'No favours from Bafana'

2006-02-03 11:49

Cape Town - The world's focus will shift from Germany in a few months to determine whether South Africa will be a worthy host of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday.

In his State of the Nation address at the opening of Parliament, the President said: "Five months from now the FIFA Soccer World Cup tournament, hosted by Germany, will come to its triumphant end with the passage of the host's baton to our country.

"From then on until 2010 the whole world will watch us carefully to judge whether we will be a worthy host of this prestigious tournament."

Noting the recent poor performance of Bafana Bafana, he said: "I'm afraid that our performance in the current African Cup of Nations in Egypt did nothing to advertise our strengths as a winning nation.

"However, starting today, the nation must bend every effort to ensure that we meet all the expectations of Fifa and the world of soccer, so that we host the best Soccer World Cup ever.

"Simultaneously as we work together to restore the sport of soccer in our country to full health, and prepare a winning national team, we must ensure that we work full steam ahead to get everything else ready for a successful Soccer World Cup."

This would encompass the stadiums, broadcast facilities, including high-definition television, the necessary transport and hospitality infrastructure, safety and security, popular support for soccer and the World Cup and "selfless dedication by the local organizers of the tournament."

The World Cup would make an important contribution "to our effort to accelerate our progress towards the achievement of the goal of a better life for our people".

He said similarly, the African Soccer World Cup - meaning the World Cup being held in Africa - would give additional impetus "to our struggle to achieve Africa's renaissance.

"In return for these irreplaceable benefits, we owe it to Fifa and the rest of the soccer world to prepare properly for 2010. I trust that the domestic world of soccer will respond to this challenge with all necessary seriousness, commitment and patriotism."

- I-Net Bridge (News24)