Statement by the mayor on the city's readiness for 2010
STATEMENT BY THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR OF JOHANNESBURG, CLR AMOS MASONDO, AT THE MEDIA BRIEFING ON THE CITY'S READINESS FOR THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT, SOCCER CITY (STADIUM), NASREC - JOHANNESBURG
Programme Director
The Honourable Minister of Provincial and Local Government: Mr Sydney Mufamadi
The Honourable Deputy Minister of Finance: Mr Jabu Moleketi
Speaker of Council: Clr Nkele Ntingane
Chief Whip of Council: Clr Bafana Sithole
MMC for Community Development: Clr Nandi Mayathula-Khoza
Members of the Mayoral Committee
Fellow Councillors
SAFA President: Mr Molefe Oliphant
Local Organising Committee CEO: Mr Danny Jordaan
Sport and Recreation Department, 2010 Director General: Dr Joe Phaahla
City Manager: Mavela Dlamini
Managers and Officials of Council
Distinguished Guests
The Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
Today, as we gather here, it is a mere one thousand two hundred and forty (1 240) days before the first ball will be kicked in the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament.
We are all aware of the fact that Johannesburg is an important stakehoder in the four-week soccer spectacular. From the opening ceremony to mark the beginning of Africa's first World Cup to the blowing of the final whistle at Soccer City. It will be here, at Soccer City that the Jules Rimet Trophy will be presented to the 2006 World Champions. Johannesburg will probably be the most talked about City locally and internationally.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are the only City in the country that will provide two host stadiums as well as the headquarters for FIFA and the Local Organising Committee prior to, during and immediately following the event.
To a significant degree, Johannesburg will come to symbolise the entire South Africa and indeed the entire continent. This does not detract from the fact that focus will be on soccer/football and the FIFA World Cup, the world's greatest sporting spectacular.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to assure you from the outset that Johannesburg is ready and prepared to take on the challenge of hosting all relevant events and matches. Significant progress in the preparations are self evident!
One of the first steps we took, was to take this opportunity to create a special 2010 Directorate headed by an Executive Director, Ms Sibongile Mazibuko. Apart from planning and implementing the City's 2010 Strategy, this directorate also liaises with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the relevant national and provincial departments. A Mayoral sub-committee, constituted of Members of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Community Development (Sports), Finance, Safety, Health, Transport, Infrastructure, Environment and Development Planning and Urban Management meets regularly to set policy guidelines and to monitor and assess progress.
The Financial Mail of August 2006, a few weeks after the launch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup logo in Berlin, in Germany, said, "2010 has become the rallying cry of South Africa. For the unemployed it is the prospect of jobs, for government and the state owned companies... deadlines to meet ambitious spending targets..."
In the City of Johannesburg we have had to answer the following questions: How should we utilize the pressure that come with the 2010 FIFA World Cup to deepen on all the work we are already doing through the various government programmes? How do we ensure that we work in such a way that long after the 2010 World Cup spectacle has come and gone we are able to point at various quality legacy projects that will continue to benefit our residents and citizens? What should these legacy projects be and how should we identify them?
We know that the 2010 FIFA World Cup is not only about what government should do but it is also a matter that requires the involvement of organisations of civil society and all our communities.
A study done by Grant Thornton in 2003 reveal the following:
That this event would probably contribute about R21 billion;
It will create about 150 000 jobs;
It will generate about R7 billion in taxes for government;
The tangible cost to government will be about R2.3 billion; and
R7.2 billion will be invested in building and upgrading of stadia or stadiums.
We in the City of Johannesburg see ourselves as an important role player in this process. As an active participant we will be part to the promotion of: tourism, efforts aimed at attracting foreign direct investments, contributing to creating an even greater positive national mood and confidence in our country and people and ensuring that South Africa is entrusted with the hosting of more international events in future.
Our programmes in this City range from seeking to ensure a green, safe and clean city to better urban management, reducing poverty, new investment in infrastructure for transport, provision of power, water and sanitation, intensifying the fight against HIV and AIDS and eradicating informal settlements by the year 2015 amongst others.
Ladies and gentlemen, our ability to host international events was put to test a week ago when we hosted the nine million Rands (R9 million) golf tournament the Joburg Open.
Joburg Open was conceptualised in a way that seeks to ensure that the City of Johannesburg continues to promote, facilitate and encourage the development of sport. We are aiming at positioning Johannesburg as one of the global sporting destination of choice. We will always endeavour to further broaden the municipality's involvement in the different sporting codes. This includes: Cricket, Rugby, Athletics, Cycling, and many others.
We are at the same time looking beyond 2010. Every facility that we build, every Rand that we spend on infrastructure, will have lasting benefits for the people of Johannesburg.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup will help to accelerate a number of initiatives that have already been planned for the rejuvenation and renewal of the inner-city, the upgrading of the City's public transport network, the improvement of safety and security measures and the refurbishment of the ageing infrastructure, especially our electricity network in the City.
Thus, after the 2010 tournament residents and citizens of Johannesburg will continue to enjoy the benefits of a more efficient transport system, better power network, water and sanitation network, safer community life, better parks, better sporting facilities and a rejuvenated urban landscape.
The City itself has committed an amount of R400 million per annum for the next three years excluding the legacy projects. This will mostly be allocated towards safety and security (R385 million), Transport (R398 million), the stadium precincts (R120 million) and the training venues (R400 million).
Seventy percent of the estimated R6, 2 billion of the overall project budget will be sourced from National Treasury. The biggest budget items required are the upgrading of the stadiums (R1, 8 billion); transport (R907 million) the training venues (R257 million) and safety and security (R232 million).
This stadium - Soccer City, where we are today will be reconstructed at the cost of R1. 5 billion, an amount that was approved by the Council in December 2006. This amount is subject to contract negotiations and identification of possible additional resources. (The City Manager in his presentation will elaborate on how this amount is going to be awarded and what the conditions of the tender are). Ten percent (10%) of this budget will be reinvested in the local economy.
In the process of the Soccer City stadium development, hundred of jobs will be created. The development will require a range of contractors and subcontractors. Once this development is complete there will be a need to maintain and manage this facility.
Currently, Soccer City stadium is a 70 000 seater and the new facility will accommodate at least 94 000 people. I am happy to announce that the contractor has committed to completing the construction of the stadium by March 2009.
Ladies and gentlemen, the City has also identified a number of "2010 legacy projects" to stimulate economic and social development in previously neglected areas. One billion Rands (R1 billion) has been allocated for projects such as the replacement of street furniture in the inner-city, the greening of undeveloped soccer fields, an indoor sports centre and an Olympic swimming pool in Soweto, the transformation of the Diepkloof hostel into integrated human settlement, the development of a "green lung" along the Klipspruit River and the construction of a theatre in Soweto.
In November 2006, the City launched a 46 000 square metre park that incorporates a soccer field, play areas, pathways, ablution facilities, fencing, bins, benches, vendor stall and park furniture with morabaraba games in Ivory Park.
These legacy projects will ensure that city residents will continue to benefit from economic investment and consumer spending during the 2010 FIFA World Cup period and long after the final whistle has been blown.
Transport planning is a key element of the City's preparations for the World Cup. The City's road network will have to cope with a significant increase in traffic, especially around the two main venues: Soccer City and Ellis Park. Amongst the projects that will be completed before the start of the tournament are extensive changes to the road network in the Nasrec area to the south of the City.
The City recently announced the "Rea Vaya" project that will transform the face of public transport in Johannesburg. This project will see the introduction of new buses travelling along dedicated bus lanes throughout the City. This new public transport system will be operational by 2009 when Johannesburg hosts the Confederation Cup of Nations (CAF).
The World Cup focus will stimulate extensive new economic activity at Nasrec, an area that is strategically located between Soweto and the Central Business District (CBD).
In a similar way, the urban landscape surrounding Ellis Park will derive major economic benefits from the injection of 2010 funding. The World Cup will help to reverse the current economic and physical decline of the area and promote its economic regeneration.
The area around Joubert Park will benefit significantly from the construction of an International Transit and Shopping centre that will cater specifically for visitors from Southern African countries.
It is envisaged that many of the top teams will complete their final training and preparations in and around Johannesburg. A number of training venues in the City have been identified for this purpose, namely:
Orlando Stadium
Dobsonville Stadium
Rand Stadium
Cecil Payne Stadium (Roodepoort/Florida)
Rabie Ridge Stadium, and
Ruimsig Stadium
Both Orlando and Dobsonville stadiums already meet FIFA's standards in terms of the number of spectators they can accommodate, the safety standards, medical facilities, flood lighting and media requirements.
A further R337 million over the next three years has been allocated for upgrading of Orlando stadium and its precinct and R69 million for Dobsonville stadium and its precinct. An additional amount of R227 million has been budgeted to bring the four other stadiums and surrounding precincts up to the required standards.
It is important to note that some of these venues are situated in areas of decline that need redevelopment and renewal. This is receiving the required and necessary attention.
Ladies and gentlemen, safety and security planning for 2010 is at an advance stage. The City will be extending the number of CCTV surveillance system throughout the City and linking this with a national database containing biometric data.
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) will train and employ 500 new officers every year and by the year 2010 the total figure would have increased to 4000 officers. The City will also establish special municipal courts to deal swiftly and effectively with offenders. Medical and emergency services will be on duty around the clock to deal with possible challenges.
The City's safety plans will be integrated into the national 2010 security strategy and the JMPD will work closely with the South African Police Service and the national intelligence community.
The City together with related security agencies will be prepared for every possible emergency scenario that can occur: ranging from international terrorism and organised crime, to food poisoning and petty theft. Key strategic facilities such as water reservours pump stations and power grids have been identified for special protection.
We want to host a people-friendly and incident free World Cup and ensure that visitors will enjoy the many sights of Johannesburg in a safe and secure environment. Again, as with other projects, the money that we will spent on safety and security for 2010 will benefit residents of the City for decades to come.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think it is safe to say that a lot of planning and a lot of groundwork to ensure a successful staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is in place. In the remaining weeks and months to come, much more will still have to be done.
Let me assure you that our plans and our preparations are on track, on time and within budget. We are ready, we are willing and we are able to host the showpiece events of the world's greatest sporting spectacle.
Johannesburg has set itself the objective to become a World Class, African City and the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament will accelerate our progress towards this goal.
In conclusion, let me emphasise that for us in the City, this Soccer City project is also part of the bigger programme of restoring the dignity of our people. We therefore have no intention of compromising on quality.
Thank you
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