South Africa is ready for World Cup - Zuma

April 22, 2010 - PRLog -- In a speech marking the 50 days left until the “kick-off of the biggest sporting event on the planet” Zuma told thousands of South Africans that completely filled the Galeshwe stadium in Kimberley, Northern Cape, that the World Cup was “a unique opportunity to show the world the diversity and potential of South Africa”.

Wearing a sweater with the colors of the South African national team (the Bafana-Bafana), the President appealed to national pride, saying it was high time that South Africans call to themselves the responsibility for the success of a tournament that “should tell the story of a continent that is alive and full of possibilities”.

”Individually and collectively we, South Africans, must create the ideal conditions that are necessary to the success of this event,” said President Zuma.

“Our airports are ready and various airfields in several villages have been improved. Emergency funds of around one billion rand (about one hundred million euros), were released for helicopter purchases, hiring of staff and other requirements in the field of security. Let’s surprise people”, said Jacob Zuma at the opening of the newly constructed Central Terminal Building at OR Tambo International Airport.

“You can see when we say we are ready, it is not just rhetoric. We mean what we say”. Zuma added that, as the airport’s name changed from the Johannesburg International Airport to the OR Tambo International Airport in 2006, “so did its form and size”.

The airport’s central terminal building was part of a R20billion (€2billion) transport action plan started in 2005 to expand airports countrywide in preparation for the 2010 World Cup.

World Cup Security issues

Zuma said security issues for the event had also been adequately addressed. “Additional funds of more than R1bn have been allocated for safety and security matters. This includes additional service personnel, helicopters and other required resources”

Recent negative events like the as¬sassination of Eugene Terre’Blanche, leader of the right wing Afrikaans group AWB and the hate speech by the black ANC youth leader Julius Malema who has made a lot of whites nervous with his singing of the song “Kill the Boer” “Kill the Farmer”

In the end he tried to reassure visitors to the Soccer World Cup saying; “South Africa’s people will embrace people from other nations and cultures”.

More information and news about South Africa and the 2010 World Cup can be found at: http://www.2010-southafrica.com

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