April 26, 2006
By Lucky Sindane
JOZI has made significant progress in its preparations for the 2010 Soccer World Cup through the mayoral subcommittee that was appointed last year to oversee the World Cup projects.
"The work undertaken in the five months working period can be grouped into two broad categories, the first institutional and the second planning," said Erika Naude, the deputy director for special projects in the City's department of development planning, transportation and environment.
"The institutional arrangements sought to create a solid foundation on which the implementation of various projects would be undertaken."
Some of the highlights of the institutional work include meeting the requirements of the Bid Book. The implications of the guarantees were analysed and used as a basis for the institutional arrangements that were set in place.
A Technical Convenors Team was set up last year, made up of various focus groups. Each focus group has articulated terms of reference, action plans and budgets. At present the work involves confirming budgets and ensuring greater alignment with the action plans, which are being formulated in detail.
Intergovernmental arrangements with other spheres of government and with the 2010 Local Organising Committee have been improving progressively. The City participates in the Provincial Technical Working Group, and this has helped resolve some of the challenges experienced with overlapping mandates and responsibilities between the City and the province.
"The director-general of the National 2010 Unit has been proactively engaged and a presentation of the national plan for 2010 was given to the subcommittee," Naude explained. "It is anticipated that out of this an intergovernmental relations protocol will emerge. This will clarify further the relationship and responsibilities of the various spheres as well as the rules of engagement with Fifa and the Local Organising Committee."
Much preparatory work has been undertaken.
Stadia and venues
Planning for the two Joburg match venues, Nasrec and Ellis Park, has been completed by the Johannesburg Development Agency and implementation has begun.
Eight training venues have been identified, including Orlando Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium, Milpark Stadium, Rand Stadium, Cecil Paine Stadium, Ruimsig Stadium, Rabie Ridge Stadium and RAU Stadium.
"There are possibilities of creating opportunities for public-private partnerships with regards to training venues, but this would require further exploration and endorsement by the subcommittee and the mayoral committee," Naude said.
Upgrading work on Orlando Stadium and Rand Stadium has already begun.
"Precinct planning has already commenced on Orlando Stadium, Ruimsig Stadium and Rand Stadium," Naude added.
Transportation
A draft, high-level 2010 Transport Plan has been prepared. It used the 2010 Transport Plan prepared by the national Department of Transport as an input and put it forward for infrastructure and operational proposals for transport for Elllis Park and Nasrec.
The main components comprised the north-south section of the Strategic Public Transport Network (SPTN), the Inner City Distribution System, the N17 road link to Nasrec, the International Transit and Shopping Centre and Travel Demand Management measures.
"All of these sub-projects have either reached an advanced stage of planning or implementation has begun," Naude said. "The executive mayor opened the first five kilometres of the SPTN from Moroka Police Station to Orlando last year."
The Department of Transport has set aside an estimated R107-million towards the 2010 Public Transport Funding Plan.
Other areas where work has been undertaken include the establishing and prioritisation of park-and-ride facilities, enhancing the use of metered taxis in collaboration with relevant bodies in the industry, the development of the policy for the establishment and use of helipads and the issuing of special 2010 operating licences.
Safety and security
Safety and security is one of the key elements that need to be dealt with if the event is to be successful. The City's Safety Strategy is being reconsidered to make provision for 2010 requirements.
The subcommittee has considered the City's closed circuit television camera roll-out plan. Training has already begun on some aspects of the plan, drawing lessons from incidents such as the Ellis Park tragedy. This training is carried out practically at current soccer matches.
"The interconnectedness of the various aspects of the work being undertaken, such as the relationship between transportation and safety, is being constantly monitored to make sure no aspects fall through the proverbial cracks," Naude said.
Environment
A Waste Management Plan has been completed and awareness campaigns are scheduled to begin this year, targeting match venues.
"Engagements with the Gauteng department of agriculture conservation and environment on fast environment impact assessment approvals for 2010 projects are at an advanced stage," she added.
Finance
The capital expenditure and operational expenditure requirements for 2010 have been quantified and captured in the Capital Investment Management System. Work is under way to determine the pressure of these requirements on the City's budgets and to come up with innovative ideas on how such pressure can be alleviated.
"There is some work that is currently being done to explore various procurement and budgeting processes in light of tight delivery time frames," Naude concluded.
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