South Africa Cities Get Ready for the 2010 World Cup

Posted by admin on June 15th, 2009 filed in Sports

Fans of soccer from around the world are lining up to buy their tickets for the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa.   Some had been concerned over the fact that stadiums in which the games will be held are in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria, cities in a region of the country known for their high crime rate.  However, more than 600,000 people from around the world have purchased tickets and plan to travel to the country, stay in one of the many fine South Africa five star hotels, and enjoy the games.  The Government has taken measures to ensure the safety of the fans and the players, adding over 40,000 to the police force and just as many to the security teams that will be covering the stadiums.

With so many from around the world wanting tickets, it raises the question of whether South Africans will be able to attend the games.  Organizers of the games have assured that the tickets for the games will be inexpensive, with a set amount being reserved just for the people of the country.  And for those who still would not be able to afford the price of admission, more than 100,000 tickets will be given away for free.  Skeptics of the games in South Africa have also expressed concerns over whether or not the infrastructure of the country is sufficient enough to provide services, such as accommodations and transportation to the half a million spectators that will descend upon the country.

The Government has been and is continue to invest in the hotels and lodges, and in the roadways and the public transport systems.  New buses are being added, and the roads are being expanding to include bus only lanes.  And a light rail system that has been under construction will be completed in time for the games.  All of the construction projects, be it on the roads or on the stadiums themselves, have created jobs for the people of South Africa, the benefits of holding the World Cup here already being felt by the citizens of the country.  The Government is hoping that among the many beneficial aspects of the games, that one of them will be the return of big business to the country.  During Apartheid many businesses and travelers, chose to stay away from the country, but over the last few years, this has slowly been changing.  And the economy is improving and the people of South Africa are feeling optimistic once again.

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