Friday, July 16, 2010
“CUP GETS 9/10 FORM TOURISTS”
Cape Times
Babalo Ndenze
Babalo Ndenze
2 July 2010
An overwhelming majority of World Cup visitors from 13 countries have given the city and the province almost full marks, with more than half indicating their desire to return with their families after the tournament, a snap shot exit poll by the provincial government has found.
The poll of 50 visitors from 13countries,all here for the World cup, was conducted on 30 June in the international departure lounge of the Cape Town International Air Port. They were from the United States, England, Dubai, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Mexico, Scotland, China, Montenegro, Cayman Islands, Singapore, Switzerland and Germany.
Among the visitors surveyed, 38% perceived the destination as safe, 36 % felt really safe and 16% felt very safe. The remainder (10%) felt either unsafe or very unsafe.
The top attractions in the Western Cape are Table Mountain (84% visited) and Cape Point (68% visited).
Those surveyed had listed these icons as their top three non football experiences, “but in a substantial twist, the third most popular positive experience of World Cup tourists, were the people of the Western Cape, whom they said were friendly, fantastic, helpful, polite and hospitable”.
For the fill story, click here.
The poll of 50 visitors from 13countries,all here for the World cup, was conducted on 30 June in the international departure lounge of the Cape Town International Air Port. They were from the United States, England, Dubai, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Mexico, Scotland, China, Montenegro, Cayman Islands, Singapore, Switzerland and Germany.
Among the visitors surveyed, 38% perceived the destination as safe, 36 % felt really safe and 16% felt very safe. The remainder (10%) felt either unsafe or very unsafe.
The top attractions in the Western Cape are Table Mountain (84% visited) and Cape Point (68% visited).
Those surveyed had listed these icons as their top three non football experiences, “but in a substantial twist, the third most popular positive experience of World Cup tourists, were the people of the Western Cape, whom they said were friendly, fantastic, helpful, polite and hospitable”.
For the fill story, click here.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Top marks for South Africa
South Africa scored nine out of 10 for its organisation of the 2010 World Cup. "Nobody in the world is perfect, but the organisation of this first World Cup in Africa and in South Africa was pretty close," FIFA president Sepp Blatter told a 2010 World Cup wrap-up press conference in Johannesburg on Monday.
"I was more than satisfied and happy with the smooth running of the tournament. It was a huge success for both South Africa and the continent of Africa. "It is down to the people of South Africa for the way they opened their arms to this event."
For the full article on iafrica.com, click here.
"I was more than satisfied and happy with the smooth running of the tournament. It was a huge success for both South Africa and the continent of Africa. "It is down to the people of South Africa for the way they opened their arms to this event."
For the full article on iafrica.com, click here.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Robben Islands football heritage
It is a little-known story outside of South Africa that has come into focus with the country hosting the continent's first World Cup.
Robben Island, best known for being home to political prisoners jailed by the old apartheid government, most famously former leader Nelson Mandela and current president Jacob Zuma. But what few realise is the role football played in shaping resistance at the prison. Many of the inmates were passionate about the game and used it to help find relief from their grim existence.
Zuma was a referee, but Mandela, later to become South Africa's first black leader, was kept in isolation with other high-risk prisoners and was not allowed to play. Warders wouldn't allow inmates a football at first so they tied rags together and played "matches" in their cells, but these were quickly broken up.
Several prisoners started writing letters of complaint, knowing it was within their rights to be allowed to exercise, but it took three long years before authorities finally caved in and let them have a ball.
They soon created a league, the Makana Football Association in 1967, named after a prophet banished to the island in 1819. They put in place the same structures that would apply to any league, based on FIFA frameworks, publishing tables, fixture lists and detailed minutes of meetings. There were even authorised transfers, often written on tiny scraps of paper.
Robben Island, best known for being home to political prisoners jailed by the old apartheid government, most famously former leader Nelson Mandela and current president Jacob Zuma. But what few realise is the role football played in shaping resistance at the prison. Many of the inmates were passionate about the game and used it to help find relief from their grim existence.
Zuma was a referee, but Mandela, later to become South Africa's first black leader, was kept in isolation with other high-risk prisoners and was not allowed to play. Warders wouldn't allow inmates a football at first so they tied rags together and played "matches" in their cells, but these were quickly broken up.
Several prisoners started writing letters of complaint, knowing it was within their rights to be allowed to exercise, but it took three long years before authorities finally caved in and let them have a ball.
They soon created a league, the Makana Football Association in 1967, named after a prophet banished to the island in 1819. They put in place the same structures that would apply to any league, based on FIFA frameworks, publishing tables, fixture lists and detailed minutes of meetings. There were even authorised transfers, often written on tiny scraps of paper.
For the full article on iafrica.com, click here.
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