01 June 2007 Questions for SAFA President for the  2010 LOC site launch on FIFA .com Q. Describe how you felt the moment South Africa was awarded the 2010 FIFA World Cup at the World Trade Centre in Zurich on May 15 2004? A. Being granted the right to host the FIFA World Cup evoked memories of casting my vote for the very first time as an African to usher in a new democratic order in South Africa; it was a feeling of great achievement and a reflection of the difficult road we traveled.

The efforts by members of SAFA, the government, the people of South Africa and our friends in the world have brought us joy by helping us to make a compelling case to FIFA to award South Africa the right to host the World Cup in 2010., for that I’m eternally grateful.

Q. What were the reasons for SAFA choosing to bid for the right to host the FIFA World Cup, first unsuccessfully for the 2006 event and then successfully for the 2010 event?

A.  Our isolation from World Football during the period 1976-1991 denied us the opportunity to perform and develop at the highest level of the game. Being readmitted to the FIFA family in 1992 was a major milestone for our Soccer, and bidding for the right to host the FIFA World Cup was in celebration of our hard earned freedom. People around the world stood by us during a difficult era and this is our way of saying thank you to them. FIFA‘s decision to expel apartheid South Africa in 1976 was welcomed by the majority of South Africans. Our young democracy has immense challenges, and we believe that the power of football and the power of the World Cup will contribute immensely to our new democracy and to advance football development in the African content. 

Q. How significant is hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup for South African football and what legacy do you want it to leave SAFA?

A. The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious and popular sporting event in the world, already we are working to finish ten world class stadiums to host the event in 2010, we have a number of stadiums across the country that are being upgraded to serve as practice venues for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup. In our Mission statement we have committed to working in partnership with government in recognition of football as a national asset, as a result we have increased our regions from 25 to 52 in line with municipal boundaries, and the status quo create opportunities for more players to participate in organized football. SAFA has recently formed a legacy committee to focus on football related matters; the committee is tasked with developing a master plan that will encompass the training and development of our members in administration and technical aspects of the game. We must live a legacy that will be cherished by our generation many years after the World Cup is gone. The World Cup will be played in nine cities and ten stadiums countrywide, and we need football people to participate fully in the process, we are mindful that the work has to continue even after the World Cup. It is our intention to represent the country with pride in the 2010 World Cup, and continue in the same spirit to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.  

Q. How passionate are South Africans about football and about hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup?

A. South Africans are passionate about Football; they walk, talk, eat and sleep football. Football is played at every corner of the country, and our challenge is to ensure that we put proper infrastructure in place, and to design training and development programs for people in various disciplines of the game. Football is indeed a beautiful game, a game of billions; and the announcement by FIFA President Sepp Blatter on May 15 ²⁰⁰⁴ sent the country into wild celebrations, 2010 is on everyone’s lips and people of South Africa are looking forward to give the world a warm African welcome.

Q. And how do you feel as an African about the continent hosting the event for the first time in FIFA’s history?

A. South Africa was the first Non European country to join FIFA in 1910, we were suspended in 1963 and the suspension lifted the following year (1964) and finally expelled by FIFA in 1976. When we started the bidding process, we used Vicky Samson song ‘My African Dream’ as our theme song, it gives me great pleasure to say we made it, An African Dream at last, South Africa is preparing to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and we truly hope that the World Cup trophy will remain in the African continent.   

Q. We’ve seen at Germany 2006, Korea and Japan 2002 and France 1998 the importance for the tournament of the World Cup host country doing well at the event. What steps have SAFA taken to ensure Bafana Bafana will be competitive when South Africa hosts the World Cup in 2010?

A. After years of isolation from international football we struggled to compete after readmission. Armed with a positive fighting spirit, we regrouped by successfully hosting and winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1996. We went on to qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, France ’98 and Korea Japan 2002 FIFA World Cups. Our poor performance at the last AFCON and our failure to qualify for Germany 2006 has been a wake up call for the Association. We have studied some models of how other host countries like France have dealt with team preparations ahead of the World Cup; we are continuously refining our strategy to ensure that we meet our targets. We have employed a World Cup winning coach in Mr Carlos Alberto Parreira; he is supported by a very capable team and we are happy with his road map to 2010.        

Q. In two World Cup appearances Bafana Bafana have never made it past the first round. What SAFA’s objectives are for Bafana Bafana at home in 2010?

A. In our first World Cup appearance in France ’98, we lost to the host nation and played a draw against Denmark and Saudi Arabia respectively; and we improved on our performance in Korea Japan with a win against Slovakia, a draw against Paraguay and a 4-3 loss to Spain.  The past record is an indication of what we are capable off as a country, and with the kind of plans the coach has outlined, we are on track to make the country proud in 2010.

Q. You are a member of the Board of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee. What are your thoughts on the status of South Africa’s preparations to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup?

A. Plans are well underway to deliver on our mandate; we have completed the compliant phase in terms of legislation and government guarantees to FIFA. The LOC technical team and host cities have done a good job in ensuring that all World Cup venues will be FIFA Compliant upon completion. Our government has also unveiled transport and tourism plans among others to ensure efficiency during the event. We are also thrilled by the presence of FIFA’s Secretary General, who is the permanent invitee of the 2010 FIFA World Cup LOC Board.   

Q. In your view what kind of experience can visitors to South Africa 2010 expect?

A. Our visitors can expect a warm South African welcome to our beautiful land. The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa will be a celebration of skill and ball artistry, a cultural celebration to showcase our maxim of Unity in diversity and a celebration of sixteen years of Democracy; it will be an opportunity to say thank you to FIFA and the world for supporting our course to liberate South Africa.

Q. What is SAFA’s role in ensuring that 2010 is truly an African World Cup?

A.South Africa is a stage and the African continent is the theatre, and that’s our approach in ensuring that this historic event is felt through out the continent, the Local Organising Committee legacy team has already done some work in consultation with the African Union to ensure that our objective to stage a successful African World Cup is attained. The matter is also discussed in various meetings of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the discussion will be taken forward in the coming 50^th CAF anniversary celebrations scheduled for September in South Africa.