We are ready

[xtermin8or]

Cabinet would like to reassure all South Africans that preparations are not only on track but are also at an advanced stage, and that South Africa will be ready to host the first African FIFA World Cup, come rain or shine.

The budget allocation of R15 Billion for the 2010 FIFA World Cup effort, as announced by the Minister Finance yesterday, must inspire all of us to focus our attention on implementation, implementation, implementation. When the final whistle is blown at the end of the 2010 World Cup Finals, South Africa will never be the same again. We will have better roads, better sports fields, better public transport, better security for all citizens, better soccer players, and most importantly, a proud and united South Africa, because we would have done it, together. A South Africa, in which all the soccer fans who would have attended the World Cup, would want to come back as tourists to experience our fauna and flora.

All South Africans must do their very best to make sure that we make every African in the world and every citizen of the world, proud of this nation and continent, for hosting what must and will be one of the most successful World Cup finals ever. This is possible.

- Cabinet Meeting Notes ( 25 October 2006 )

We are ready

 

[icyrus]

We are ready

Um no. Just saying it doesn't make it so. We all hope that we will be ready in time, but right now we are far far from ready.

 

[Alan]

Bwahahahahahahahahahhahahahahah

 

[Syndyre]

Hopefully its true but its not exactly coming from an unbiased source.

 

[Nod]

The Gautrain is behind by how many months/years already?
The N1 is a mess, as is most of our other roads.
No improvement with regards to public transport.
How many stadiums still needs to be build before the 2008 FIFA inspection?

 

[xtermin8or]

Well it's not just the Govt that believes this, FIFA and the rest of the world does as well

SA 2010 on track

Kick-off in Cape Town: South Africa 2010 on track

(AFP) GIANLUIGI GUERCIA

There may be almost four years until the curtain comes up on the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, but already there is a great deal of work taking place behind the scenes to ensure that a stage is provided befitting of the world's greatest single sports event. Working together towards that aim are FIFA, the Organising Committee (SAOC), South Africa's local and national government, Host Cities and FIFA Partners, all of whom are currently represented in Cape Town for a kick-off workshop.
The workshop was opened by a high level delegation which included FIFA's new Executive Committee member, Dr Amos Adamu, who welcomed the delegation on behalf of the Federation's President, Joseph S. Blatter. He reaffirmed FIFA's "full and continued support of the President and the Executive Committee and football family around the world."

There was also positive news on the scale and speed of the progress being made, with FIFA's representatives, SAOC Chief Executive Danny Jordaan and SAOC Chairman Irvin Khoza all in agreement that all the preparatory work was on track and, crucially, on time.

For his part, the South African president, Thabo Mbeki, delivered a speech reiterating South Africa's commitment to working with FIFA to "win in Africa, with Africa" in 2010.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his deputy and many other South African cabinet ministers at the opening plenary session, Mbeki said: "The high-level Government participation in the 2010 FIFA World Cup kick-off workshop reflects not only the seriousness of the tasks that lie ahead of us, but also the Government's passion and unequivocal commitment to make the 2010 World Cup an eminently successful tournament."

Chiskop posted the same link in another thread - sorry for the duplication

 

[Syndyre]

Well it's not just the Govt that believes this, FIFA and the rest of the world does as well

SA 2010 on track

True but FIFA also have a vested interest in portraying everything as going well.

 

[xtermin8or]

and do pray tell, what is your vested interest in portraying everything as going wrong

 

[Syndyre]

I have a vested interest in reality and at the moment I don't see enough actual evidence to back up the governments grandiose statements.

 

[GavinMannion]

Didn't your mothers ever tell you

"If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all"

FIFA, the government and the sponsors are all very happy with our progress. They are the key players, all the people who aren't happy don't have any insight into whats happening and what has been done.

Lets reiterate this one more time.

The Gautrain does not need to be ready
There is nothing wrong with the N1?
There are more metro buses on our roads all the time and the taxi-recap is progressing.
Most of the stadiums are built and only need to be refurbished

 

[schitz011]

There is nothing wrong with the N1?

Umm, whats right with it?

oh, yeah that stretch btwn Colesburg and Three Sisters is quite usable

 

[Nod]

I only measure something I can see is happening. Its easy to plan things, and everything looks wonderful on paper, but if you don't actually do something physically, it means nothing.

I have not seen or heard about building starting on any of the new stadiums, or new/improved public transport, or major upgrades on roads (N1 got downgraded from 3 to 2 lanes though).

So far its been a lot of talking, organizing and money changing hands (and a lot of it).

 

[xtermin8or]

Government has shown it's committment to being ready - 15 billion set aside, and all the plans are in place - the majority of work - before any event happens behind the scenes - you may not see it - but there is alot going on

 

[nivek]

There are more metro buses on our roads all the time and the taxi-recap is progressing.

You surely dont expect tourists to use our poor excuse for a taxi?

Sure they are getting new fancy wheels, but we cant recap the drivers..
It's the same as upgrading a hijackers AK47 to a newer model...

Taxi's dont kill people... Reckless irresponsible drivers (every single taxi driver on our road) kill people (reckless includes, using card board boxes as break pads)

Noticed quite a few of our bus drivers have taken a page out of the South African taxi driving hand book recently as well though, because they too drive like maniacs :/

 

[baasvandieplaas]

yes setting money aside means they are commited NOT... just more money to go into the pockets of our CORRUPT leaders

 

[schitz011]

Just because the gvmt throws around words like 'challange and commitment' doesn't make it happen magically. This gvmt seems to have forgotten (or indeed never knew) that gvmts are actually supposed to put into practise the schemes they set forth, not just use them as floral language to impress the unwashed masses.

And going slightly off topic, how many of the infrastructure improvements they have allegedly commited to undertake that will be a challenge ( ) would have been tabled to be looked at in the near future to possibly be discussed to be implemented as a challenge if 2010 didn't (wasn't) going to happen?

Sorry for lapsing into Government speak there

I am comitted to take up the challenge to not sound like a pompus arse

 

[xtermin8or]

just look at the number of primary health care facilities now available to people who didn't have them before, or the millions who today have for the first time access to clean water and sanitation, the progress made in the area of enviromental affairs and tourism, science and technology - alot has been done - alot continues to be done - and alot more will be done - just because you don't see the changes doesn't mean they don't exist

 

[GavinMannion]

I only measure something I can see is happening. Its easy to plan things, and everything looks wonderful on paper, but if you don't actually do something physically, it means nothing.

I have not seen or heard about building starting on any of the new stadiums, or new/improved public transport, or major upgrades on roads (N1 got downgraded from 3 to 2 lanes though).
.

I have seen the Gautrain stations getting built,does that count?

Kaizer Chiefs have been moved out of the FNB stadium so that building can commence as well.

The Capetonians have finally decided to allow the new stadium to be built. No thanks to that local government.

/As a side note as a bike rider I actually find taxis to be courteous. Weird hey?

 

[bwana]

Um no. Just saying it doesn't make it so. We all hope that we will be ready in time, but right now we are far far from ready.

"I am a billionaire" - nope - that didnt work either.

 

[nivek]

Kaizer Chiefs have been moved out of the FNB stadium so that building can commence as well.

Kaizer chiefs should be allocated a little deserted field somewhere to play on till their fans learn to behave and stop ripping stadiums to shreads, especially with the new fancy expensive stadiums being built..