City manager Pascal Moloi blowing the soccer horn - the City of Johannesburg supports the bid

RELATED LINKS: Fifa - Joburg is ready and waiting Joburg soccer supporters are fanatic about their teams, and justifiably so, since the city has some of the best teams around - with current log leaders Wits University and the PSL cup holders Pirates both based in Johannesburg. Read more Joburg ready for Fifa inspection Just days ahead of the crucial visit by Fifa officials to assess the country's bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Johannesburg's city representatives were making sure all the prospective venues were in tip-top condition. Read more SA soccer bid remains 'on track' With the clock counting down to the 15 May announcement of who will host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, South Africa remains a firm favourite. Read more

Mary Fitzgerald Square will host one of the free concerts

Party time for Joburg soccer fans May 13, 2004 By Lucky Sindane THE clock is ticking as the announcement on of who will host the 2010 Soccer World Cup draws near. With tension building around South Africa in anticipation, the City of Johannesburg has decided to help ease the stress by holding two free parties - one in Newtown and one in Mofolo - on Saturday, 15 May. A dazzling line-up of singers and dancers promise to get supporters and soccer players rocking from 10am at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown and the Mofolo Cultural Bowl in Soweto as they await the live Fifa (Federation of International Football Associations) announcement from Zurich, Switzerland, on massive television screens at both venues. Vodaworld in Midrand will also screen the Fifa presentation. The ceremony is planned to start at midday at the Zurich World Trade Centre, with Fifa president Joseph Sepp Blatter set to perform the honours and reveal the name of the host of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. South Africa is one of three countries - Morocco and Egypt are the other two - vying to host the Beautiful Game's most prestigious event. While the South African delegation, including members of the bid committee, President Thabo Mbeki, former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and soccer star Lucas Radebe, sweat it out in Zurich, Joburg residents can dance off their tension. Artists lined up to provide serious kicks in Newtown include Bongo Maffin, Jonas Ngwangwa, Jimmy Dludlu, Tshepo Tshola, Mzwakhe Mbuli, Johnny Gleg, Vicky Simpson, Rebecca Malope, Gloria Bosman, Phuz'ekhemisi, Thandiswa Mazwai and Kuhle. Mofolo Park supporters will rock to the sounds of Alaska, Mapaputsi, Pitch Black Afro, Jabu Weatherman, Chippa & Mzambiya, Wendy, Mandoza & Chiskop, DJ Monde, DJ Fresh and MC Jay Phungu. Roads around the Mary Fitzgerald Square will be closed from 10am until 4pm. A ceremony to present Mandela with the Freedom of Johannesburg on Friday, 14 May, had to be postponed because Mandela had to join the official delegation in Zurich. For more information on the Newtown event, contact T. Musicman on 011 726 2610 and for the Mofolo Park event, contact Events Resource on 011 726 8110. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za