» South African soccer

Mark Gevisser on representing South Africanness

liz — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 07:08:54 +0000

Mark Gevisser wrote about South African identity in both the build up to the World Cup Cup http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article439527.ece/I-want-to-imagine-the-SA-of-my-dreams as well as after the final whistle had been blown: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/10/south-africa-unites-over-football . See his latest take on what it means to be a South African in late 2010: http://www.arttimes.co.za/news_read.php?news_id=2683

Soccer works its magic again

liz — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 08:02:50 +0000

Two Australian guests staying here at Liz at Lancaster were determined to see Soccer City and to experience a local game. The Chiefs/Pirates match on Saturday night gave them the perfect opportunity. They booked their tickets and set off to Soweto, Richard supporting the Chiefs and Pippa wearing a Pirates bandanna. I was green with envy and could have kicked myself for not being as ‘on the ball’ as they were. The next day at breakfast they regaled us with their experiences. They revelled in the music, the line of 5 large sexy women doing a ‘Conga’ shimmy in the aisle, the spectator gear and makarapas [see http://lizatlancaster.co.za/blog/58 ] , and the sheer electric enthusiasm and positive energy which permeated the whole stadium. Their ‘divided’ loyalties caused much interest, banter and humourous interaction – such a contrast to the unpleasant undercurrent of potential violence and agressive clashes between rival supporters so often associated with big soccer games internationally. A Chiefs supporter sitting next to Richard was deeply despondent at one stage and got so agitated when his team was losing [the game ended in a draw], that the large motherly woman behind him gave him a reassuring neck and shoulder massage to try and relieve his tension! This was one of the many heart-warming vignettes that Richard and Pippa will take home when they return to Australia. They had a complete blast and would recommend the fun-filled experience to all visitors. So before your visit to Joburg, check out if there any upcoming games scheduled and make sure you get tickets.

SA’s expensive stadia – white elephants or symbols which have changed the World’s perceptions

liz — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:22:28 +0000

SA’s SWC stadia stun the world From Sport24 12th July 2010

South Africa’s Soccer World Cup stadiums have stunned the globe’s largest sporting audience with audacious style although critics say a developing country can ill afford such extravagance and some will be white elephants. When South Africa won the right to stage the tournament six years ago, the stadium budget was R3bn. After including two more arenas and some dazzling structural additions, that figure is now widely put at about R18bn. Of the 10 stadiums, five are brand new and one, the flagship Soccer City in Johannesburg, was completely revamped.

Soccer City Crowd at Ghana Uruguay game

Soccer City and the five new stadiums are all architecturally impressive and stand comparison with any venue in the world. There is no doubt the architects achieved their aim of impressing a global audience. “People are sitting in Denmark and France and the UK saying, ‘That stadium looks a hell of a lot better than anything we’ve got here, and it looks like it works’,” said John Mackie, head of African investments at Stanlib asset management company. FIFA president Sepp Blatter lavished praise on the stadiums, last week, saying they were better than those in Europe. “These stadiums are jewels from the architectural point of view. They are really, really good stadiums,” he said.

Huge crime problems
South Africa is the continent’s biggest economy but the question is whether it could afford so much when it has an army of poor and huge crime problems fuelled by some of the world’s greatest wealth disparities, not to mention an HIV pandemic.”You see how much we have spent on building stadiums but, after the World Cup, what are we going to benefit? There are still so many problems, no jobs, people living in shacks,” said Siyabonga Zulu, 35, an unemployed man in Soweto township. “When you build enormous stadia you are shifting those resources… from building schools and hospitals and then you have these huge structures standing empty,” the late anti-apartheid campaigner Dennis Brutus said last year.
[Shifting perceptions] But there is another side to the argument, which sees the stadiums as much more than mere sporting venues. Their supporters view the arenas as a way to reverse images of pestilence and war that still blight the continent and to affirm the potential of a young, democratic nation so often beset by self doubt. The new stadiums certainly go beyond what is strictly necessary to host a match. From the cavernous Soccer City, shaped like a giant African calabash or bowl, to the soaring arch and sky train over Durban’s ocean-side venue, to Cape Town’s majestic arena backed by Table Mountain and Port Elizabeth’s petal-shrouded bowl, they are magnificent.
White elephants
There is a more difficult question for organisers and that is what will happen to the stadiums after the fans have all gone home and whether they were built in the right place. There was controversy in Cape Town, for example, at the decision to build the graceful bath-shaped stadium in the affluent tourist district of the city, apparently because of FIFA’s insistence on a spectacular location. The previous plan was to upgrade the existing Athlone stadium in the poor Cape Flats area, thus attracting more infrastructure spending there. Most controversial are the small but still imaginatively designed arenas in the northern cities of Nelspruit and Polokwane, with no rugby or soccer team within hundreds of km. Local officials say there are management plans for all the stadiums and those two will host concerts, religious meetings and the like as well as sport.
But while most experts believe Durban, Cape Town and Soccer City have a good chance of a profitable future in popular tourist cities with large populations, Nelspruit, Polokwane and possibly Port Elizabeth will struggle to make money. Soccer City will host a Tri-Nations rugby match next month between South Africa and New Zealand and future local games — with the additional social benefit of drawing white rugby fans into Soweto township and boosting racial reconciliation. Durban, whose arch-spanned stadium may be the most breathtaking, is part of a large sporting precinct in a general city beautification project unashamedly tilting at the 2020 or 2024 Olympics. Supporters of the grandiose stadiums say they are an essential part of one of the World Cup’s biggest benefits, the rebranding of South Africa for longer-term investment that will eventually repay the costs.

“With all the negative things that are taking place in Africa, this is a superb moment for us. If we are going to have white elephants, so be it,” said Nobel peace prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Steuart Pennington from SA Good News on the FIFA World Cup

liz — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:38:27 +0000

The Fifa World Cup: Three things happening simultaneously By Steuart Pennington of SA Good News
I was gutted by Ghana’s loss on Friday night. Last time I felt like that was when SA lost the Cricket World Cup to Australia in the last over in 1994. Everyone in my chosen venue seemed to freeze as the second Ghanaian penalty was missed. The patrons left half-empty drinks as they left in despair. It was a cruel moment. As I drove home I had this indelible impression of an inconsolable Asamoah Gyan weeping profusely as his team mates tried to comfort him. It was sport at its most cruel, its most pitiless, as just 10 metres away the Uruguayans celebrated euphorically. It all seemed so unfair. But it got me thinking……
“It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game” my Dad always taught me.
Truth be told I did not grow up playing soccer. In the Cape where I started school, rugby was played from Grade 1. We learnt that in the Johannesburg junior schools the boys played soccer, which we thought was a bit pathetic (maybe explains the Lions performance …jokes!). So soccer has never been in my blood and I have never really been a soccer fan. With the advent of the FIFA 2010 World Cup being staged in this country, I was initially anxious about whether as the host nation we would succeed in the eyes of the world for our ability to do a proper job. That was really my only concern. So when Bafana Bafana were knocked out in the Group Stages, I consoled myself with:
Positive feedback from our international visitors
Reports that before the quarter finals had started we had already packed 2.69 million spectators in to our world class stadiums (which really means that every match had been played to capacity houses) and that our World Cup was likely to be ranked in the top three globally from an attendance perspective Jerome Valcke’s comment as the FIFA representative in SA for the past two years, in his heavy French accent “seis World Cup, ow can I say, ees perfect!” Increasing evidence that the number of spectator arrivals was going to exceed the 450 000 initially anticipated (revised down to 300 000 and then back up to 450 000 as close to 1 000 000 visitors come to SA in June according to Home Affairs – 500 000 more that June last year!) “It doesn’t really matter that we were the first host nation to be knocked out in the Group Stages, we acquitted ourselves well against France and Mexico and just lost our way against Uruguay” I rationalized “After all it’s not whether you win or lose…”
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” I once saw on a sales rep’s wall. As the drama of this quite unbelievable contest began to unfold I found myself becoming totally absorbed with every game. This Football World Cup is different to a cricket or rugby world cup, it is so much more international, there are many more teams, there are not one or two clear favourites, the scoring opportunities only happen two or three times per match, and the many individual moments of drama are heart-stopping and will be remembered long after the last team has left our shores. Who will forget the ignominy of the Italian and French exit in the Group Stages when just four years ago they were in the final together? Who will forget the travesty of the disallowed English goal (imagine if the German goalie has signaled to the ref. that it was a goal, would he be immortalised or what!)? Who will forget the missed Japanese penalty? Who will forget some of the mad refereeing decisions, like red-carding our goalie when the Uruguayans were off-sides? And who will ever forget the Ghanaian penalty bouncing off the crossbar with two seconds remaining? There are so many of them! And we haven’t (at the time of writing) even reached the semi-finals yet! This is not like Wimbledon when you only start taking an interest when the semi-final stage arrives! So when the Black Stars took the field I really wanted them to win, nothing else, just win, win for Africa, win for our Continent, win for the first semi-final spot for an African team. Beat those Uruguayans whatever it takes! When we scored the first goal I blew on my vuvuzela with all I had. When the Uruguayan master Diego Forlan scored a magnificent goal from a penalty I nodded in quiet respect. But when we secured the penalty in the dying moments I was on my feet with jubilation…when we missed it and lost the penalty shoot out I sat with 200 other compatriots shocked into stunned silence. I can’t remember feeling so down as a result of a single sporting moment! I have become a soccer junkie! Winning is all that matters!
“When you lose you must say nothing and when you win you must say even less”
I was told this by Vincent van der Bijl’s father, Pieter (remember Vince, a great SA opening bowler in the 70s?). Pieter captained the Springbok cricket side in the 30s, and he was my junior school headmaster. Those words have lived with me in all the sport I have played, and in much of the sport I watched as a youngster in the 60s When teams won there may have been a celebratory hand or two in the air, but the overwhelming etiquette was to congratulate the opposing and losing team and clap them off the field. The post match commentaries were always characterized by modesty and camaraderie between people who appreciated their gift of talent and the privilege of being able to represent their country. But that was in the amateur era when sport was seasonal. With the professional era now a reality in every sport, and the growing all-year occurrence of every major sport, much has changed. And many will be critical of that. “How can you, on the same weekend, have a choice of World Cup Soccer, the ‘Boks vs the Italians (Rugby), the Proteas vs the West Indians (Cricket), Wimbeldon (Tennis) and the US Open (Golf)?… “It’s overload”… “It’s all in the pursuit of money,” they lament.
But is it?
“Hosting is a responsibility and a privilege, playing is beautiful and cruel, and winning is a special moment” is what comes to mind as I digest the extraordinary events that have unfolded over the last three weeks. I have no doubt that South Africa and Africa’s place in the world will have changed for the better after the final whistle is blown. The 450 000-plus World Cup visitors here would have had the time of their lives and the estimated 32 billion global cumulative TV viewers would have formed perceptions of our Continent unthinkable four weeks ago.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa will indeed be remembered as one of the ‘best World Cups ever’.
It will be a hard act to follow…and our chances of hosting the Olympics immeasurably improved. We have more than met our responsibilities as the hosting nation and it has been a privilege to do so, that is our legacy. But the real memories of this event will the unforgettable moments of “agony” and the delirious “joy”, their cruelty and beauty. The pictures will not be of Table Mountain and the Cape Town stadium, but of Asamoah Gyan being comforted by his team mates, of crying Japanese supporters, of stunned English spectators, of goals that were “in” being “out”. The winners will go down in history, of that there is no doubt, and they will savour their moment forever, but their achievement will quickly be replaced by the focus of 32 teams on the next World Cup.
Such is the nature of this magnificent event and these three things happening simultaneously: hosting, agonizing and celebrating…
Finally, I echo the words of Shari Cohen, an American NGO worker who was in South Africa for the World Cup and said, “As the 2010 Cup slogan goes, “Feel it. It is here.” Well, I have felt it, because I am here. Thank you South Africa, for giving me this unexpected gift. I am humbled.”

Worth a read: the good and the bad of the World Cup so far, from a fan ‘who was there’

liz — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 06:31:49 +0000

See this link

http://www.meniscuszine.com/sports/world-cup-20100704/

To be truly tourist friendly Joburg needs to solve its public transport problems

liz — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:17:05 +0000

Mail and Guardian (June 18-24; Vol 26 no 23 p 12)) ran an article by Duduzile Mathebula entitled ‘We love you South Africa – World Cup tourists give the country the thumbs up but public transport is a major gripe’. It seems that most of the foreign visitors are ‘overwhelmingly positive’ about their initial experiences in this country. Firm favourites amongst fans to Jozi are the vibe and people of Soweto, the Rosebank market, the variety of shopping generally, the Apartheid Museum, and game viewing in the Pilanesberg. Fans are generally happy with the wide range of activities and sites on offer. However all is not rosy – while some have been lucky with their transport arrangements, others have complained about the lack of clarity around the details of transport options as well as things not running smooth with major delays. I was quoted as follows:

‘Liz Delmont, the proprietor of top-rated guest house Liz at Lancaster, says her foreign guests are often surprised that ‘Joburg is a modern functioning city’, especially after the horror stories in the media back home,. But she feels the city will not be truly tourist friendly until it solves its public transport problems’.

I remain frustrated that with our extensive rail, road and transport infrastructure, our varied pool of existing transport providers, and our high rate of unemployment, we as Joburgers were still not able to ‘get our act together’ in time for the influx of World Cup visitors and have not been able to give reliable information about transport arrangements, nor deliver consistent and efficient transport around the city and to and from games.

The highs and lows of day 1 of the World Cup, especially traffic issues

liz — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:46:15 +0000

The event that we have all been waiting for since the announcement in 2005 is finally here … and despite some serious traffic and transport hitches, it all went well on the FIRST big day. Lots of hoarse voices amongst Safricans today as well as much babbelaas (See blog post dated 31st May on SA slang) !

Traffic issues For those who made their way to the stadium early (like my son who was so excited he barely slept for the 2 nights beforehand), everything went very smoothly – door-to-door journeys of about an hour. PARK AND RIDE Some guests left cars at the Wits Park and Ride and took a bus from there to the stadium. Remember that for this option you need to buy tickets beforehand Computicket www.ticketbreak.co.zo/parkride. Also you need to choose in advance which Park and Ride you will be using – for guests at Liz at Lancaster it would be either Wits Campus or Constitutional Hill. METRORAIL Other guests parked their cars at Park Station and took the Metrorail (free for those with match tickets). Feedback is that the train was efficient, clean, spacious, there was a great atmosphere and camaraderie, with the presence of Metro police in each carriage and drop–off close to the stadium. Definitely a way to go to both Ellis Park and Soccer City. In both cases the return trip was longer about 2 hours which is understandable given that the 94,000 seater stadium is emptying all at once. All said that crowd control and directing of fans both outside and inside the stadium was excellent.
I would not recommend using DROP AND RIDE which operate from 2 points: the Westgate traffic hub in Central Johannesburg and Sandton. Firstly both of these hubs are near fan parks (Innis Free at Sandton and Mary Fitzgerald Square near Westgate) so there is extra traffic build up with all the traffic coming in to the fan parks. Yesterday this caused major gridlocking particularly in Sandton. In addition from Sandton you are transported to the Westgate hub ie it is much more efficient to go directly to Westgate and cut out one leg of the journey.

Feel good moments
* The ‘Arch’ [Archbishop Desmond Tutu boogeying away in the VIP stands with his wide grin and sheer infectious delight
* Bafana bafana breaking into song in the tunnel as the prepared to enter the field
* The playful camaraderie between Bafana Bafana fans and Mexican fans in buses and railway carriages on the way to and from the stadium
For some great photos of the opening ceremony see http://www.sport24.co.za/Galleries/Image/Soccer/2010%20World%20Cup/Opening%20ceremony

Tragic events We send Madiba and his family our deepest sympathies on the death of Zenani

Ke Nako: the time is now Laduuuuuuma!

liz — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:30:50 +0000

The time is now … excitement is palpable here at Liz at Lancaster … Can you feel it. First sound this morning I heard was vuvuzelas. Get your ear plugs out …. !!

Dogs have their SA Bandannas, my son came to get some bincoluars on the way to the game. He is determined to get to Soweto early and soak in the vibe. And our Mexican guests are scared … verrrrrry scared !!!

Fan Fests, Public Viewing Areas and Township TVs … if you haven’t got tickets to the games

liz — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:09:22 +0000

Two FIFA Fan Fests™ will be held in Johannesburg. There is free entrance; all matches are broadcast live . There are high quality giant screens. The FIFA Fan Fest™ is an all day event .Prior to and after matches, the stage/screen is used for entertainment programmes. Food, beverage and Official Licensed Products are all available on-site and gates open at 10am on match days only
Soweto FIFA Fan Fest™
Located in Rockville, the venue is the series of fields which make up Elkah Stadium and the Soweto Cricket Club. The Soweto FIFA Fan Fest™ will have a large beer tent, an Official Store, and various Food & Beverage options. Entertainment highlights include local and national music and dance acts. Located in Gumede Street, Moroka , 8km from Soccer City Elkah Stadium has a capacity of 40,000. The fan park will open from 11th June and the hours are from 10:00 to late

Sandton FIFA Fan Fest™
Innes Park is located at Harris Road Sandton and has a capacity 20,000
PUBLIC VIEWING AREA Mary Fitzgerald Square Newtown – Corner Jeppe and Henry Nxumalo Streets, Johannesburg. Capacity: 22 000. There will be entertainment such as live performances by South African artists, DJs, multi-cultural dances, poetry, food festival and comedians during match days. Spectators are encouraged to use public transport as there will be no parking provided for the general public. Expect road closures around the area. Please note: the City will not provide shuttle services to this area.
TOWNSHIP TV
The City of Joburg in partnership with City Parks and MTN has set up nine township TV sites. The 4×3m big screens have been installed in strategic locations in Johannesburg townships in a safe, secure environment with 24 hour security.
Diepsloot Park: Capacity – 4 000 Sarafina Park Ext 2, Midrand
Kremtart Park: Capacity – 6 000 Eldorado Park X3. Stand RE 3032, Kremetart Street. Diepkloof Park: Capacity – 1 000 Immink Street, Diepkloof, Soweto Ivory Park: Capacity – 6,000 Haile Selassie Street, Ivory Park
Rose Park: Capacity – 6 000 Zone 3 Rose Avenue, Lenasia
Joubert Park: Capacity – 4 000 Corner Klein and King George streets, Johannesburg
Thokoza Park: Capacity – 6 000 Region D, Zone 3, 1682 Ntuli Street, Moroka, Soweto (Off Old Potch Road), Soweto.
Orlando Dube Park: Capacity – 5 000 Cnr Kliprivier and Armitage Road Orlando West, Soweto.
Orange Farm Regional Park: Capacity – 6 000 The park is just off Regional Street in Orange Farm Extension 1 Regional Street, Orange Farm Ext.2, Orange Farm.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Entrance to the public viewing sites is free of charge.
Spectators are allowed to eat and drink inside the venues.
No alcohol allowed, people will be searched at the entrance
No selling inside any venues to keep in line with FIFA’s free public viewing license.
TOWNSHIP TV MATCH SCREENING TIMES
First Round Matches: 11 June 2010 – 25 June 2010 from 2h00pm – 11h00 pm
Second Round and Quarter Finals Matches: 26 June 2010 – 03 July 2010 from 2h00pm – 11h30 pm
Semi Finals and Final Matches: 06 July 2010 – 11 July 2010 from 5h00 pm – 11h30pm
Read more: http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/5150/168/#ixzz0ppCxgRsp

For MTN Fan Zone, Montecasino and the International Football Village at the Birchwood Hotel see blog post http://lizatlancaster.co.za/blog/the-next-best-thing-if-you-havent-got-tickets-to-a-match

Also there is a FIFA-endorsed fan park at Stithians College. ‘Indawo’ will showcase not only the games live, but also a whole host of local musicians such as Jozi and Lira. Tickets to view the games at St Stithians range from R495 – R2995 depending on the level of hospitality that you select. The basic ’supporters’ package for R495, includes access to the Entertainment village; view two matches and a concert per day; wine and malt plus food stalls and parking.

Getting to the Game

liz — Sun, 30 May 2010 08:06:11 +0000

I have summarized information from the Joburg.org.za website and from ticketbreak.co.za website. Tickets to the Park and Rides/Walks can be booked at ticketbreak.co.za

IF you do not have your own car you will need to use DROP AND RIDE
A Drop & Ride will be provided at Westgate where fans can be dropped off by family/friends/organized taxi. The Westgate Transport Hub is near the Mary Fitzgerald Square Cnr Anderson Street and Miriam Makeba St/Pat Mbatha Bus & Taxiway, south of Newtown, CBD (closest highway: M2, off ramp Selby). It has a Rea Vaya serving Ellis Park and Soccer City Stadiums. Rea Vaya is the city’s brand new bus rapid transport [BRT] system which runs west east from Soweto, through Central Johannesburg to Ellis Park. Price R12 return Tickets can be bought from all Rea Vaya Stations. Metrorail which is the City’s commuter train service will also link to Westgate but it is unlikely that international fans will be making heavy use of Metrorail.]

If you have a car: Either PARK AND RIDE or PARK AND WALK
The City of Johannesburg has provided secure and affordable Park & Rides and Park & Walks. In order to access Park & Rides and Park & Walks you have to buy a transport ticket to book a parking space for your vehicle. This will ease congestion and allow you to rest assured that you will be able to get to your game safely and on time.
Park and Rides allow you to park your car close to the stadiums and be transported safely via shuttle and back. Prepaid ticket PRICE from R50 per car
Park and Walks allow you to park your car close to the stadiums and walk safely along a designated route to the stadium and back. Prepaid ticket PRICE from R50 per car
PLEASE NOTE: There will be no access to Park & Rides and Park & Walks sites on game days without a ticket. You will need to purchase 1 Transport ticket per vehicle not per person. There will be no Drop and Ride (drop-off areas) at the Park & Ride or Park & Walks. The ticket price at Park and Ride Sites, includes your parking vehicle fee and the tansport fare to the stadium. All Park and Ride and Park and Walks will operate from 4 hours before kick-off to 4.
Where are the Park and Rides/Park and Walks?
Ellis Park Park & Ride :
• Bez Valley: Marcia Street, Observatory (east of CBD)
• Wits Campus: Enoch Sontonga Avenue, Braamfontein (northwest CBD)
• Con Hill (Constitution Hill): 92 Joubert Street, Braampark (northeast of CBD)
Ellis Park & Walk Athlone Boys: 70 Bezuidenhout Ave, Cnr 3rd & 4th Str, Bezuidenhout Valley (1.8km to the stadium)
Soccer City Park & Ride * Wits: Cnr Enoch Sontonga Avenue & Empire Road, Braamfontein (northwest CBD)
* Gold Reef: Data Crescent, Gold Reef (south of CBD)
Soccer City Park and Walk
*Aeroton: Adcock Ingram Ave, Aeroton (approx 2km to the stadium)
*Shareworld: Nasrec Rd, Nasrec (900m to the stadium)
*Rand Show Road: Cnr Randshow & Aerodome Rd, Aeroton (approx 2km to the stadium)

Sandton Transport Hub At different places in the Sandton area there will be pick up and drop off points for Metrobus, Gautrain and Buses from Lanseria Airport. Sandton Metrobus Service is a bus service from the Sandton Transport Hub to Westgate Transport Hub on match days. PRICE R20 one way to Westgate, R40 return to Westgate and R50 return ( including your Rea Vaya connection to the stadium)
What airport services are available?
From OR Tambo International Airport [ORT]: Gautrain rapid rail system operates to Sandton, via Rhodesfield and Marlboro Stations, with feeder buses from Sandton Station servicing Rivonia, Rosebank and the CBD. From Sandton to get to your game you can catch the Metrobus Service to Westgate, thereafter use Rea Vaya BRT or Metrorail to get you to the stadium. On match days there will be buses to the Westgate Transport Hub directly.
From Lanseria Airport: Catch a shuttle to the Sandton Transport Hub and on game days use the Metrobus Service to Westgate; thereafter use Rea Vaya BRT or Metrorail to get you to the stadium
Where do I buy my transport tickets from?
www.ticketbreak.co.za will be selling tickets online from the 14 May.