Beckenbauer worried by South Africa’s “African Problems”

Thanasi , put all your doctorates degrees and politic aside. Thansi it is easy for you to sit in Greece and comment on what is written in your books or what you hear in the press. I work in the construction Industry and deal directly with the developers, government construction companies, Investors in fact the entire supply chain . South Africa has good strong plans and partnerships that are being executed . Regeneration schemes that are being funded.South Africans have brought out architects and advisors for Germany to assist .There is a great sense of collaborating to assist and make this work . They are in fact not behind in terms of the actual stadium building and regeneration the stadiums are at the same stage as Germany where. Secondly we have some of the best road systems in the world. ( wonder how London will cope) There is transport issue, I will admit that but they are dealing with it. There will always be a critic in the camp and fair enough !!. But from a construction perspective there is major confidence . Some of the biggest contractors like Group Five who have built masses in half the time in Dubai and aba Dhabi are the leaders among other top players .The stadiums by the way are being made sustainable by ensuring that after the games they can be used again as educational facilities or sports, health facilities. So once again I have to wonder how much you really know. South Africa has also received the most sponsorship in place than any other FIFA world cup.. mmmmmmmmmmm that tells me without my “political degree” that their is investor confidence.Finally when banks like HSBC, Barclays start opening offices that is a good sign. Their is a belief and understanding that we WILL do this. The last thing South African needs is some critic hiding in Greece! Give me a break . I am totally sick of people like you who have such a negative attitude.
I would also like to mention and quote from one of the biggest developers and middle east investors who have completerd the largest transaction for development in South Africa. I dont think they will shut down the waterfront after the world cup .. so yesssss there will be benefit and not just a one month game!
“Dubai developer Nakheel and London & Regional Properties will invest $1-billion in improving a popular Cape Town waterfront as South Africa prepares to host the soccer World Cup in 2010, Nakheel said on Thursday.
Government-owned Nakheel and Britain-based London & Regional will add more hotels, resorts and shopping malls to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Nakheel said in a statement.
The developments may also include a yacht club, a cruise ship terminal and a train station, Nakheel said.
Our vision is to create the Riviera of South Africa, developing a resort that will become a global attraction,” Nakheel Hotels & Resorts Chief Executive James Wilson said in the statement Istithmar Chief Executive David Jackson told Reuters this month he was considering more ventures in South Africa to tap the country’s growing economy, and may make an investment as early as the first quarter.”

I will remain with Edwin on this one and be proudley and confidentley south African!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from  United Kingdom

I truly fail to understand why some people are so negative with South Africa hosting the world cup, saying that we will not be ready. That is being really shallow. As I speak, people are at work making sure that infrastructure is ready. The construction of the Gautrain (underground train) has started, renovations and improvements are being made to the JHB international airport, the construction of the main stadiums has begun. Now, it makes me wonder what could prevent us from reaching the deadline when we have a very supportive proudly SA business community and government. Everything will be ready in time and this we will ensure because Africa’s time to shine is long overdue. The whole country is behind the world cup and we are all playing an important role in making it a reality. It’s one thing to be concerned and offer assistance where one can assist and it’s another to sit back and hope that all fails. South Africa is a wonderful country and I love it here!!! Viva 2010.

For those of you planning to visit South Africa in 2010.
I am a South African born and bred (1960) and I have had to recently emigrate because of the horrific crime situation. I narrowly escaped death a number of times. The South Africa of today is a nightmare of robbery, murder and rape. The violence used in these criminal acts is terrifying and done with real racist hatred of whites. If you come to the 2010 world cup in South Africa there is a real chance of your wife or daughter being raped in front of you and then having your throat slit.
My friends have all immigrated to Australia, NZ, Canada or like me to UK. There is an ethnic cleansing of whites taking place in SA, over one million whites have been forced out since Mandela came to power in 1994. The international media is uncomfortable in exposing these atrocities in this country because it is black on white hate crime and this causes tension in the USA and Europe, SA is the hidden killing field of the world. Unspeakable atrocities are being committed against whites by blacks. South African blacks have the highest standard of living in Africa and the rest of Africa is trying to get over the borders yet the blacks in SA have a racist hatred of whites. Big financial institutions and the government control the South African media and they want to protect the investments of the big financiers of Europe and America.
The government has launched a massive bulls**t campaign for 2010.
They have massive wealth behind them to fund the lies and spin, and this will result in many deaths. Have a look at these videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO4_kVlHjOE
STAY OUT FOR YOUR OWN GOOD
If you don’t believe me go ahead and find out the hard way.

Posted from  United Kingdom

I see that Sabelu Mthembu claims that he is in South Africa “I love it here” yet it is showing UK. (British flag)
It is also not true to say that all South Africans are behind the world cup. Many South Africans are unhappy that the corrupt ANC government is profiting from the blood of ordinary South Africans.

Posted from  United Kingdom

I took a look at that site Anton! Very hard hitting. I suppose we could also post some pics of what happening all over the world and they would be just as shocking!! I do appreciate that there is a huge crime issue and I hope they can sort that out because there will be now hiding when there is a spotlight on south Africa. I am still going to remain positive that this will be a success. Proudly south African!

Posted from  United Kingdom

I too am saddened by Anton’s experience in South Africa. But I am trying to work out why Anton did not leave South Africa when there was institutional violence against the majority of South Africans. Part of the reality that Anton and others are experiencing now is a direct result of that violence against black people and it will take time to heal. White South Africans would do themselves and the rest of us a favour if they took more responsibility for the violence they sanctioned and committed over many years. I accept that extreme violence can also happen against me and my family but having studied in the UK and the USA I also saw some terrible things on their newschannels. Rather than complain, my suggestion is that we all work together and do something about the problems we have. Remember, we have welcomed millions of people to our country over the past few years and our tourism figures continue to grow and the reality is that 99% of these visitors go home safely. 1 incident is one too many but we do not unfortunately live in an ideal world.

I agree once again. I am going home soon and will be doing some work on the stadia and will be also very intertes to see the growth and the attitude with the people that are building these satdia

Posted from  United Kingdom

Good stuff, Karen. You are a child of South Africa and more than welcome to return home, particularly since you will be coming back to make a positive contribution. It will be good to hear from you about your experiences.

International tour operators have as recently as last week publically inforned the South African authorities that they will have no option other than to remove Durban from their list of destinations to vist unless safety and security improves immediately and cosiderably. Will FIFA be forced to follow suit if public safety cannot be improved or guaranteed in the short term? They sure-as-anything will have to consider this.

Any new developments from Capetown Karen Neary? Will Athlone really be suitable as a semi-final venue in place of Green Point? And what news of the progress on all the new hotels at the Water Front that you wrote about. Are these on the drawing books yet? Or are we to house our visitors in the cruise ships (proposed) that you speak about. Please tell us if you can, because we are all in the dark here in South Africa (no pun intended). I estimate Cape will need around 200 new and big hotels. And this number seems about right for all the other host cities too. Pitty be can’t bring these liners inland too, because we surely need each of our visitors to have a bed to sleep in.

And how will we get to the matches at Green Point if the new stadium is ever built? Seems like we’ll need about 1000 new busses too - and trained drivers, and everything else that such volumes will need as logistical support. The same applies to all the other cities too.

All good for employment, Karen, if only it could be remotely possible to put these things in place and fully operational in good time.

I am very aprehensive about the reality and practicality of continuing to plan for 2010. We dont have time. We have three years to go to meet completion deadlines.

Holding the World Cup in South Africa was everybody’s dream back when we were awarded the privalege. What a boost it would have been for South Africa, and our continent as a whole. It’s so very, very sad that the reality that this might never happen here is becomming so increasingly evident.

Will somebody in the know, please provide us with site of the planning schedule leading to 2010. We really need, and have the right, to be provided with routine progress reports.

If, however, there are in fact no such plans or updates to report on, then the soccer world as a whole, as well as all other stake-holders both here and abroad, must be told of this immediately.

We have three years ladies and gentlemen. Three very short years!

Pedro, I have a few practical suggestions: (1) Go to Google alerts and ask that you receive daily updates from the Web on South Africa FIFA 2010. This is what I get and I read the good and the bad news about the process leading up to 2010. It is not going to be all smooth, but for once believe in your country and the people of your country. Just as we pulled off the 1994 elections and other big events after that (despite some people believing we are going down the tubes) we will pull off 2010. (2) Someone I met recently (an advocate in Cape Town) decided he was not going to moan about crime but actually do something about it and he became a police reservist. Maybe this is something that more of us should consider doing. 30 000 new police officers will be deployed between now and 2010. I am also in close contact with some people in the private security industry and this is growing and will grow between now and 2010. (3) I think we are being too uncreative about the question of accommodation. All that a visitor to Cape Town needs is 2-4 square meters. Many people I know will open their doors to visitors from abroad and I think we should begin to think in this direction rather than build more and more (probably unsustainable) hotels. Believe me: South Africa will pull it off!

Anton, you again!

The more you scream, the more you sound like and idiot man. You really don’t get it. Initially, you used to post links about crimeexpo south africa. Now that that’s been exposed as a fraud, you bring in youtube. I’m pretty sure you’re one of the gullible people who got robbed by that website because of your anger and resentment towards your country. Grow up Anton. No country in the world is perfect.

Lastly, Apartheid is over, it’s never coming back. No amount of hate against the new south africa is gonna bring it back. Leave us alone because we wanna see this place work. Unlike you.

Hans is quite correct in his assertions but could have gone much further in highlighting the present setup in that country.

Whilst rugby | cricket have to include % of black players, this does not apply to football, as there are no whites in the teams for the last so many years

S A football is as corrupt as the central government, ask anyonan but wonder why S A was chosen, far away, expensive to fly to, due cartel by a/lines on the Europe/SA route

Expect quite a few killings amongst the supporters/visitors, robberies | attacks will be plentifull, but will hardly be reported in the leftist press.

Please also notify visitors as to the dangers of driving under the influence of liquour, you will be arrested @ LOCKED UP AWAITING APPEARANCE IN COURT, chances of being raped and getting aids are very high, it ocurs daily, so you may consider watching the world cup from the comford of your home

While I am not against the World cup being held in South Africa by any means. I do feel that if the South African government cannot deal with the crime at its present level, how can we expect the government to deal with all the tourists and visitors that will flock to our shores. All South Africans regardless of race or ethnic background should stand up and tell the international community that we are not ready to cope with all the players/supporters who will put their lives at risk visiting our country. No doubt there is no shame in admitting we cannot cope.

Thabo, I dont believe that Antons statements are speaking of bringing apartheid back or hating the new South Africa. I do agree with you that there is no going back and I wouldnt want it any other way.

I dont believe either that we should look over our shoulders and keep on talking about what happened in the past. Why dont we talk about the crime that is in South Africa now and how can it be fixed. There is crime in South AFrica and it is affecting everyone regardless of colour.

Edwin Arrison, your explanation about whats happening being a direct result of violence against black people is absoloutely daft. You dont seem to know much about the country at all. you dont speak like a South African at all. If you are, then you most likely have lived a pampered and sheltered life.

I was a police reservist for a couple of years from 2001 onwards in South Africa which I spent a great deal of time doing, while engaged in full time employment and working as a volunteer for a rescue organisation. I saw murders, rapes, theft, hijacking, etc, none of them were linked to apartheid.
Let me ask you why you are in the UK like me, instead of in South Africa seeing it for yourself. I left because I saw enough and I realised there is only so much one person can do.

Now I have the priviledge of sitting in a safe country behind a computer looking on saying everything will work out great like you do. Lets just say you are right and I am wrong? Then we will all be smiling in 2010, proud of South Africa. But if you are wrong? Then what? How many people could loose there lives or worse.

Posted from  United Kingdom

How are FIFA going to deal with the ANC politicising sport when they so clearly state that all sport should be non political.

Nobody on here has mentioned a thing about our sad state of telecommunications or power supply in SA, it’s not going to be funny when the lights go off.But i suppose if they are all day games should sort out that problem.

What about the pathetic state of power supply and telecommunications lets hope the lights dont go off.

Edwin you mention how well the 1994 elections went pity we can’t have the same poeple that organised that event organise the 2010 world cup, you know with affirmative action being the in thing and all.

regarding the 2010 ciup in SA, did you know that funds earmarked for the day to day running of hospitals budget has been drastically cut so that funds can be diverted to the 2010 campaign also in Durban householders have to pay levy on utility bills to pay for the 2010 circus of glorification of the ANC Comrades, it is disgusting, FIFA & Blatte couldn care less puts a terrible blob on what should be a happy event;

The SA people will have to pay to satisfy FIFA, hospitals & patients are already suffering & dying due lack of care & medicine,,we should all call for a boycott of the games in SA

regarding the 2010 ciup in SA, did you know that funds earmarked for the day to day running of hospitals budget has been drastically cut so that funds can be diverted to the 2010 campaign also in Durban householders have to pay levy on utility bills to pay for the 2010 circus of glorification of the ANC Comrades, it is disgusting, FIFA & Blatte couldn care less puts a terrible blob on what should be a happy event;

The SA people will have to pay to satisfy FIFA, hospitals & patients are already suffering & dying due lack of care & medicine,,we should all call for a boycott of the games in SA

Have almost forgotten about this blog! Can’t believe that some of you are still peddling untruths on here. Let me (again) please ask people who write about South Africa to do so as truthfully as possible. John Johansson states that there are (or were) no whites in SA soccer teams. You clearly have not watched SA soccer over the last few years. Ever heard of Mark Fish, Delron Buckley, Hans Vonk, Neil Tovey (who was our captain, nogal!), Emile Barron, etc? Jason Matthews questions whether I’m writing from the UK…sorry Jason, I love my country too much to be sitting in grey UK…; Hayden completely misses my point about the 1994 election: some people then said that the country was going up in flames and it did not, just as some people continue to say that 2010 in South Africa will be some kind of disaster. We’ve had several elections and other major international events since then so we know how to organise. Let me not give you the impression that there are no challenges, because there are. But at least we are trying to deal with it….

There are always apologist for the communist cause, well, to each his own, Edwin, the names you quote as players WHERE ARE THEY NOW are in the main coloured people & 1 was import from Holland, yes, we do watch bafana play & if there is 1 whitey in the team its plenty, others have observed this as well & is open to scrutiny .

The BBC,s panorama program showed us the inner workings of FIFA & the possible corruption, well that explains why SA was given the games , birds of a feather etc. compliments the corrupt & rotten regime in the once peacefull SA

If sensible we should boycott the SA games as punishment for the SA commy govt. blatant interference in SA sport …

John, there is clearly no point in arguing this matter with you and others who think like you, since (a) you are ideologically driven, which makes you blind to the facts and (b) you are simply ignorant of what’s happening. To say that the names I mention are “coloured” is complete ignorance. Whatever corruption there is in FIFA cannot be blamed on South Africa. By your logic the Germans, French, Americans etc who hosted the games are all corrupt. You are more than welcome to boycott 2010 in South Africa….your level of ignorance is simply not wanted or needed here.

Edwin; we note your comments, but very obvious you apologist for the Reds ruling SA, would adise any level hearded person reading this blogg to sensibly ignore Edwins Arrisons comments as he tries to justify the murder of hundreds of farmers & thousands of others of all colour?

Edwin, many criminals are today sitting in parliament representing the ANC, anyone visiting SA in 2010 do so at their own peril and should be encouraged to stay away & thereby shouw their abhorence of the SA govt. inspired/encouraged farm murder gangs, or would Edwin deny that farmers, the poeple that feed the black masses are systematically being exterminated

I am a South African citizen that has lived in this country all my life and I truly am in shock of the way people have blown things out of proportion to suit their cause! To say that it is probable that your wife and daughter would be raped in front of you is not only ridiculous, but slandorous in the vilest of manners!! Yes, rape and crime are an issue, but there is not a country in the world that can statistically say that it isn’t. Even one rape is a rape to many, and having worked extensively in rehabilitating prisoners who have commited serious offences behind bars, I’ve also discovered that there are an alarmingly increasing number of young white perpotrators of rape and murder- so please get your facts straight before you start pointing fingers. Secondly, if there is a problem with black on white crime, do not presume it’s caused by hatred and racism- it’s caused by people who have nothing and aren’t empowered enugh and educated enough to make changes the right way, it’s decades of frustration- Oh how quickly we expect black people to forgive and forget and recover from a system that was implimented to cause the kind of mental degradation it has resulted in today. these peoples humanity was deprived and distorted- how do you expect them to have turned out?

So your answer was to up and leave after having raped and pillaged as much as you possibly could, don’t expect sympathy from anyone. Good riddance-South Africa is a country of hope, and once all the faders have run to the hills it will be us- the ones that are willing to make changes by giving and actively making a difference every day will reap the reward of OUR country’s true potential, as will those who have shown enough faith in it and in us to invest in us through events such as the 2010WC. I emplore you not to show face when the tide is turned because South Africa is a happy place, and we’re working hard to keep itthat way.

If you are planning to visit S.A. for the 2010 World Cup ,here are some tips.

1)Make sure your life policies are up to date.
2)Bring your own body bag,
3)Make arrangements to fly your corpse home before you arrive.
4)Bring own AZT,there is a waiting list for rape victims.
5)Check with your GP about T.B. treatment packages.
6)Bring your own blood incase you need a transfusion.
7)Bring your own bullet proof jackets.
8)Bring lots of money,you are sure to be ripped off.