Jordaan: SA will keep World Cup visitors safe

[Subzero]

South Africa has the ability to safeguard every person coming to the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the chief executive of the Local Organising Committee, Danny Jordaan, said in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

"There is no question that this country has the capability to safeguard every person that comes here for the World Cup," Jordaan told a press conference on South Africa's readiness to host the World Cup.

"We will safeguard places where the players will stay, the routes, hotels, etc. The country has demonstrated its ability to manage other world cups with no incidence of crime."
mg.co.za

Difficult to believe

Fifa supremo Sepp Blatter has told South Africa to get cracking and step up the pace of building stadiums for the 2010 World Cup.

In a rare but sugar-coated public criticism after an executive meeting, Blatter said from Zurich: "We still have a few shovels and a few picks here that you can take home so that work really now progresses so the stadiams will be built on time."

His wake-up call comes as the City of Cape Town faces a looming legal battle with lobby groups that oppose the siting of a World Cup stadium in Green Point.

Blatter directed his remarks to the chief executive of the SA organizing committee, Danny Jordaan, who attended the meeting at which dates for the 2010 World Cup were released. The event will be held from June 11 to July 11.
In spite of his concerns, Blatter added: "Nevertheless, we express confidence in South Africa."

Jordaan responded today that he was "unconcerned by the interpretation of the media" of Blatter's comments.

"Blatter said the same things we are saying - that work must start," he told the Cape Argus by phone from a Zurich airport. "Blatter said picks and shovels must start and we agree wholeheartedly with that.

"Construction companies must be on site and work must begin in the first quarter next year. We agree completely with this," Jordaan said.
"To get them on site, we needed to secure money and we have done that on time."

Turning to the Green Point residents group opposing the stadium site, Jordaan they needed to be heard, even if they were expressing a dissenting view.
The city council is expected to recommend to Environmental Affairs, Planning and Economic Development MEC Tasneem Essop that Green Point Common be rezoned to allow construction of the stadium to start.

[southafrican]

I believe that safety will not be a too big issue since the most crime incidents mainly take place in non-tourist areas... However, Jordaan cannot make promises such as that - why can't the government guarantee the safety of its own citizens, but that of tourists? Anyway, I still feel the world cup will be relatively crime-free and should not be a too big concern for the average tourist.

[Ming]

Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the 2010 Fifa World Cup organising committee, has laughed off reports that there are contingency plans to host the World Cup elsewhere should South Africa not be ready.

He was responding to statements attributed to Fifa president Sepp Blatter during an interview with the BBC. The Fifa boss was quoted as having said there were contingency plans in case SA was unable to host the World Cup.

Blatter is said to have made special mention of Australia and England as fall-back options.

'No, it's impossible!'
"Other countries are ready to organise the World Cup," said Blatter, although he stressed that such plans were not needed.

When approached for comment, Jordaan said: "No, it's impossible! This can't be serious and I'm not even interested."

Jordaan further rubbished the reports, saying the South African government had committed R17,6-billion towards the construction of the stadiums, while Fifa's commercial partners had also pledged R30-billion.

"On April 2, the secretary-general of Fifa, Urs Linsi, said we have made wonderful progress. Our focus at the moment is on the construction of the stadiums to be ready for the 2010 World Cup. And, in fact, we have already started preparing for the draw in November this year," he said.

Reports of delays in stadium construction have threatened hopes of the tournament being staged in South Africa.

Blatter remains confident that all the facilities will be ready in time for the soccer spectacle, but feels Fifa needs to keep its options open in case there are unforeseen problems. "Something can happen... a natural catastrophe... a big change in society," he said.

Asked if England and Australia were fall-back options, Blatter told the BBC's Inside Sport programme, aired last night: "Yes, but there are other countries that are ready. You say England can do it, and I am sure Spain can do it.

"The United States, England, Japan, Spain, Mexico and Australia would all be ready to step in. Something can happen... but then, for the time being, (even) plan B is South Africa and the plan C, we definitely must have a possibility to go somewhere else."