Worldcup 2010 South Africa - World Cup 2010

Overview

© Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town

The Republic of South Africa is situated on the southern tip of the African continent and is home to more than 46 million people. There are 11 official languages of which Zulu is the most spoken mother tongue language, spoken by nearly 24 per cent of the population. Most people in major cities can speak or understand English while literacy in the region stands at over 80 per cent.

South Africa is a relatively young democracy, its first democratic election was held in 1994. This ended more than a century of black oppression, even though Apartheid only officially came into existence in 1948. As a result of its violent past, South Africa now has the most progressive constitution in the world ensuring the rights of all its citizens. It is the biggest economy in Africa and is the world’s biggest exporter of gold and platinum. South Africa has good transport infrastructure, exceptionally advanced telecommunications systems and has the tenth largest stock exchange in the world. Its monetary unit is the South African Rand (ZAR).

© Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town

It is bordered by six countries including Lesotho, which is landlocked by South Africa. South Africa has nine provinces, with Gauteng being the financial centre. There are three capitals, Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial) and Pretoria (administrative).

Its coastline spans 2500 kilometres, with the warm Indian Ocean and the cold Atlantic Ocean meeting at Cape Point. The landscape varies from the semi-dessert in Kalahari to semi-tropical in Nelspruit while Cape Town enjoys a Mediterranean climate. The Khahlamba Drakensberg National Park is one of four world heritage sites and boasts the country’s highest point – the Thabana Ntlenyana, whose mountain peak rises to 3,482 m. Meanwhile the site of the Sterkfontein caves, north of Johannesburg, is considered to be, ‘the Cradle of Humankind’ after the discovery of fossils dating back between two and three million years.

South Africa and Football

© Gavin Barker/backpagepix

Football in South Africa mirrors the country’s history and the struggle of its people. Segregated football was enforced by the apartheid government and this later became a catalyst for the non-racial sport movement. Football, or soccer as it is known in South Africa, was also the favoured sport of Nelson Mandela when he was incarcerated on Robben Island. In 1991, football was the first sport to become unified, incorporating the four historically separated football bodies. It has captured the hearts of this sporting nation and has become a passionate love for all South Africans. At football games one is likely to hear the sound of the Vuvuzela, a plastic horn which gives South African football games a unique lively atmosphere.

South Africa is currently building five new football stadiums in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. It will be the first time in history that the region will own stadiums dedicated to football. Under the previous Apartheid government, stadiums were built exclusively for rugby and cricket. This is a legacy that the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ will leave in South Africa and for its people.

South Africa is expecting to host a world class event for the first African FIFA World Cup.