Statement by Premier Hazel Jenkins

Going down memory lane, I stand here this morning with the same emotions of warmth, excitement and pride that I felt when we received the news that South Africa would be hosting the greatest sporting spectacle on the planet namely the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

South Africa will be the first African Country to host a World Cup Tournament. This historic opportunity represents an international endorsement and vote of confidence in Africa and South Africa’s potential to participate on the global stage.

Ladies and gentlemen we also mark yet another critical milestone today for the people of the Northern Cape. The unrelenting hard work by the Northern Cape Executive, Frances Baard District Municipality and Sol Plaatje Municipality, the Provincial Administration of the Northern Cape paid off handsomely as I can announce today with pride that the Northern Cape will be hosting the Uruguay National team for the duration of the World Cup.

The Uruguayan Football Association has confirmed the choice of Kimberley as its base camp. Further to this a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Northern Cape Provincial Government and the Deputy Minister of Sport of Uruguay, Mr Lucas Blasina outlining the team requirements and how we can make the stay of the Uruguayan soccer team as favourable as possible.

On 15 May 2004, none of us could have imagined the strides we have made in preparing our country for the world’s largest, most exciting sporting extravaganza. The eyes of billions of television viewers, approximately three million international visitors, and the cream of the world’s sporting media will focus on the Southern tip of Africa. South Africa will be at the centre of this spectacular event.

The Northern Cape Provincial Government is humbled by the Vote of Confidence from the Uruguayan Football Association in granting us the privilege to host this world class team. We are ready and able to provide services of exceptional standards and all of us will make them feel at home.

The hosting of a World Cup team brings a number of benefits to the people of the Northern Cape. The tourist potential to the Province is enormous in that we will be provided with an opportunity to profile the Northern Cape as a desired destination to the followers of the team. As a result the ailing bulk infrastructure network will receive attention.

Interactions with the office of Minister Shiceka, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, led to the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Task team to consider the funding for the comprehensive overhaul of municipal bulk infrastructure.

For the Soccer loving people of the Northern Cape that will not be in a position to experience the thrill of watching their favourite teams compete in person, the Northern Cape Government will make available six Public Viewing Areas (PVAs) throughout the Province with another nine in smaller centres. The public viewing areas will emulate the atmosphere at the stadiums and it will afford soccer lovers to converge at a central point to watch all games live. At best a public viewing event will provide an opportunity for large scale collective enjoyment of a world class event.

A public viewing event has the potential to foster social cohesion in that communities will be afforded the opportunity to participate. Numerous economic opportunities for SMMEs can bring direct benefit to the communities where PVAs are located.

The next step of engagement beyond 2010 will be to ensure the realization of the Legacy Projects: a multi-purpose sports complex, the upgrade of the Northern Cape Theatre and the establishment of a Sports Science Institute.

The Multi-Purpose Sport Complex includes facilities for all recognized sport activities accredited at national level and comprises mainly the following: soccer, rugby, cricket, swimming, hockey, athletics, netball, cycling, tennis, basketball, squash, gymnastics and the martial arts. The Complex will include a Sport Science Centre, administrative offices which will include the headquarters of Sport Federations and on-site facilities like pavilions, flood lights, ablution blocks, security offices, media facilities, etc.

In discussions with the UFA there is the opportunity to link provincial football to the skills and expertise of our Uruguayan counterparts. The presence of international coaches in South Africa and the very experienced and respected Uruguayan coach, offer opportunities for coaching sessions with a broad range of football structures.

Expansion of these relations could see future Northern Cape–Uruguay inter-club games.

The province is currently in talks to get the South African U/20 national soccer team (Amajita) to base itself in Kimberley. A successful base camp will contribute significantly to this objective.

In attracting Uruguay to the province, opportunities for transport, merchandising, food and beverage, equipment, venues, accommodation, tour guiding, etc. will contribute to poverty alleviation and job creation.

The upgrade of the GWK stadium will create numerous employment opportunities for the people in the Northern Cape.

Upgrading of these facilities will complement the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) that has a specific focus on utilizing labour-intensive technologies.

Skills development can be consolidated through the presentation of learnerships and skills programmes in project and events management, marketing and publications, communications and logistics.

Allow me to quote the words of Mr Joseph S Blatter when he said, “we have to trust the Africans’ ability to organise the competition. Trust will give them confidence. If they have confidence, they will be better in the future.”
As Africa, South Africans and people of the Northern Cape, we are really honoured to have such support from FIFA and we are indeed confident that we will deliver the great world sporting event with a unique African touch.

In this regard, we salute the workers of our country who despite their challenges, toil day and night to ensure the readiness of our stadiums, transport network and telecommunications throughout the length and breadth of our country for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

We wish thank in advance the people of this Province, business, the sporting fraternity and all other organised formations of our people who stand ready to open up their hearts and homes to welcome the Uruguayan team and their followers as they descend on our Province.

Ladies and gentlemen, as they say “Ekasi diski is the game of the people; soccer is the game of the people.” And we as the people of the Northern Cape can enthusiastically say yes Ke Nako. The time has come and the time is now. Welcome Uruguay, welcome.