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With the World Cup's final draw taking place in Cape Town, Johannesburg is making sure its residents are able to see the event live.
NINE MTN eKasi Township TV sites across Joburg will beam live the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Final Draw.
The draw, to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 4 December, is expected to attract a television audience of more than 200 million people across the world.
Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir
Kicking off at 7pm sharp local time, the draw will decide where the 32 participating teams will play during the group stages of the football spectacular.
Apart from hosts South Africa, top teams that have already qualified are European football heavyweights Germany, England, Denmark, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Serbia and Slovakia.
These football giants are joined in the hat by Greece, Slovenia, Portugal, Uruguay, Algeria, Brazil, Nigeria, Cameroon, New Zealand, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, USA, Australia, Ghana, Paraguay, Ivory Coast, Chile, Mexico, Argentina and Honduras.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee South Africa (OC) expects about 2 000 invited guests and about 1 500 people from the media at the draw in Cape Town. Guests will be entertained by Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Benin singer and songwriter Angelique Kidjo, and one of South Africa's greatest musicians, Johnny Clegg.
The grand finale will feature 80 artists, including internationally acclaimed musical ensemble Africa Umoja.
South African Avademy Award winnerCharlize Theron will be the guest presenterat Draw, assisting FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke. South African President Jacob Zuma and FIFA President Sepp Blatterare expected to welcome guests at the biginning of the 90-minute show.
Guests on the evening will include Nobel Peace Prize winners FW de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as football icons Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini and Roger Miller.
The City of Johannesburg is sending several officials to the draw, an event that will determine which teams will adopt the city as "home" during the World Cup.
Johnny Clegg headlines the Draw's entertainment segment
All Joburg members of the mayoral committee will attend, joined by the executive director in the 2010 Office, Sibongile Mazibuko; the executive director in the corporate and shared services department, Reuben Denge; and two football legends, Jacob Mekgoe and Simon Mahlangu, according to Christa Venter, the City's 2010 operations director.
"The draw will give us the last opportunity to showcase what the city has to offer during the 2010 World Cup - from accommodation and restaurants to stadiums, entertainment and the friendly people."
In a bid to ensure as many Joburg residents as possible can witness the occasion, the City of Johannesburg, through MTN eKasi TV, will screen the draw live at public viewing sites in the following parks, where people will be able to view the draw free of charge on large screens in a safe environment: Orlando West; Diepsloot; Thokoza Park; Diepkloof; Lenasia; Eldorado Park; Joubert Park; Orange Farm; and Ivory Park.
"Communities have taken ownership of the parks. There is pride in them and we at City Parks are happy that residents have alternative options," says City Parks spokesperson, Jenny Moodley.
During the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, eKasi TV, a partnership between City Parks and Township TV, provided football entertainment to thousands of people throughout the tournament.
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