Stadiums not ready

[A face]

What chatting about this recently and someone was saying that some of the stadiums haven't even been started yet and will definitely not be ready in time for the world cup.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

[endabob1]

What chatting about this recently and someone was saying that some of the stadiums haven't even been started yet and will definitely not be ready in time for the world cup.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

Yes, it's not true.
I live in Cape Town and I passed the Stadium last week, it will be ready and looks pretty impressive already.

It was hoped the new Stadium in PE would be ready for the Confed cup next year but it's been decided not to use it, but it is still on track to be ready for 2010.
There is a lot of scaremongering about the WC coming to Africa, I think SA will surprise people as to how well it will be staged. There have been some high profile resignations (ANC internal politics have been partly to blame) in recent weeks but the guy at the top Danny Jordaan has been running the show for 6+ years now & he knows his eggs.

[ParkLife]

Hi Endabob, I've been having a look at the venues for the WC. I'm hoping to go if we qualify. One thing I can't believe is where some of the games are on. We could potentially have to go to a game in Johannesburg and then a few days later go to Cape town. According to the fifa website it's 1500 kms away. What's it like travelling that route? could we get trains? Are they cheap? etc.. I'm just gathering some early info. I'm sure other people would be grateful of some inside knowledge on this. Cheers.

[A face]

Hi Endabob, I've been having a look at the venues for the WC. I'm hoping to go if we qualify. One thing I can't believe is where some of the games are on. We could potentially have to go to a game in Johannesburg and then a few days later go to Cape town. According to the fifa website it's 1500 kms away. What's it like travelling that route? could we get trains? Are they cheap? etc.. I'm just gathering some early info. I'm sure other people would be grateful of some inside knowledge on this. Cheers.

Thats a good question, what are internal flights like in South Africa?

[The Good Son]

Hi Endabob, I've been having a look at the venues for the WC. I'm hoping to go if we qualify. One thing I can't believe is where some of the games are on. We could potentially have to go to a game in Johannesburg and then a few days later go to Cape town. According to the fifa website it's 1500 kms away. What's it like travelling that route? could we get trains? Are they cheap? etc.. I'm just gathering some early info. I'm sure other people would be grateful of some inside knowledge on this. Cheers.

The roads between the major centres in South Africa are excellent. A few years ago three of us shared the drive from Johanesburg to Cape Town over two days, with a stopover in Bloemfontein on the way.

[HarpoJoyce]

Thats a good question, what are internal flights like in South Africa?

Lufthansa should still do some internal flights there.

I know one couple that travelled around RSA for a bit and went to their departure airport (Cape Town or Johannesburg,cant remember). They were in the Lufthansa departure lounge a long time with very little activity before they realise close to departure time they were in the internal louge and had to hot foot it to the Intenational terminal.

[ParkLife]

Thanks good son, I'd say we'd probably hire a car and see a bit of Africa while we're there. Is it motorway the whole way? I apologise if I'm being very naive, but will it be safe for us travelling that distance in a car..ie would it be ok to stop and ask for directions along the way if we got lost!!

[The Good Son]

Thanks good son, I'd say we'd probably hire a car and see a bit of Africa while we're there. Is it motorway the whole way? I apologise if I'm being very naive, but will it be safe for us travelling that distance in a car..ie would it be ok to stop and ask for directions along the way if we got lost!!

It's six years since I was there so I'm just working off what I can remember. For the most part it was a two lane, fairly wide road with an almost perfect surface. You'd constantly meet road works, so I'd imagine now the roads have probably improved even more. Speed limit was as far as I can remember 110 kph, you could comfortably and safely go quicker than that. The roads in the towns & cities were fine too, the obvious exception being the townships, but you'd be better off not driving there without a local or somebody who knows the area. You'd hear stories, and you'd be warned of car jackings, but I never felt anything but safe driving there. I'd imagine for the WC security will be even higher than normal all over the country. I can't imagine any problems asking directions. You're not really being naive, SA has a problem with crime, but like every where else in the world the vast majority of people are sound and once you keep your wits about you there should be no problem.

[endabob1]

For internal flights I would use SAA but the other 2 are the South African budget Ryan Air equivalent, never tried them so can't really comment. The one thing I have heard is you need to book well in advance to get cheap flights. Internal flights in SA are generally not cheap, SAA & Comair (A BA Subsiduary) had a monopoly up until relatively recently.

www.flysaa.com
www.kulula.com
www.flymango.com

As mentioned elsewhere, the main roads are fine but SA is very, very big country
http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/distance-chart-south-africa.php

Basically Cape Town is 765km's from the next nearest stadium, unless Ireland get based here (which I doubt as I guess it'll only be the seeds who are "based" in on city") it will be a mission to get from Durban or Jhb/Pretoria down here, it's a 2 hour flight from either city and driving is only a realistic option one way.
That said if we were in PE & Cape Town (A lot of assumptions going on there) then it's a stunning drive, and well worth it.
http://www.southafrica.info/2010/
Is a website well worth checking out. Also I will try to stick an occasional update on here if I get any local news which is likely to be of interest.

[shedite]

There's a good website I use for train travel called "Seat61".

Here's the page on trains in South Africa:
http://www.seat61.com/SouthAfrica.htm

[gspain]

As mentioned elsewhere, the main roads are fine but SA is very, very big country
http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/distance-chart-south-africa.php

Basically Cape Town is 765km's from the next nearest stadium, unless Ireland get based here (which I doubt as I guess it'll only be the seeds who are "based" in on city") it will be a mission to get from Durban or Jhb/Pretoria down here, it's a 2 hour flight from either city and driving is only a realistic option one way.
That said if we were in PE & Cape Town (A lot of assumptions going on there) then it's a stunning drive, and well worth it.
http://www.southafrica.info/2010/
Is a website well worth checking out. Also I will try to stick an occasional update on here if I get any local news which is likely to be of interest.

If we qualify we will end up as A4 in the draw. They hwill have an awful trek. :D

That team starts in Cape Town and travels to length of the country for their 2nd game in Polokwane before travelling halfway back down again to play in Bloemfontain. We'll then have to travel all the way back down to Port Elizabeth for the 2nd round. Still I'd gladly take that now if offered it.

[endabob1]

On a slightly different but related note, I was out at the South African Golf Open at the weekend, obviously a lot less people involved but the organisation was first & I mean first class, comparable to anything I've experienced elsewhere in the world.
I have no doubts that SA will put on a great show, actually I was talking to a friend the other day about it and we likened it to the Olympics after Sydney, everyone said that Athens wouldn’t be able to put on as good a show but they did just fine, I think the German WC was the best organised yet but SA will be just as good, different no doubt, but just as good.
Haven’t been past the stadium in a couple of weeks but it’s still looking good, it will be spectacular when it’s done, for those of you who know Cape Town, it is going to change the skyline forever, it’s about 500 metres from the ocean and it looks like it will be awesome when it’s finished.

[A face]

I dunno is this a realistic view of Johannesburg but this is scary (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_X3mMKQqmg). I hope to god its not like that for the world cup.

[HarpoJoyce]

I dunno is this a realistic view of Johannesburg but this is scary (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_X3mMKQqmg). I hope to god its not like that for the world cup.

You appear to be a scare-monger on this thread.
There will be politer people going to RSA10 than many of the Irish fans.

I suggest there will be a number of recommended 4-star and 5-star hotels to use and secure areas of the cities. (e.g. Shopping Centres in nice outlying subburbs.) to mingle in.
There will be recommended routes to take between cities and these routes (air, rail, road) will have a higher security level.

But the visitor will have to pay a higher Rand price for the extra security.

After Edit:
Sorry A Face, I was a bit premature about calling you scare-mongering before.

Hopefully there is a reasoned football-business reason for this and not some random act.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0105/worldcup.html
"A South African official who blew the whistle on alleged corruption in the building of a stadium for the 2010 World Cup has been shot dead, an official said Monday.........."

[endabob1]

Unfortunately it looks highly unlikely that this was a random murder and despite the police assurances that there is no evidence to suggest it was a political act it seems highly likely that it is related to the whistle blowing from last year.
Corruption is a fact of life in Africa and the ANC is unfortunately becoming all too typical of an African political party who are almost without opposition, the good news for those of us living here is that there appears to be some sort of public will to have a proper democracy with proper political parties, not based along ethnic or tribal lines which for so long has been the case.
Jo'burg is a different proposition to Cape Town but for the most part as a tourist you will not be in areas in which you would be vulnerable, compare it to any big city, there are areas in London you wouldn't go, but generally as a tourist you're not going to accidentally find yourself wandering around council blocks in Peckham. It's the same principle in Cape Town you will be in areas which are popular with tourists and locals and where there are a lot of people you generally find very little crime (occasional petty stuff like pick pocketing excepted), don't be a stupid tourist and go wandering dark streets with your $2,000 camera around your neck, if you get mugged then you'll get very little sympathy

[kev mcq]

On a slightly different but related note, I was out at the South African Golf Open at the weekend, obviously a lot less people involved but the organisation was first & I mean first class, comparable to anything I've experienced elsewhere in the world.
I have no doubts that SA will put on a great show, actually I was talking to a friend the other day about it and we likened it to the Olympics after Sydney, everyone said that Athens wouldn’t be able to put on as good a show but they did just fine, I think the German WC was the best organised yet but SA will be just as good, different no doubt, but just as good.
Haven’t been past the stadium in a couple of weeks but it’s still looking good, it will be spectacular when it’s done, for those of you who know Cape Town, it is going to change the skyline forever, it’s about 500 metres from the ocean and it looks like it will be awesome when it’s finished.

Very off-topic, sorry, but was out there in November and played a few round at Pearl Valley, fantastic course.

[A face]

You appear to be a scare-monger on this thread.
There will be politer people going to RSA10 than many of the Irish fans.

I suggest there will be a number of recommended 4-star and 5-star hotels to use and secure areas of the cities. (e.g. Shopping Centres in nice outlying subburbs.) to mingle in.
There will be recommended routes to take between cities and these routes (air, rail, road) will have a higher security level.

But the visitor will have to pay a higher Rand price for the extra security.

After Edit:
Sorry A Face, I was a bit premature about calling you scare-mongering before.

Hopefully there is a reasoned football-business reason for this and not some random act.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0105/worldcup.html
"A South African official who blew the whistle on alleged corruption in the building of a stadium for the 2010 World Cup has been shot dead, an official said Monday.........."

I posted that because i was generally concerned about it. There are a few of us looking at going out there for it so i was just doing some homework on it. There is another programme by MacIntyre on Cape Town and its a bit alarming. I hate saying it but i am really considering going or not now.

[pete]

Jo'burg is a different proposition to Cape Town but for the most part as a tourist you will not be in areas in which you would be vulnerable, compare it to any big city, there are areas in London you wouldn't go, but generally as a tourist you're not going to accidentally find yourself wandering around council blocks in Peckham. It's the same principle in Cape Town you will be in areas which are popular with tourists and locals and where there are a lot of people you generally find very little crime (occasional petty stuff like pick pocketing excepted), don't be a stupid tourist and go wandering dark streets with your $2,000 camera around your neck, if you get mugged then you'll get very little sympathy

Been in Pretoria & Jo'burg & aside from affluent burbs don't think it is safe to walk almost anywhere. Don't think it is a tourist City. Girl from our company visiting was mugged in Pretoria & our customer office had an armed robbery.

Durban was recommended by many locals as an alternative to Cape Town.

I am sure the stadiums will be ready as too big an opportunity to miss for the country for advertise itself. Seems like one of the best World Cups to attend as accomodation, food (excellent) & drink a fraction of Irish prices. Not been to any World Cups but South Africa is one that would attract me.

[HarpoJoyce]

I posted that because i was generally concerned about it. There are a few of us looking at going out there for it so i was just doing some homework on it. There is another programme by MacIntyre on Cape Town and its a bit alarming. I hate saying it but i am really considering going or not now.

Sorry again for name calling.

Don't let Louis 'I'm just a Naive Englishman' Theroux or John 'Where's the knock' McIntyre make your decisions for you.
Watch some archive RTE No Frontiers for the antidote. If you keep watching the same message you're going to start believing it.

I believe the 'Fan Areas' and recommended locations will be heavily policed.
(But I don't think I'm going because of costs)

[endabob1]

I posted that because i was generally concerned about it. There are a few of us looking at going out there for it so i was just doing some homework on it. There is another programme by MacIntyre on Cape Town and its a bit alarming. I hate saying it but i am really considering going or not now.

I have to say if you are planning on not coming to Cape Town because you are afraid of crime then quite honestly I am shocked. I've been a regular visitor and sometimes resident to Cape Town for 10 years and have only good things to say about it, I have never been the victim of a crime (I can't say the same for my time either in Ireland or England) I have used local busses and taxis I've been out very late very drunk and always managed to get home in one piece.
It's a fantastic city and I would be astonished if you speak to the tens of thousands of Irish tourists who come here every year and find even a small percentage who would not return.
I wouldn't visit Jo'Burg as a tourist, mainly because it's not a nice city and there isn't much to do and aside from some sanitised areas there are a lot more no-go zones than Cape Town or Durban BUT I think most people will use the games there as a reason to visit Kruger which is on the doorstep so there are plus points if we end up there.
Seriously if you have questions or want any advice just PM me, I'll be happy to help/advise.
In slightly unrelated news, I was in Green Point at the weekend where the stadium is really taking shape and I was very drunk, so I had a kip for an hour in the back of my car on a main street in downtown Cape Town at night after dark and I wasn't mugged, raped, beaten to death, necklaced etc.....
Don't believe the negative hype, come and see for yourself

Stadium Pics Inside and out
http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/2010/gallery/PublishingImages/Stadium%20construction/Jan_7_09_c.jpg
http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/2010/gallery/PublishingImages/Stadium%20construction/Jan_7_09_d.jpg

[endabob1]

Very off-topic, sorry, but was out there in November and played a few round at Pearl Valley, fantastic course.

900 zar a round :eek:
You rich Europeans ;)

[superfrank]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7870565.stm

First stadium now done. Still sixteen months to go for the other six being done up.

[endabob1]

http://www.southafrica.info/2010/project2010column38.htm

http://www.shine2010.co.za/goodnews.php?article_id=223

It's all on track!

[endabob1]

http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/2010/gallery/PublishingImages/Stadium%20construction/Feb_14_09_b.jpg

Sorry but just how cool is this picture, Table Mountain & Signal Hill just behind, this is going to be an awesome stadium when finished