It's 1 000 days until the cup kicks off

By Siyabonga Maphumulo

Durban was in high spirits last week when it celebrated the 1 000 day countdown to the 2010 World Cup with a soccer spectacular in the form of the SAA Supa 8 derby between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. Speaking to thousands of school children and fans who attended the pre-match celebrations at the Absa Stadium, KwaZulu-Natal Premier S’bu Ndebele said the event was an opportunity to “demonstrate that we are ready to host the world in 2010”.

He said KwaZulu-Natal was now preparing to roll out the red carpet for the preliminary World Cup draw in November and the Moses Mabhida stadium being built next door would be among the first stadiums to be ready. Local Organising Committee Chairman Irvin Khoza said lessons from Germany in 2006 had shown that 2010 would only be a success if it had the full backing of every South African.

Taxi drivers

“We need to work a 25-hour day and put forth our culture of communalism which is what we Africans are best known for.” He said everyone from taxi drivers to ordinary citizens and soccer fans needed to be volunteers and ambassadors. “Thousands of visitors will come to the country and we need to show etiquette to them,” he said. It was expected that at least 6 000 volunteers would be needed for the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup, and about 15 000 volunteers for the World Cup.

Khoza said the recruiting of volunteers for the events would begin in early 2008. Volunteers would be mainly professionals from different fields, students, unemployed youth and retired citizens. Specialist volunteers would also be required with technical sporting knowledge, language and media skills. General volunteers would be needed for team liaison, accreditation, spectator services, fan parks, transport, information services, hospitality and logistics.

MaphumuloSiya@durban.gov.za