eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
Personally, I think it's criminal. They're spending BILLIONS of pounds building all these flash new stadiums, and yet the poverty there is unbelievable. It's a scandal, I tell you.
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Why is the 2010 World Cup being held in South Africa?
- Thread starter eastlondonseagull
- Start date
chez
Johnny Byrne-The Greatest
Seems a bit strange BUT we are building a massive Olympic stadium in East London and look at the Poverty there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #3
True 
chez
Johnny Byrne-The Greatest
True
Sorry mate no offence meant!!! Did you know Fatboy is flying back today for a week or so?
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
Yes there is poverty in South Africa but look how many construction jobs have been created in building the new stadia and the infrastructure to support them, none of that would have happened had the World Cup gone elsewhere. Depends which way you view things, doesn't it.
Kukev31
New member
Plus the money that the World Cup will generate South Africa, will hopefully more than cover the cost of the stadiums.
blue'n'white
Well-known member
Been given out of political correctness that's the only reason.
Games being played in Jo'burg will have to have supporters bussed in and out as it's the murder capital of the world.
When they decided that it HAD to be in Africa what was wrong with Egypt - all the stadia are in place as is the infrastructure ?
Games being played in Jo'burg will have to have supporters bussed in and out as it's the murder capital of the world.
When they decided that it HAD to be in Africa what was wrong with Egypt - all the stadia are in place as is the infrastructure ?
NMH
Banned
Half the criminals in Europe and North Africa would converge on Egypt, to rob people.
In SA you only run the risk of getting murdered.
eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #10
I don't think many of the people living in squalor in the shanty towns would agree, though. True, it'll bring jobs, but I'm sure they'd rather have basic homes than 50,000 all-seater stadiums.
Besides, how many locals will be able to afford to go to games?
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Lord Bracknell
On fire
I know that, as a measure of a nation's wealth, GDP per head of population disguises a lot of individual poverty, but it's probably a not unreasonable way to put a league table together.
Using that measure, South Africa is the 56th richest country in the world, ahead of Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, Iran, China, India ... and a whole load of other places.
The Top Ten, incidentally, are:-
1 Luxembourg
2 Ireland
3 Norway
4 United States
5 Iceland
6 Hong Kong
7 Switzerland
8 Netherlands
9 Denmark
10 Qatar
The UK is 13th.
Using that measure, South Africa is the 56th richest country in the world, ahead of Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, Iran, China, India ... and a whole load of other places.
The Top Ten, incidentally, are:-
1 Luxembourg
2 Ireland
3 Norway
4 United States
5 Iceland
6 Hong Kong
7 Switzerland
8 Netherlands
9 Denmark
10 Qatar
The UK is 13th.
eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #12
Interesting article, this, from http://roadto2010final.blogspot.com/.
According to the papers today, however, the South African government have admitted they've under budgeted and now need an extra $500m from somewhere...
----
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
South Africa Won't Cut Social Programs for 2010 WC
South Africa has their priorities in order.
Unlike the US government that keeps cutting taxes and social institutions, their South African counterparts will not scale back social programs to fund construction of stadiums and other facilities for the 2010 soccer World Cup.
Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the South African World Cup organizing committee, told reporters today the government would absorb the 17.4 billion rand ($2.42 billion) needed to build and refurbish 10 stadiums as well as other World Cup costs without raiding education and health budgets or other key sectors.
"This event does not come at the expense of social programmes," Jordaan said after he and other officials provided an update on South Africa's preparations to host the first FIFA World Cup played in Africa.
"What this event has done is create jobs," he said, adding that the government expected significant economic and social gains from increased tourism and other spin-offs from the soccer championship.
The African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled since apartheid ended in 1994, is under growing pressure to improve delivery of water, electricity and other basic services to millions of poor residents, most of them black.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of townships and shantytowns to voice anger over poor service delivery and the government's failure to dramatically improve their lives as promised when it took power.
In some cases crowds have attacked and even killed local ANC officials.
The country's World Cup organizers said that the tournament would be a catalyst for economic development, helping to expand South Africa's tax base, build skills among workers and showcase its attractions to investors and tourists.
They expect 9.8 billion rand in tourist revenue and a further 7.2 billion rand in tax revenue to be generated by the event and an undetermined amount in economic benefits from improved infrastructure.
South Africa is also upgrading its poor transport system and building hotels to accommodate 450,000 overseas fans who are expected to visit for the month-long tournament, which begins on June 11, 2010.
The World Cup will improve many lives in South Africa. The organizers seem to be doing a good job of keeping expectations high, morale high and confidence on a roll.
They'd, better deliver.
According to the papers today, however, the South African government have admitted they've under budgeted and now need an extra $500m from somewhere...
----
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
South Africa Won't Cut Social Programs for 2010 WC
South Africa has their priorities in order.
Unlike the US government that keeps cutting taxes and social institutions, their South African counterparts will not scale back social programs to fund construction of stadiums and other facilities for the 2010 soccer World Cup.
Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the South African World Cup organizing committee, told reporters today the government would absorb the 17.4 billion rand ($2.42 billion) needed to build and refurbish 10 stadiums as well as other World Cup costs without raiding education and health budgets or other key sectors.
"This event does not come at the expense of social programmes," Jordaan said after he and other officials provided an update on South Africa's preparations to host the first FIFA World Cup played in Africa.
"What this event has done is create jobs," he said, adding that the government expected significant economic and social gains from increased tourism and other spin-offs from the soccer championship.
The African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled since apartheid ended in 1994, is under growing pressure to improve delivery of water, electricity and other basic services to millions of poor residents, most of them black.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of townships and shantytowns to voice anger over poor service delivery and the government's failure to dramatically improve their lives as promised when it took power.
In some cases crowds have attacked and even killed local ANC officials.
The country's World Cup organizers said that the tournament would be a catalyst for economic development, helping to expand South Africa's tax base, build skills among workers and showcase its attractions to investors and tourists.
They expect 9.8 billion rand in tourist revenue and a further 7.2 billion rand in tax revenue to be generated by the event and an undetermined amount in economic benefits from improved infrastructure.
South Africa is also upgrading its poor transport system and building hotels to accommodate 450,000 overseas fans who are expected to visit for the month-long tournament, which begins on June 11, 2010.
The World Cup will improve many lives in South Africa. The organizers seem to be doing a good job of keeping expectations high, morale high and confidence on a roll.
They'd, better deliver.
fatbadger
New member
Utter tosh.
There really are too many silly people on this board who will see anything they don't like as 'it's all PC, ain't it'.
London Calling
New member
the World Cup had to go to a new continent and South Africa had the political backing as well as the technical submission.
The Clown of Pevensey Bay
Well-known member
Eastlondonseagull, I don't understand how you think South Africa would be better off by NOT having the world cup. It's not like Sepp Blatter is going to say: "Actually, sod it. Let's not bother with the world's biggest sporting event this time around... let's donate a load of cash on HIV treatment and improving shanty towns"
It's investment, which in most cases improves economies.
Also, people in South Africa LOVE football. There are no official figures, but I'm prepared to bet that a higher proportion of South Africans than English people watch their national team on the telly.
It's investment, which in most cases improves economies.
Also, people in South Africa LOVE football. There are no official figures, but I'm prepared to bet that a higher proportion of South Africans than English people watch their national team on the telly.
JJ McClure
Go Jags
They sure do. They also watch the premier league, which is on TV a lot over there and is nearly always the first thing a taxi driver will ask "What football team do you support"?
Yes the money being spent on stadia is a lot and yes it could have done a lot of good elsewhere in social programmes etc, but the overall benefit to SA ought to cover that by some distance.
If Africa was to be given the tournament then S.Africa was the only place it could go really.
Besides all those Fifa officials will be able to sample the friendly nature of those dusky maidens down in Cape Town.
Walking along the Strand down by Camps Bay with a cocktail in your hand, Staying at one of the hotels outside Durban in Umhslanga rocks watching the waves break over the sandy beach or looking at a pile of stones in the middle of some Egyption desert.
Tricky.
Football ..................... f*** off.
Besides all those Fifa officials will be able to sample the friendly nature of those dusky maidens down in Cape Town.
Walking along the Strand down by Camps Bay with a cocktail in your hand, Staying at one of the hotels outside Durban in Umhslanga rocks watching the waves break over the sandy beach or looking at a pile of stones in the middle of some Egyption desert.
Tricky.
Football ..................... f*** off.
eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #18
I see what you're saying, Pevensey, but it just doesn't feel right to me. There were interviews on the telly the other day with people from these slums and they were saying that, yes, they were proud that their country was hosting the games. But they also said it was galling to see such huge wads of money being spent on football stadia, when they didn't have any running water or a roof over their head. Please spend the money on the poor, was the message.
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chez
Johnny Byrne-The Greatest
I see what your saying Tim. I think the question has to be though, is the hosting of the World Cup actually going to return a profit for South Africa, and if so what are they planning to do with this profit?
If the answers to those questions are Yes & plough it into sorting out the poverty then I dont think we have an argument.