10 November 2005
Hosting a soccer World Cup match successfully in Port Elizabeth would need a huge public-private partnership, the municipality said at an information session this week.
The session was held to inform businesses of opportunities that could arise if the city was chosen to host a World Cup match in 2010.
A final decision on the 13 host cities is expected to be made by Fifa on November 23 this year.
“Private-public partnerships are very important. The municipality can’t stage the event on its own. That is why we are having this briefing, so that all sectors can be brought on board and actively contribute to the process,” municipal spokesman Roland Williams said.
Construction on the proposed R476-million stadium at North End Lake would start as soon as March next year – should Port Elizabeth be included among the 13 venues to host matches.
Williams said R22-million had been budgeted by the municipality for World Cup presentations in the next year, although the funds still had to be approved by the national Treasury in December.
Business and funding opportunities that could be created would include construction, tourism, transport and accommodation.
The municipality had no plan yet to raise funds from the private sector, but Williams said contributions would be “more than welcome”.
However, businesses felt they needed to be strategically involved in the running of the event.
Weza Moss of Volkswagen said the municipality should give the private sector an incentive to engage it on a strategic level in the running of the event.
Concern was also raised over the low level of accommodation available in the region and transport to the city.
Williams said the municipality aimed to host the event on a regional level and would involve the whole province and neighbouring municipalities. He said some spectators could stay in cities that are one hour away by air (East London, for example).
The municipality’s 2010 co- ordinator, Nkosomzi Ndongeni, said 13 small contracts for work around the stadium would be packaged for emerging contractors. These included parking and paving work.
This is to ensure the economic benefits of the world cup are spread to all businesses in the region.
Ndongeni said sector committees would be formed, after Fifa’s final decision, to set up business plans to ensure the city effectively hosts the event.
The municipality applied to Fifa to host at least one match and act as a training camp for teams participating in the event.
Up to 70 000 spectators are expected for a semi-final match, with matches viewed by about 40 billion people worldwide.
