SA's capabilities 'world famous'

2010-08-16 20:11

Kempton Park - The world now knows what SA is capable of following the successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup, the Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele said on Monday.

He was speaking at the Airports Company of SA's annual results presentation at OR Tambo International Airport.

"We always maintained that the FIFA World Cup was not just about the wonderful sport of football... its success, we said, depended to a large extent on the success of transport."

Figures from the FIFA World Cup told a success story.

"FIFA has indicated that more than 3.1 million spectators paid to watch the 64 matches and this was the third highest aggregate attendance behind the US in 1994 and Germany in 2006."

Whether walking, driving or flying, every one of these fans had used SA's transport system, the minister said.

By mid afternoon on June 11 2010, before the start of the World Cup, OR Tambo International Airport had facilitated over 300 flights and 35 000 international and domestic passengers.

"Today unaudited figures indicate that we processed 4.5 million passengers and over 52 000 flights between June 1 and July 19 2010."

For most Sunday mornings throughout the World Cup an aircraft was touching down every two minutes, the minister said.

- SAPA