South Africa needs more funds for World Cup

¹²³ · Mar 4, 2009

CAPE TOWN, March 4 (Reuters) - South Africa needs to allocate more funds and boost marketing to promote the 2010 World Cup among South Africans, a senior government official said on Wednesday. The acknowledgment comes amid criticism from world football governing body FIFA, which fears stadiums for the prestigious tournament and the scene-setting 2009 Confederations Cup would lack adequate local support.

"My reading of the situation at this stage is that we are not putting enough resources for marketing these two important events to South Africans," cabinet spokesman Themba Maseko told journalists.

"It's not just money... It's a lot of planning and coordination, but I think money is going to be at the centre of whatever interventions we put in place," Maseko said, without elaborating.

He added that major sponsors of the World Cup were also not doing enough to promote the tournament, being held in Africa for the first time, among South African fans.

However, some sponsors will start advertising the World Cup on their products, such as drinks cans, over the next few weeks, Maseko said.

On Tuesday, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke criticised South Africa's lacklustre approach, saying he had not seen a "single promotion" for the two tournaments.

Approximately 170,000 tickets have been sold for the Confederations Cup, featuring Brazil, Spain and Italy among the eight teams taking part, from June 14-28.

"All evidence is indicating that the local (World Cup) Organising Committee, the government, host cities, we are all not doing enough to market this tournament to South Africans and so that is the challenge," Maseko said. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf, editing by Rex Gowar)
Click to expand...

Link

Colonel Ronan · Mar 4, 2009

This will be the worst World Cup ever.

agoo · Mar 4, 2009

Main Event said: ↑

This will be the worst World Cup ever.
Click to expand...

Unless you're one of the (relatively) few people in attendance, I'm not too sure you'll notice a difference. Personally, I thought the last World Cup was horrendous, but that's based largely on how the United States did.

Colonel Ronan · Mar 4, 2009

I enjoyed the last World Cup.

rocketeer · Mar 4, 2009

agoo101284 said: ↑

Unless you're one of the (relatively) few people in attendance, I'm not too sure you'll notice a difference. Personally, I thought the last World Cup was horrendous, but that's based largely on how the United States did.
Click to expand...

i enjoyed the last world cup. it would have been better had i actually been there(which were my original plans).

La Bomba · Mar 4, 2009

If Spain wins the World Cup I could care less how bad it is.

¹²³ · Mar 11, 2009

A high level of public investment in South Africa's infrastructure has helped sustain the country's economy in the midst of the global economic recession.

Speaking in Pretoria this week, Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said that while South Africa's economic growth between 2004 and 2007 was initially driven by high commodity prices and increased consumer spending, the global recession had seen both commodity prices and consumer demand fall.

The government's decision to invest in infrastructure on a grand scale was now driving investment and sustaining the country's economy, Mpahlwa said.

Finance Minster Trevor Manuel said in his Budget speech in February that the government would spend an estimated R787-billion on public infrastructure over the next three years.

This investment would not only boost the economy in the short, medium and long term, but also provide hundreds of thousands of people with employment during a period of expected economic hardship.

"The emergence of the global economic crisis has begun to impact on the real economy, which does pose challenges for the government's economic plan of action," Mpahlwa said.

"However, the crisis does re-emphasise the need to continue implementing interventions identified, as these address the long-term structural constraints to the economy and seek to promote a fast-growing, dynamic and resilient economy."

Infrastructure investment

The work of the capital expenditure programme was vital in driving industrial development in the economy, Mpahlwa said, with undertakings such as Eskom's build programme spurring mass investment.

Eskom's R150-billion investment in electricity infrastructure for the five years leading to 2011/12 has begun, he added, with the return to service of power stations Camden, Grootvlei and Komati.

And in January, the Cabinet approved the broad policy framework that will guide the country's Water for Growth and Development initiative, aimed at ensuring a safe, secure supply of water.

"Progress has also been made in the construction and maintenance of water infrastructure, as well as gaining a better understanding of the water challenges that face us," he said.

South Africa has also been investing heavily in its infrastructure in the lead-up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup, with billions being spent on transport infrastructure, stadiums and surrounding areas.
Click to expand...

Link

Log in or Sign up

South Africa needs more funds for World Cup

¹²³ ¼½¾

Colonel Ronan Continue...?

agoo Member

Colonel Ronan Continue...?

rocketeer Active Member

La Bomba The Future

¹²³ ¼½¾

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

South Africa needs more funds for World Cup

Moderators

¹²³ ¼½¾

Colonel Ronan Continue...?

agoo Member

Colonel Ronan Continue...?

rocketeer Active Member

La Bomba The Future

¹²³ ¼½¾

Share This Page

Useful Searches