[DEBATE] : Safari, soccer & sod the masses

[Peter Dwyer]

So safari, sun and soccer, what more could a visitor want? And of  
course with 'dedicated roads' from safari to stadium the wealth will  
just pour into the pockets of white game farm owners, the big  
corporate sponsors, the big stores in the shopping malls for those  
visitors 'brave enough' to venture into the 'human safari', throw in  
a few BEE concessions, a couple of townships tours here and there and  
'laduma' the SA and global rich will have done very well outta the  
world cup..

South Africa urges World Cup fans to stay at safari lodges


Andrew Culf
Wednesday November 8, 2006
The Guardian

Fans travelling to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa are to be  
encouraged to stay at game lodges and combine safari holidays with  
attending matches, the country's minister of tourism said yesterday.  
In an attempt to ensure the safety and security of the 1.3m expected  
for the tournament, the government in Pretoria is also recruiting  
5,000 railway police to combat high levels of crime.
Marthinus van Schalkwyk, minister of environment affairs and tourism,  
dismissed speculation that South Africa is ill-prepared, pointing out  
it is ahead of schedule and that a delegation from Fifa, the world  
game's governing body, was impressed a fortnight ago. "They will be  
ready, no problems they will be ready," its president Sepp Blatter  
said. "The Plan B and C in my opinion is still South Africa."

Van Schalkwyk pointed out that South Africa has a reputation for  
staging big events, including rugby and cricket world cups, and while  
not underestimating the challenge, added that there is no need for  
"Afro-pessimism".
Ten stadiums will be used for Africa's first football World Cup -  
five are to be upgraded and five built from scratch. Van Schalkwyk  
said plans had been approved and five would be ready and used for the  
Confederations Cup in 2009. About R80bn (£5.74bn) is being invested  
in the country's infrastructure over the next three years, including  
upgrading Johannesburg airport and on a new rail link between there  
and Pretoria. The strict regulation of flights has also been relaxed.
Crime and security is a challenge the authorities will not run away  
from, Van Schalkwyk claimed. New strategies are beginning to produce  
a reduction in violent crime and by 2010 numbers of police would be  
increased from 156,000 to 187,000. More than R40bn is also being  
invested in improved safety and security.
Organisers are planning to make use of the non-hotel sector to find  
the 55,000 rooms it is contracted to provide to Fifa. Game lodges,  
guest houses and B&Bs will provide a large quota of accommodation.  
The minister said fans staying at game reserves would have dedicated  
roads to match venues and special charter flights to get them to the  
stadiums within an hour. "Imagine a game drive in the morning  
followed by a match that evening," he said. "It will open up the  
great experiences of wildlife and scenery, a chance to see the  
country. We do not want to be in the position of building new hotels  
and infrastructure and having to demolish them after the World Cup."
It is estimated that around 350,000 England fans travelled to Germany  
in June. South Africa does not have a precise estimate for 2010 if  
England qualify but it will repeat last summer's Fan-Fest big-screen  
areas for those without tickets.




Dr Peter Dwyer
AIDC,
129 Rochester Road,
Observatory,
Cape Town, 7705.
South Africa.

TEL:    021 447 5770
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