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Joburg's showpiece stadium is ready for play
and will be handed over to the football governing body at the beginning of
March - way before the 15-day deadline.
AFTER three years of hard work, the City
will be handing over the spectacular Soccer City Stadium to the world football
governing body, FIFA, at the beginning of March.
The City's director of project management, Sid Clark, says the stadium is ready to hand over
Speaking at the massive stadium on Friday,
19 February, the City of Johannesburg's director of project management, Sid
Clark, said the completed stadium would be handed over to FIFA on Wednesday, 3
March.
"Officially, host cities are supposed to
hand over any host stadiums to FIFA 15 days before the start of the World Cup.
But because we managed to complete building the stadium well before kickoff, we
have the privilege to give FIFA the complete structure with three months to go before
the start of the tournament."
Clark said everything was ready for handover
of the stadium, with only minor inside "touch ups" being done - mainly cleaning
and scrubbing of floors.
Already, the broadcast compound is complete
and has been given the thumbs up by FIFA. Located on the south side of the
stadium, it will accommodate all the broadcast trucks during the month-long
tournament, which kicks off on 11 June.
"The World Cup will be beamed live from
Soccer City from this area to millions of people all over the world," said
Clark.
Generators
To ensure there are no blackouts, eight diesel generators will provide
electricity during matches. Four will be in operation and the remaining four
will be on standby.
"We won't be using Eskom electricity during
matches. All power will be provided by generators. If the operating four fail
the other four will switch on. Blackouts definitely won't be experienced."
The two huge video screens on either side
of the goal posts are also ready to beam matches to fans inside the stadium.
The screens, fed by 120 video cameras located strategically around the stadium,
were tested and approved by FIFA on Friday.
Sweeping and cleaning up inside the stadium
Inside the stadium, workers were busy
sweeping and scrubbing walkways and aisles, the orange seats sparkling in the
afternoon sun. "The orange hue of the seats is reminiscent of the gold that was
mined in Johannesburg years ago. The colour also represents the colour of the
mine dumps around the stadium," said Clark.
Originally the City had planned for
94 000 seats but this has been cut down to 90 200 to accommodate
disabled seats, he said. "We have 280 disabled seats - one half for paraplegics
and the other half for people accompanying them."
Disabled persons have also been allocated
special parking on the east side of the stadium, with ramps strategically
located on the same side. Seven double ramps will take disabled and able-bodied
fans to the upper tier, which seats 35 000.
Of the 90 200 seats, Clark said
3 600 would be taken up by media personnel. Media seats would be located
on the upper tier directly over the players' tunnel.
Water
All water used for the plush Kikuyu pitch grass would be rain water that would
be drained off the roof, stands and the pitch, according to Clark. "There is a
big underground moat located around the pitch which collects all rain water.
This water is also recycled and used in toilets in the stadium."
Standing on the ramps between the stadium
facade and the upper tier seats, one feels its vastness. Huge trusses span the
roof and open gaps dot the facade, bringing in streams of sunlight that draw
attractive patterns on the concrete walls. "The open gaps allow for fresh air
to move into the stadium. The gaps also allow stadium lights to light up the outside
of the stadium, giving it that calabash-on-fire look at night."
All that remains is paving and sprucing up
the outside. Some men could be seen busy putting up street lights on top of the
"ring of fire", which includes the turnstiles and the ticket sales booths. Pointing
to the open area west of the stadium, Clark said it would be used as a
hospitality place where food and drinks would be sold to spectators.
"Come the World Cup, this open area will be
filled up with hospitality tents. It will be one very busy place before and
after matches at the stadium."
Worker
Busy scrubbing the floor on the upper tier was Jabulani Mhlongo, a 35-year-old
man who has "seen it all", from the start of building until completion of the
stadium.
"I started working in 2007 when all was
dust and rubble. It's been three years working here and this has grown to be my
workplace. I feel a sadness that very, very soon, I will leave this place that
I have grown so fond of."
Mhlongo is just one of thousands of workers
who will lay down tools on 26 February, when contractor Grinaker-LTA hands over
the completed stadium to the new stadium managers. Some have already left,
since most of the construction work is complete.
"I am now waiting for the ticket that I was
promised to come and watch the World Cup at the stadium. I hope we will be
given [one] soon because it will be a big shame if I don't take part in the
World Cup that I helped to prepare," he said, gazing at the water sprinklers spouting
jets of water on the green grass on the pitch down below.
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