Fifa to inspect Nelspruit stadia
2005-09-27 11:49
Sizwe Samayende
Nelspruit, South Africa - A Fifa delegation will visit Nelspruit on October 19 to determine if the Mpumalanga capital will be able to host some of the 2010 soccer World Cup matches.
Mbombela municipality's deputy manager Roelf Kotze said the delegation would be shown proposed sites for a R335m stadium in Nelspruit and potential training venues.
"We'll do a full presentation on our preparations and thereafter the delegation will leave for further discussions with Safa (South African Football Association)," Kotze said.
He said Mbombela was looking at forming partnerships with national and provincial government, as well as the private sector.
He said the partnership agreements would gain momentum once Mpumalanga is given the right to host World Cup matches, Kotze said.
Other rural provinces bidding to host parts of the World Cup include Northern Cape (Kimberley), Limpopo (Polokwane), and Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth).
The World Cup will be staged at eight stadia across South Africa.
Mpumalanga's 40 000-seater stadium will either be built at a community-owned prime agricultural land outside Nelspruit or at the Riverside precinct.
The Riverside precinct includes the province's R680m government complex, the Lowveld botanical garden, hotels, a casino, a snake park, Lowveld Show & Expo Centre, and various lifestyle retail centres.
The local Mdluli clan has pledged their community-owned land after regaining ownership of the land through a restitution claim.
Mbombela has already began conducting an in-depth transport survey to ensure that Nelspruit can provide enough transportation for soccer fans should it win the bid.
Mozambique and Swaziland, which are a mere 100km drive from Nelspruit, have formally pledged their support as they feel that the stadium will boost sport and tourism across the region.
The Mpumalanga Gaming Board (MGB) has announced that it would award the province's fourth and final casino licence to coincide with the World Cup.
Mbombela has already pledged R1.8m for traffic and precinct plans.
- African Eye