2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa?

[NolanJ]

What are your thoughts about the competition being held in South Africa? What are your expectations of the country, in regard to the tournament, tourism, safety and expenses in general?

Please also state which city or country you are from? Thanks!

[Slipperman7959]

1. A lot of unsustainable hype

2. I expect nothing from this country anymore - tired of being disappointed

3. Tournament like most things in SA will be a complete balls-up - too many unqualified AA fools appointed

4. Tourism - will decline after the World Cup - people will see what a shambles this country is in and how badly things are organised - Airports, Public Transport etc.

5. Safety - the crime will hit them when they land - if half their belongings haven't been stolen by the baggage handlers then they will be followed home from the airport and robbed

6. Expenses - like most things prices will be inflated making it impossible for South Africans to actually enjoy the World Cup, once again NOT sustainable with massive job losses being experienced once all the tourist "flee" home...

City - Pretoria - Country - South Africa

You Welcome

[RoadRunner]

I live in Durban.
I work about 1km away from the New Stadium being built for the tournament, from what I see - the building is going very well, it is looking mighty impressive.

Currently our country is experiencing a huge crime issue.
I would like to think that efforts will be made to step up security etc over this time.

I get the impression that all efforts are made to protect the 2010 tournament and as a result, the people of the country itself are being neglected.

During the visits from FIFA and during the tourism Indaba which was recently held here - the street kids and beggars seemed to have gone missing from the streets, the people running the Shelters confirmed this too and it came out that they were actually thrown into Westville prison over this time - in order to create a better impression for the visitors. Now that the Indaba is over the street kids and beggard are again roaming the streets and beachfront.
So in terms of security and tourism - I would imagine that the stay for the tourists should not be that bad even though the countries people will be neglected.

They have already allocated extra police for the tournament in 2010 as well as the confederations cup in 2009 as a result of which the Comrades marathon which is a national treasure in this country has had to change its Dates due to lack of policing as it would clash with the tournament - see this link: http://www.comrades.com/articles.php?id=67

I think that the Government will do everything that they can to make the tournament work - even though we the people of the country might well be neglected for a while.

I just hope that what we are sacrificing will in the end be profitable enough for us mr Joe Public.

[skooby786]

I equate SA hosting the world cup to how my poor uncle who can hardly keep his head above water spent or actually borrowed money to give his daughter a big traditional Indian wedding.
The wedding cost him about R200k. Soon after the wedding, he his house was repossessed along with his car.
The only reason he gave this expensive wedding was to show people that he can and that he is well off

[AgentoftheSystem]

Its a political move (got to be nice to Africa) that will end badly. The cricket and rugby world cups worked here because there is a smaller following for those sports... soccer has a HUGE following and is plyed by more countries than any other sport. Also SA is actually brilliant in rugby and cricket so there is a lot more money going into those sports than soccer (in which we suck).

Geographically it is stupid because people will want to travel to see this event but S. Africa is at the end of Africa, far from Europe, Asia, Australia, the Americas so travelling here will be expensive and tiring.

In the tournament itself, S. Africa will most likely get kicked out in the first round. The SA coach is getting payed enough not to worry about getting another job later on so his heart isn't in this I don't think. People are being led to believe that the SA team is equal to the rest of the world in soccer which is total bull. If SA can't even make it in the African cup of nations, how can it beat European teams and Brazil?

In regards to tourism, yeah maybe it'll boost tourism and create a few more jobs DURING the tournament but what happens to those jobs when everyone goes home? Exactly, the jobs go too and you are back to square one. Besides South Africa does not have the infrastructure to handle ll the tourists. Metrorail and those flling aprt taxis will simply not do, plus tourists will be getting mugged and knifed all the time. Also the airports will literally rob them of their belongings.

Financially it also is stupid. Think of all that money building stadiums for an event that lasts, what... a month? What are you going to do with the stadiums afterwards? You can't put the homeless and jobless in them... its a waste. Giving the world cup to a banana republic will bite FIFA in the butt in the end.

[TashM]

Well FIFA is already concerned! Need I say more?

Im so diapointed in this country its not funny. Humour has dug a hole in the ground!! (South Africans in general always look at things on the bright side) NOT ANY MORE

Every thing is a mess. And it hurts me to say this but i dont suggest any one coming to South Africa, it really is not safe.

Johannesburg

[Gene]

we Joe public as slipper said, don't expect much..of the country or our useless national soccer team. No amount of money can build pride in players to represent their country.

The security will probably be jacked up just for the world cup at the expense of the citizens.
We do not have the infrastructure to cope with so many people.

[AlfGarnett]

I live in the UK and we will and are doing everything possible to dissuade fans from travelling to South Africa to meet a certain violent end. That answer from Roadrunner sums up the attitude of many South Africans -time to make money. They dont give a s hite about the amorality of that attitude of willing to trade blood for money.Pathetic!
If Fifa continue with this insane decision to place a Tournament of this magnitude in a Country which is nowhere near ready or capable of hosting such an event without dire consequences then the best is to wreck it financially. The reasons are printed in your Media every day and I can think of no excuse for both FIFA and the ANC to lie through their teeth about the criminality in South Africa and send media deluded Europeans to a fate worse than death.

[kuwaizair]

there is a guy on youtube who rants about his country and he says that he fears it will be ugly and pure chaos and some people might have a nice AIDS suvineair to take home