2010 World Cup puts SA’s problems into perspective

Last week’s 50-day countdown to the Soccer World Cup was slightly more subdued than the big ‘100’ back in February, but that’s probably because so many hurdles have been cleared since then.

The consensus — according to the government, the 2010 Local Organising Committee and Fifa — is that it’s all systems go for a successful tournament in under two months. That’s not to say that it has been plain sailing.

Computer glitches marred the launch of the fifth and final ticket phase angering many South Africans who spent hours or, in some case, days, waiting for the first over-the-counter sales. The threat of terrorism was back in the news with the posting of an extremist threat for the England v United States match in Rustenburg which Fifa is investigating.

And police last week swooped on members of an extremist right-wing organisation as part of an investigation into plans to sabotage the tournament. And the cherry on top came in the form of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano which resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights, raising concerns that it could be the death knell of the Soccer World Cup.

So, should we be worried? Not really. All these issues are part and parcel of hosting an event of this magnitude, including the very real threat of natural disasters. Mexico, after all, hosted the 2006 World Cup just months after a massive earthquake flattened Mexico City, leaving 100 000 dead. And China experienced a similar setback ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In terms of security, there were also major concerns that Germany — the hosts of the last Soccer World Cup — would be targeted by terrorists, but the event passed peacefully. At the end of the day, South Africa has overcome major hurdles while preparing for the tournament. These include the outbreak of xenophobia, last year’s political and constitutional crisis sparked by Jacob Zuma’s legal problems and the recall of President Thabo Mbeki and, of course, the outbreak of swine flu.

There will, no doubt, be other challenges, but the 2010 World Cup host nation has reached the point of no return. We’re all in this together, so let’s enjoy the ride.