Final Stadium Inspection Tour

The stadiums are in place, the seats in many have already been filled in a number of test events and now the final piece of the puzzle has begun. As the World Cup countdown clock ticks past 86 days to go, the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) and FIFA today embarked on the final stadium inspection tour.

The delegation kicked off the tour with a visit to Soccer City stadium this morning, as each department walked through the areas of the stadium that will affect their work during the tournament.

From media operations who need to ensure that the media facilities such as press conference rooms and media centres will be in place for the thousands of journalists expected at the stadium during the tournament, to marketing who need to ensure that there is sufficient signage to direct the hundreds-and-thousands of fans expected in Soccer City, it was a tough day of scrutinising the progress.

“The final stadium inspection is a significant event as we head toward the beginning of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. With all the stadiums now largely complete we must ensure that the finer details are considered. We have come a long way since the first inspection tour and now we are ending that process – we have proved that we can get the infrastructure ready in time. Now it’s really the final check up to see that everything is going as it should,” said the Chief Executive Officer of the OC, Dr Danny Jordaan.

For Johannesburg’s 2010 Host City Coordinator, Sibongile Mazibuko – who oversees two World Cup stadiums in Soccer City and Ellis Park – the first day of the inspection was a success.

“We are moving closer to finalising all the outstanding issues. Overlay work has started and it is really starting to take shape,” said Mazibuko, referring to the process whereby a stadium is made World Cup compliant through the installation of temporary overlay infrastructure such as media and accreditation centres, hospitality areas, tournament specific signage and media tribunes to name just a few.

The stadium tour will continue on to the other nine stadiums over the next week, ending on 26 March when the delegation will return to the OC headquarters at SAFA House in Johannesburg.

source : www.fifa.com

Transportation for World Cup 2010 Fans

Johannesburg - Park and ride, park and walk, public transport and taxis will all be used to get soccer fans to the game on time during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The City's Transport Department is ironing out various transport plans to get spectators to and from stadiums, public viewing sites and fan fests, reports Joburg.org.

"Part of the physical infrastructure is Joburg's flagship initiative, the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system," said Yolisa Mashilwane, the director of management support for transport in the City.

Rehana Moosajee, the member of the mayoral committee for transport, explains that Rea Vaya is expected to carry an estimated 20.000 spectators to Soccer City and Ellis Park, the two host stadiums.

Rea Vaya includes over 25 kilometres of dedicated lanes and more than 26 stations. Moosajee adds that phase 1A has been strategically implemented to meet the timeframes of the World Cup.

The full phase 1A runs from the south and west - Protea Glen, Mofolo Park, Naledi, Eldorado Park and Dobsonville - and from Ellis Park in the east. There is also an inner city circular route.

Mashilwane said there will be a special service during the tournament, which will mean a reduction in ordinary commuter services, especially on match days. The service will focus on spectators travelling to and from the stadiums.

There will be three park and ride spots, where spectators can park their cars and take a shuttle service to and from the games. Their cars will be guarded and parking will carry a fee. Accredited buses and taxis will provide the shuttle service.

Park and rides will be set up a the University of the Witwatersrand West Campus, on Enoch Sontonga Avenue in Braamfontein, Bezuidenhout Valley Park, on Marcia Street in Observatory and Gold Reef City, on Data Crescent in Ormonde.

Park and walks have also been arranged for spectators to park their vehicles and walk on a designated route to the stadiums. One venue has been allocated for each stadium; spectators will have to pay to use them.

For Ellis Park, the park and walk is at Athlone Boys School on Third Street in Bezuidenhout Valley. The walk is 2.21 kilometres.

For Soccer City, the park and walk is at Aeroton Park, off Randshow Road in Aeroton. The walk is 2.42 kilometres.

Mashilwane said transport options during the tournament will include Metrobus, mini-bus taxis and metered taxis which will extend their operating hours and may adjust their routes to ensure that fan parks and fan villages are serviced.

In addition, inter city and inter provincial services will be provided from the beginning of June until a few days after the final in July. There will be extra buses operating on match days and others connecting Gauteng with Polokwane, Mbombela, Rustenburg and Bloemfontein.

Buses will also be used to connect OR International and Lanseria airports to Sandton and the Joburg inner city.

Metrorail and Shosholoza Meyl will also run additional services from all parts of the country, and it is likely that Gautrain will be operational from OR International Airport to Sandton Station. There will be Gautrain feeder and distribution buses servicing Rivonia, Rosebank, Sandton and the inner city.

With FIFA's headquarters in Sandton, the International Broadcasting Centre at Nasrec next to Soccer City in the south, and a Football for Hope Tournament scheduled for No 3 Square in Alexandra, Joburg will be a hub of activities.

The City has also allocated certain areas for public viewing. These include Township TV sites, public viewing areas and Fan Festivals.

These areas include Innes Free Park - Fan Festival in Sandton, Elkah Stadium - Fan Festival in Soweto, Mary Fitzgerald Square - Public viewing area in Newtown, Ivory Park - Township TV.

Other areas that will have Township TV include Diepsloot Park, Orange Farm Regional Park, Kremetart Eldorado Park, Diepkloof Extreme Park, Orlando West, Thokoza Park, Joubert Park and Rose Avenue Park in Lenasia. 

 

source : BuaNews

Johannesburg Stadium

Soccer City Stadium

Former known as FNB Stadium, Soccer City Stadium is the flagship of 2010 FIFA WORLDCUP where the opening and closing ceremony will be held. The design of the stadium was selected from a series of concept designs ranging from acknowledgement of Jo’burg’s disappearing mine dumps; the kgotla (defined by the tree) of the African city state; the African map as a horizontal representation, which included the roof as a desert plane supported on tropical trees set within the mineral wealth of Southern Africa; to a representation of the protea, our national flower.

The calabash, or African pot, was selected to a new grand design of the stadium. Upgrade the capacity from 80.000 seat to 94.700 seat and adding 99 more suite hospitality to bring to 184, 15.000 car parking available.

Ellis Park Stadium

 

Ellis Park Stadium is located in the centre of Johannesburg and has a brand new look that hosted many epic sporting events including the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup between Brazil and the United States. A sponsorship deal with the Coca-Cola Company, Ellis Park is also known as Coca-Cola Park. The soft drink company is also a major sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

The largest piece of construction has increased the seating capacity to 62,000. With state-of-the-art media facilities, team whirlpools, top-class VIP areas for dignitaries, accessibility for disabled fans, a new pitch and a top-notch audio-visual setup to keep the fans informed during the game, no one will be left disappointed.

2010 FIFA Worldcup Host City (1)

Host City : Johannesburg

Johannesburg that also known as Jozi is the largest city in South Africa. It is provincial capital of Gauteng and the wealthiest city in Africa. Football fans will find a rich selection of attractions and activities with superb wining and dining, championship golf courses, and, day or night, you'll always find a party in Jo'burg.

Johannesburg will be represented by 2 modern stadium, Soccer City and Ellis Park Stadium.

Host City : Polokwane / Pietersburg

Polokwane is situated as the capital of the Limpopo Province and is surrounded by three of South Africa's neighbours: Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This is also the land of the upside down tree known as ‘Baobab', which is the biggest tree in Africa.

Polokwane will be represented by Peter Mokaba Stadium

 

Host City : Pretoria / Tshwane

Tshwane/Pretoria is the capital of South Africa. Many embassies thus call this city their home. The Union Buildings house the administration of the country and have also been the setting for all the presidential inaugurations of Nelson Mandela,Thabo Mbeki and the incumbent South African president, Jacob Zuma.

Pretoria will be represented by Loftus Versfeld Stadium