Driving around Cape Town, one is constantly reminded of the 2010 World Cup that takes place right here on home soil in a years' time. If it's not the giant billboards promoting the event, then it's the giant construction vehicles that make navigating the city roads a nightmare.But something in the back of mind constantly nags. All the re-construction, development and upgrading is only taking place in or around the stadium precinct. In addition, all roads leading to the stadium are being "made pretty" or beautified. I honestly don't know what is happening in the rest of the country, but to me it all looks like "window dressing".
Whatever your political affiliation, you have to agree that the "benefits" from hosting the World Cup, for the community as a whole, are falling short. Unlike the Olympic Games, for example, where the Olympic Village has athlete apartments that could be turned into housing after the event, the only accommodation that will be left as a reminder of the Fifa World Cup is a host of over-priced, 5 star hotels that will struggle to achieve a 50% occupancy after the final whistle has blown.
Even the N2 Gateway Project just looks too contrived. Only the stretch from the airport to the city is being developed and any football tourist that turns left instead of right from the airport will be confronted by row upon row of shacks and huts in Khayelitsha. All development is taking place where foreign tourists will in all likelihood be travelling.
In terms of direct financial benefit, I doubt that what is left after Fifa has taken their cut will even cover the cost of the stadia. Obviously an increased number of feet in and around the city and stadium precinct will benefit businesses that operate in those areas. Yes, the event is creating a few thousand jobs right now, but what happens to those who have improved their standard of living as a result and will not be able to sustain the lifestyle when their services are no longer required.
South Africa (and Cape Town in particular) is already a sought-after tourism destination, so would the money not have been better spent improving the housing, infrastructure and facilities in Cape Town as a whole. Will the World Cup give more exposure to Cape Town as a tourism destination than it already receives? I don't think so.
Even the location of the stadium in Cape Town still puzzles me. Traditionally it is not a "football-loving" area in the city. I never bothered to follow the concerns of rate-payers whose actions delayed the construction of the stadium, but I can only surmise that their main concern was that property prices would drop as a result.
Personally I think they chose an affluent area in Cape Town for the stadium to create the illusion that South Africa is a glowing example of African progress. It is going to look so much better to have multi-million rand homes serve as a backdrop on international television than the squatter villages to the east of the city would.
In any event, I could go on and on. I must be one of the few South Africans that does not really care whether the World Cup is held here or not. Firstly, I don't care all that much for football, and secondly the event is not going to improve my bank-balance or standard of living.
If the World Cup is a success: Bravo! If not: I told you so!