January 17, 2007
By Lucky Sindane
IT'S all systems go, with the much-anticipated upgrading of Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium ahead of the Fifa 2010 World Cup getting under way
Executive mayor Amos Masondo officially handed over the stadium to constructors Grinaker LTA during a ceremony on 17 January, at Nasrec in the south of the city.
Getting ready for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup: VIPs and City officials look on as Johannesburg executive mayor Amos Masondo turns the first sod for the upgrade of the country's premiere soccer venue, FNB Stadium.
A sod-turning ceremony was held at the stadium in the presence of Masondo; the City's manager, Mavela Dlamini; the executive director of the City's 2010 unit, Sibongile Mazibuko; the chief executive officer of the 2010 local organising committee, Danny Jordaan; and the chairman of the 2010 local organising committee, Jomo Sono.
Members of the mayoral committee, a number of senior City officials and soccer legends also attended.
"The R1,5-billion set aside for the reconstruction was approved by the council in December last year," Masondo said. "This amount is subject to contract negotiations and identification of additional resources. Ten percent of this budget will reinvested in the local economy," said Masondo.
FNB Stadium, more popularly known as Soccer City, is a key venue for the 2010 World Cup, having been put forward by the bid committee as the venue for both the opening match and the final.
Built in 1987, Soccer City has a capacity of 80 000, which will be increased to 94 000 by March 2009. The two-tiered stadium will also have an encircling roof added - one of the major construction projects.
"The contractor has committed to completing the construction of the stadium by March 2009," said Masondo.
The stadium development would also create hundreds of jobs, as it would require numerous contractors and subcontractors. "Once this development is complete there will be a need to maintain and manage this facility," added the mayor.
The City has also identified a number of training venues, some of which are being upgraded, including Orlando Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium, Rand Stadium, the Cecil Payne Stadium in Roodepoort, Rabie Ridge Stadium and Ruimsig Stadium.
Orlando and Dobsonville stadiums already meet Fifa's requirements in terms of the number of spectators they can accommodate, safety standards, medical facilities, flood lighting and media needs.
Masondo said that a further R337-million had been allocated to upgrade the Orlando Stadium and its surrounding precinct and R69-million to upgrade the Dobsonville Stadium and its precinct, over a period of three years.
An additional amount of R227-million had been budgeted to bring the four other stadiums and surrounding precincts up to the required standards.
"For us in the City, this Soccer City project is also part of the bigger programme of restoring the dignity of our people. We therefore have no intention of compromising on quality," Masondo said.
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