'Power crisis won't affect SWC'
2008-02-08 13:11
Cape Town - South African President Thabo Mbeki has brushed off suggestions on Friday that an electricity crisis could hamper the staging of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, pledging the tournament would be the best ever.
"The current challenges we are facing have led some elsewhere in the world once more to question whether we will be able to host these tournaments (the World Cup and 2009 Confederations Cup) successfully," Mbeki told lawmakers in his annual state of the nation address.
"Of course, I have absolutely no doubt that we will honour our undertaking to Fifa and the world community of soccer players and lovers to create all the necessary conditions for the holding of the best ever Fifa Soccer World Cup tournament."
Mbeki said that preparations for tournament, which begins in 854 days' time, were well on course but said there was no room for complaceny and efforts should be made to "ensure that we sustain this approach".
The power crisis, which has led to near daily power cuts since the start of the year, has raised further questions about whether South Africa will meet all its construction deadlines in the build-up to the tournament which is being staged on the continent for the first time.
Tourism bosses have also expressed fears that the blackouts could dissuade potential visitors from staying at home rather than attending the tournament.