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The race is on to be ready for 2010, but legacy projects will ensure that the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ leaves an impression on Joburg long after the final whistle has blown.
ONCE the biggest gold rush in the world, Joburg is fast becoming the biggest football rush, and it has already taken a number of steps towards its destination.
It is the headquarters of soccer in South Africa. The South African Football Association (Safa) has its home at local football's flagship stadium, Soccer City, near Soweto. And FIFA, the world football body, and the 2010 Local Organising Committee have set up camp alongside Safa.
The city scored the hosting of Soccerex, the world's biggest sporting convention, in 2007 and 2008. Soccerex will be hosted in Gauteng until 2009.
Joburg will also host the opening and closing ceremonies and the first and final matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, cementing its position.
But that's not all - some of the preliminary matches and quarter-finals will be played on Joburg's soil. In all, 16 of the 64 World Cup games will be played in Jozi.
Developing Klipspruit
In addition, it'll have a number of other local stadiums and it will host one of the visiting teams. It's going to be football all the way for the next couple of years.
And then some - Joburg has identified several legacy projects that will make sure its citizens benefit from the World Cup long after the final whistle has blown.
With no rest in sight, the city is working hard to ensure that all government guarantees are in place and that all preparations for the biggest event on the planet are on track.
First up, match venues are being upgraded and are expected to be ready on schedule, some will even be ready ahead of the deadline. Secondly, the transport infrastructure is being beefed up to make sure it can cope with the sheer number of people expected. Communications for the international media will be state-of-the art and, generally, Joburg is pulling out all the stops to make sure all its visitors have a terrific time.
Legacy projects
In 2006 the council approved various legacy projects, including:
- Setting up a citywide broadband network;
- Greening 94 football fields in Soweto;
- Installing litter bins, informal trading stalls, street lighting and benches in the inner city;
- Developing the Klipspruit River, which flows through Soweto;
- Redeveloping the Diepkloof hostel;
- Developing an Olympic-sized swimming pool and gymnastics arena in Orlando; and
- Developing the Jabavu Stadium precinct to provide housing for people displaced by the Orlando swimming pool project.
Transport
Joburg is also overhauling its public transport infrastructure with the rather comprehensive Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. Work on the multi-billion rand plan is already under way around Ellis Park.
 City facts
- In total, over R1-billion has been set aside for legacy projects.
- Building a theatre complex in Soweto is one of these projects.
- Sibongile Mazibuko, is the executive head of the City's 2010 office.
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Special lanes for hundreds of new buses will be created on city streets, and loads of bus stops will be built. The plan is to provide a high-speed service on dedicated bus routes across Joburg, using a bus network of 18m articulated vehicles. A network of secondary routes will be serviced by trains or taxis.
Overhauling public transport
The Gautrain is also being built. It is a high-speed railway linking OR Tambo International Airport, Joburg and Tshwane. Most of its route is underground.
Joburg has other transport plans up its sleeve. It plans to:
- Upgrade Nasrec public transport through extending the Golden Highway and building a pedestrian mall that connects Soccer City and the Expo Centre;
- Upgrade Ellis Park public transport, through major improvements in Saratoga, Charlton, Smit, Wolmarans, Bertrams, Bezuidenhout, Derby and Beit streets;
- Build pedestrian walkways and bridges between Doornfontein Station and Nugget Street and a parking garage on Johannesburg Stadium property;
- Upgrade the public transport facilities at Doornfontein Station and Ellis Park Station and provide a pedestrian bridge, subway, hawker facilities and a passenger information centre for the Doornfontein taxi and bus terminus;
- Introduce an Advanced Traffic Management System; and
- Upgrade metered taxis.
Come 2010, the face of the city will indeed be a changed one.
Smart, safe and green
Welcome to the future - the Joburg Broadband Network Project will turn Jozi into a smart, digital city. It includes a 21st century broadband telecommunications system that will allow more information to be exchanged faster - and cheaper.
Fibre optics will be installed and Joburg's wireless network will be expanded.
The focus, however, is not only on the hi-tech stuff.
Johannesburg is rightly proud of its urban forest, and aims to keep on greening. Just one of its eco-projects in preparation for 2010 is the cleaning of the Klipspruit River, which runs through Soweto and the southern suburbs.
And then there is safety, security and emergency management. Safety and security is the job of the Johannesburg metropolitan police, which has motorised units and a horse unit, as well as bicycle and foot patrols.
There will be more cops on the beat by the time 2010 sports fans arrive. Metro police is on a massive recruitment drive, with plans to train 500 new members a year, giving it 4 000 members by 2010.
They will be helped by state-of-the-art surveillance technology.
On the emergency services and health fronts, a dedicated disaster management centre will be set up for medical and emergency professionals and up to 2 200 trained volunteers. Health services will also be upgraded.
Venues
Johannesburg has two match venues - the flagship Soccer City at Nasrec in Soweto, and the Ellis Park on the eastern edge of the CBD.
Soccer City is South Africa's top football venue; not surprisingly, it will host the opening ceremony and final match. And to spruce it up for the occasion, R1,2-billion is being spent on a facelift.
Work on upgrading Orlando Stadium, May 2008
Five first-round matches, one second-round match and a quarter-final will be played on its pitch. Built in 1987 with seating for 80 000, by 2010 this will have been upped to 94 000. Plenty of other nips and tucks are planned, such as new change room facilities, lighting, VIP suites, media and IT broadcast facilities, and stadium management facilities.
Neighbouring Nasrec will also be buffed up, turning the whole area into a world-class sports, tourism and exhibition hub.
The other match venue, Ellis Park, is one of Joburg's best-known stadiums; it was here that the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup in 1995. But in 2010 it will be a strictly football zone, hosting five first-round matches, a second round match and one quarter-final.
Upgrades planned for the Ellis Park precinct are primarily aimed at improving safety, while the general area around the precinct is benefiting from a R2-billion upgrade. At the stadium itself seating is being increased to 61 000.
The City will also improve the media, disabled, VIP, player, parking and spectator facilities.
And that's not all, folks. There are still the other local venues - Orlando Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium, Rand Stadium, Cecil Payne Stadium in Roodepoort, and Ruimsig Stadium. Joburg has budgeted over R600-million to bring them up to scratch.
It's a lot of investment, but there will be a lot of interest earned for Joburg and her people.
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Our 2010 role 
