3 November 2008
Cape Town’s Green Point stadium, which is currently being built to host matches during the 2010 Fifa World Cup, will be complete by 14 December 2009, says Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille.
Speaking at a council meeting in Cape Town last week, Zille said that the concrete works would soon be complete, with the main remaining tasks being the completion of the roof and façade, laying of the grass pitch, and installation of the seats and fittings.
“Work on the podium and the precinct is under way and on schedule, the compression beams of the roof are going up at a steady rate, and more than two dozen are already resting on the 72 columns,” Zille said.
As far as transport infrastructure was concerned, she said that the re-construction of Koeberg Interchange and Table Bay Boulevard had also started, with both projects expected to be finished by March 2010.
Specialist contractors
Two officials from the city’s 2010 project team recently returned from visits to specialist contractors in Germany and Poland, where components of the roof and façade are being manufactured, and reported that the work was proceeding on schedule.
In addition, some of the items were already in the process of being shipped to Cape Town.
“Virtually all the sub-contracts for the stadium will have been awarded by the end of this year, and negotiations with the preferred bidder for the operating contract are continuing,” Zille said, referring to a consortium consisting of South Africa’s Sail Group and French stadium operator Stade de France.
“Apart from the stadium itself, reconstruction of Green Point common, the golf course and local roads are all expected to commence shortly.”
Final draw host
Zille further announced that Cape Town would host the final draw for 2010 on 4 December 2009, adding that the city was expecting major international television coverage and an influx of the world’s soccer fraternity during the announcement.
“Our planning for the fan park, fan mile and public viewing sites is reaching completion and we are now entering the implementation phase, in which we will be putting out tenders for service providers,” she said.
“We are working closely with the [South African Police Service] on the safety and security aspects, the disaster management and emergency services have been reviewed and adequate resources will be made available to ensure that 2010 will be a safe and successful event.”
President Kgalema Mothlanthe is expected to visit Cape Town on 8 November, when he will be briefed on the city’s readiness for 2010 and then visit Green Point stadium.
Source: BuaNews
