of 96 rail cars is based on the renowned Bombardier Electrostar series, known for their state-of-the-art technology and reliable, high performance standards. The lightweight aluminium car bodies – a first for South Africa – also offer increased energy efficiency and reduced maintenance requirements. It has been customised to meet South African requirements.

The first 15 rail cars, plus the body shells for the complete fleet, will be manufactured at Bombardier Transportation’s facility in Derby. The body shells and some of the major components for the remaining 81 rail cars will be shipped to Union Carriage and Wagon (UCW) in Nigel for final assembly.

Teams from UCW, who are presently at Derby being trained in the assembly of the Gautrain rail cars, will constitute the core of the assembly teams when local production commences. A core feature of the Electrostar rail cars is their suitability for local assembly, which is made possible by the use of bolted aluminium construction methodology. In turn, this delivers on Gautrain’s socio-economic objectives of skills transfer and job creation.

In order to meet the requirements for safety at higher speeds and easily obtain ‘state-of-the-art’ rail cars, Gautrain will operate on the widely used Standard Gauge track. Measuring 1 435 millimetres between rails, this is the predominant track gauge internationally, and was last used in South Africa in the 1860s. The existing narrower track gauge (1 065 millimetres) used locally is known as Cape Gauge.

Supported by a dedicated fleet of 125 buses, Gautrain will be able to carry more than 100 000 passengers per day in each direction between Johannesburg and Tshwane.

Popularity: 7% [?]

A very short post to let you know that tickets for the Football World Cup 2010 will go on sale on 2 Feb 2009. Yes, that is correct, less than a year away so you better start saving.

Apparently the tickets will be affordable to the SA public and Fifa expects that SA citizens will be the majority holders or interested parties in the tickets for the 2010 world cup.

Fifa has not yet decided on ticket prices, but Will stressed that the cheapest seats will be affordable to ordinary South African supporters.

Popularity: 3% [?]