Countdown to world cup

A partnership between Telkom, the Department of Arts and Culture and the City of Johannesburg, the exhibition, to be hosted at Museum Africa in Newtown, Johannesburg, from May to 11 July 11 2010, will display the works of 25 artists, three of whom Willem Boshoff, David Koloane and Zwelethu Mthetwa feature in Telkoms corporate art collection.

We are inextricably linked to this continent and we want to see our continent succeed. From a business perspective, Telkom is also expanding its African footprint. Showcasing the work of African artists is another way of demonstrating our passion for, and involvement in, our continent and its people, said Naas Fourie, Telkoms Chief of Strategy.

He also emphasised that Telkom only purchases the work of South African artists or artists who have resided on the continent for 10 years or longer. This aligns with our focus on building pride in Africas heritage, stated Fourie. Chris Ncube

SAFA cracks down on in-fighting

The South African Football Association (Safa) at the weekend confirmed its position that, contrary to media reports, it was fully focused on delivering a successful FIFA World Cup.

It said it had just appointed new members to the Organising Committee Board of Directors as a clear indication of its joint commitment with government, the labour movement and the private sector.

The organisation expressed concern about recent news articles of attempts to remove the elected leadership before the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June 2010. These were said to be masterminded by Premiers Soccer league boss Irvin Khoza, who failed in his bid to ascend to the Safa presidency last year.

We note our concern regarding the inflammatory public comments by the purported spokesperson for Dr Khoza, speaking on his behalf on this matter. We express our satisfaction that Dr Khoza has acknowledged that the individual concerned was expressing his personal views on this matter and we call upon him to stop misleading the public. Notwithstanding these media reports, we reaffirm our commitment to the development of grassroots football as we have been mandated to do by our Members. We therefore call upon all SAFA Members to continue to maintain unity in our structures and we pledge our continued commitment to bringing the entire football family in South Africa together for the sake of the child, Safa said in a statement. Chris Ncube

Wits to host SA, Dutch 2010 teams

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is offering over 2000 additional beds to fans during the Fifa World Cup and will host two teams during the tournament.

With both South Afric , who will train at the University’s Sturrock Park, and the Netherlands National Football team choosing the Wits grounds as their base for the tournament, the university will play a key role during the month-long spectacle.

It is a privilege and an honour for Wits University to welcome our national soccer team to Sturrock Park. We are proud of Bafana Bafana and look forward to hosting them at Wits which will serve as their home for the next few months, said Prof. Loyiso Nongxa, Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal.

The Dutch football team will be training nearby at the Clever Boys Stadium. The stadium is named after the Wits University Football Club (Bidvest Wits) the only tertiary institution Premier League football side in the country who were nicknamed The Clever Boys because of the club’s close affiliation with the university. The Wits community is ecstatic to have the Dutch team train on campus, and the excitement is mounting as we count down to the start of the tournament, added Wits University spokesperson Shirona Patel.

Meanwhile, hosting Bafana Bafana and The Netherlands is a legacy programme that will benefit the university for years to come, said Stan Whiting, CEO of the Wits Football Club.

In addition to these facilities, the World Coach project, a programme that will be delivering new coaches into the current South African Football Association structures, will also be housed at the Sturrock Park football centre.

The university has a total of seventeen residencies on its six campuses, of which eight will be made available for visitors coming to South Africa for the tournament, totalling 2 200 beds. Aside from the visitor accommodation the university has also handed over one of its residencies to the South African Police Service to be used to house the greater number of police personnel stationed in the city.

In order to accommodate the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the university has decided to coincide the mid-year study break with the tournament. Staff Reporter

Green cabs for mother city

Visitors to Cape Town during the World Cup will have the luxury of eco-driven taxis thanks to an initiative by South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA). The cabs are a green alternative to traditional taxis.

Speaking at the launch of the eco-driving training programme at the weekend, Anton Molden, environmental advisor to SAPIA, said, SAPIA is in discussions with government and other stakeholders for a long-term road map for the introduction of cleaner fuel in South Africa. At the moment only 11 percent of the vehicles on our roads would be able to use these modern fuels. We therefore need a holistic, integrated approach to fuel security and savings in South Africa, in addition, of course, to the other benefits that eco-driving brings.

Eco-driving not only saves money but dramatically improves urban air quality and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. This will also reduce demand for fuel, which will lead to improved fuel security, he said.

The cabs went through a test last month as 20 newly certified eco-drivers hit the streets of Cape Town, looking for an opportunity to put their newly acquired driving skills into practice.

The driver education programme was funded by the South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA) as part of Green Goal 2010, the official 2010 FIFA World Cup greening programme, in conjunction with the City of Cape Town and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape.

Drivers invited to participate in the pilot project were requested to monitor their fuel consumption against current baseline fuel consumption, so that the success of the programme could be measured. Staff Reporter

Govt to build football fever

South Africas Ministry of International Relations will hold international road shows aimed at building up football fever ahead of the World Cup.

“The road shows will cover all regions of the world with a particular focus on nations that have qualified to participate in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals,” said government spokesperson Themba Maseko.

He said cabinet was also encouraged by South African citizens positive response to the the ‘Fly the Flag’ and ‘Football Friday’ campaigns.

The Football Friday initiative encourages South Africans to wear a football shirt every Friday in the build-up to Africa ‘s first soccer world cup, which kicks off on the ultimate Football Friday, 11 June 2010.

The “Fly the Flag’ campaign is aimed at building public excitement, awareness and support leading up to the historic event in South Africa.

Meanwhile, cabinet discussed and noted the naming of the new airport at La Mercy on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast as the King Shaka International Airport. The airport is scheduled to start operations on 1 May, a month before the kick-off of the soccer spectacular. Staff Reporter

Package tours for 2010

The 2010 World Cup soccer is almost upon us and excitement levels are rising to fever pitch. World class stadiums have been built, infrastructure has been upgraded and hotels have been refurbished in preparation of the most popular sporting event on earth. With just two months to go before kick-off, soccer is the word on everyone’s lips.

Be part of this world event, making its African debut, starting in Johannesburg on 11 June with the opening ceremony at the iconic Soccer City stadium followed by the first match between Bafana Bafana and Mexico. One month later, after many thrills and spills, the world champions will emerge victorious.

Thompsons Holidays are offering packages to the much talked about opening event in Johannesburg plus a bonus of an additional match between England and the USA in Rustenburg for just R12,999. The packages includes three nights accommodation in a 3* hotel with breakfast, transfers with a tour leader to the stadiums and category three match tickets to both games. Similar packages include the match between Bafana Bafana and Uruguay in Pretoria on 16 June for R7,999 and between Bafana Bafana and France in Bloemfontein on 22 June

also for R7,999. – For more information call Giorgi Vass at Thompsons Holidays on +27 21 408 9500, go www.thompsons.co.za or email Giorgi at giorgi.vass@thompsons.co.za