SA gears to celebrate 500 days countdown to 2010

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Pretoria - South Africa's preparations are in overdrive for the 500 Days Countdown, which will kick off next week Monday, for the world's biggest sporting spectacle, the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) on Thursday affirmed that the countdown to Africa's first FIFA World Cup was on in earnest.

"Monday next week will be exactly 500 days to go to the world's biggest sporting spectacle watched by a cumulative audience of more than 26 billion spectators worldwide and South Africa's preparations are in overdrive," the LOC said in a statement.

To mark this significant milestone, a range of activities will take place on the day across the country with the main event taking place on Monday in the Mangaung Outdoor Sports Centre in Bloemfontein.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the LOC Dr Irvin Khoza and Dr Danny Jordaan, respectively, will address the media in Johannesburg on the achievements made since South Africa was awarded the right to host the event five years ago.

The media conference will also look ahead at the milestones leading up to the tournament's kick-off on 11 June 2010 at the Soccer City Stadium in Soweto.

The LOC further said that mayors and representatives of all nine 2010 FIFA World Cup Host Cities will converge on the sports centre for the national unveiling of the nine Host City Posters.

To kick-off the day's activities, the Italian Embassy together with 2010 ambassadors Mark Fish and Philemon Masinga will visit two schools in the area as part of the 2010 Schools Campaign "Adopt a Nation", followed by a schools mini-football tournament.

The LOC has also confirmed that the launch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Host Poster will be addressed by the Minister for Provincial and Local Government, Sicelo Shiceka, Mangaung Executive Mayor, Councilor Playfair Morule as well as Dr Jordaan.

Ahead of the countdown, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality will mark the day by holding a Street Parade and a Fun Walk in the streets of KwaThema, Tsakane and Duduza before culminating in a massive celebration at the KwaThema Stadium on Sunday.

The two activities will start at Kwathema Stadium with the walk focusing mainly on KwaThema while the parade will see an entourage of motorbikes, metro police and emergency service vehicles driving through the streets of Kwatsaduza creating awareness of the major milestones in the country's efforts towards hosting the FIFA World Cup in less than two years time.

The event is expected to draw top politicians including the MEC for Sports Barbara Creecy and executive mayor of Ekurhuleni Ntombi Mekgwe, members of the mayoral committee, councilors, community leaders, soccer veterans and other sport fanatics and members of the public in general.