Speaker, Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Deputy President, hon members, Fdration Internationale de Football Association delegates, the Fifa Local Organising Committee, and invited guests, the hosting and staging of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa required our country to provide a range of guarantees to host a successful World Cup. These guarantees followed the submission of an economic and social impact assessment report to our government. This assessment report preceded any consideration of support for the 2010 bid. It included a diverse range of stakeholders.
When the Fifa executive decided that the World Cup should be held in Africa, and South Africa should host the 2010 World Cup, it took into consideration our logistical and financial capacity to discharge this obligation. It also considered our country's political legitimacy, as perhaps the defining requirement. Moreover, it sought to convince the world that the African Renaissance was indeed a reality.
As South Africans, and the ANC, we achieved the dawn of democracy in 1994 that created the basis for the confidence the world is showing in us. And now, as in 1994, our ANC-led government will ensure that 2010 will contribute to realising the strategic objectives of the developmental state.
The debate in this august House underscores our government's commitment to give effect to measures - I might add, extraordinary measures - to realise the objectives of an extraordinary event, not that extraordinary events are anything new to us! As South Africans, we have become known globally as an extraordinary nation.
The central principles of these commitments are all encapsulated in our democratically elected government's 17 guarantees made to Fifa 2010 in regards to facilitating the hosting and staging of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, and for the first time on African soil.
This is in accordance with the Organising Association Agreement, OAA, between Fifa and Safa and the guarantees issued by our country to Fifa. In this regard we have, as the host country, satisfied all the necessary requirements - technical, statutory and academic. For example, there are specific seating requirements for spectators, and specific requirements for stadia, marketing, etc.
One of the scenes that left most of us as a television audience with lumps in our throats during the recent Confederations Cup - a foundation to the 2010 World Cup - was certainly the singing of the anthems of the countries before the matches and the unbridled display of the national colours of the nations competing. Whether it was paint on the faces of the fans and spectators, or replicas of flags, it was indeed something to behold. Moreover, what struck me more than anything else was the respect afforded to individual countries during the singing and playing of anthems.
In this regard we are all satisfied with the statutory guarantees which are in place to ensure the rights of all countries that will qualify and come here to display their flags and sing their anthems without fear of intimidation or provocation. If there is intimidation of any kind, we believe it should be in the display of skills, ability and technique on the playing field. We therefore welcome the imposition of penalties in the event of such offences.
In regard to visas, visitors' permits, work permits and business permits, our country has provided guarantees through legislation that was passed in the two Houses of this Parliament.
No person or persons with unscrupulous intentions and involved in sinister activities will be allowed into the country. As South Africans, we have become a favourite destination for millions of tourists and we enjoy that status.
Suffice it to say that unpatriotic conduct by officials within departments that are integrally involved in preparations will not be tolerated, let alone the threat of corruption, since this event will certainly re- emphasise the sheer weight of the dollar. We are, however, encouraged by the contingency and anticorruption measures that were introduced by the SA Police Service, the Department of Home Affairs, other departments and provinces, etc, as a matter of priority.
We are particularly safe in the knowledge that the Department of Home Affairs has introduced 2010-specific plans such as Advance Passenger Processing, APP, which provides a mechanism to prescreen travellers at foreign airports of entry by April 2010. Hence, the message should go out to every official that the ANC-led government is indeed highly vigilant and prepared to quell any mischief that is intended to tarnish the image of our country.
Our experiences over the past 12 years have shown that our sport federations are not proactive, and sometimes lag behind when it comes to asserting themselves in regard to crowd control, particularly before big matches. From what we have witnessed through images in the media, we are facing a herculean task in regard to crowd control and control of unruly behaviour. We are also mindful that communicating our control and safety measures will present its own challenges. However, as the ANC we wish to state again and without fear of contradiction that we are ready.
Regarding transport, our national Department of Transport has adopted and is implementing some of the most advanced public transport and traffic systems in the world. In this regard, and at a statutory level, traffic- free zones are envisaged in certain areas, with accompanying provisions for prevention and penalties. We endorse and support these provisions, although we are also mindful of the fact that football fans will generally be travelling by public transport, on foot, etc. Experience and research in cities where previous World Cups have been held prove this point. However, it does not mean that we should be complacent.
In line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, our country wants to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014. And we believe that the hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup could not have arrived at a more opportune time, since we are striving to fulfil these goals in the development of our nation.
In conclusion, as the ANC we are indeed secure in the knowledge that our government is putting in place the required instruments that signal confidence and our passionate determination to the global community. However, we would like to appeal to Fifa from this podium to ensure, together with us as government, that the much vaunted Legacy Project indeed becomes a living monument, and is nourished and sustained. We would therefore like to call on our people to demonstrate in no uncertain terms why we got the vote of confidence to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup, since we believe that ultimately the 2010 Fifa World Cup is about the African Renaissance in general and South Africans in particular. Let the games begin.
Ke Nako. [Now is the time.] We are ready to welcome the world. I thank you. [Applause.]