Soccer 2010 countdown rolls
STORY: Ronelle Ramsamy
While there will be no base camp for Richards Bay, security protocols in Zululand must be stepped up to ensure readiness for the world soccer spectacle. This as African soccer outfit Nigeria has indicated an interest in possibly training in Richards Bay for a two-week period. An assessment of security concerns and disaster management planning came under the spotlight during the uThungulu District Municipality 2010 Strategic Readiness Forum in Richards Bay on Friday. With less than 90 days to go, Andrew Dhebideen of NDA Consulting Engineers said a disaster simulation for the Veldenvlei Sports Complex last month showed insufficient institutional capacity for various implementing authorities. ‘The time has come to assess honestly what needs to be done. ‘All planning should be over,’ said Dhebideen. ‘We should be in the resourcing and implementation phase. ‘In this area, we all hoped to have the stadium ready a long time ago. ‘Now we need to be realistic and work according to that. ‘The simulation/dry runs are held to test the functionality and identify problem areas. ‘There will also be a disaster simulation for the local Public Viewing Area (PVA) this month.’ With arrival of international media and guests imminent, Dhebideen said beautification and cleanup of the City Centre was imperative. ‘All infrastructure projects should be nearing completion as early as possible. ‘No new contracts are to start. ‘There should be an acceleration of marketing and information campaigns. ‘Most of the international media equipment is already sea bound for South Africa. ‘There will be a lot of movement from Swaziland, Mozambique and Mauritius into South Africa,’ said Dhebideen. However, latest figures revealed that ticket sales for the soccer showpiece were much less than what Fifa had initially expected. ‘In Cape Town, all eight matches are fully sold out. ‘In Johannesburg, there are only tickets for one match. ‘In Durban, ticket sales have been low and there are still lots of tickets available. ‘There will be a number of service providers to service the area stretching from Margate to Richards Bay. ‘Transport providers must obtain operating licences through SATS SA to run shuttle services,’ said Dhebideen. With the one PVA earmarked for eSikhawini described as ‘insufficient’, authorities said the awarding of PVAs had to be strictly regulated and approved beforehand by local municipalities and province while being serviced by sufficient emergency and security services.
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