Oct 24, 2006, 13:51 GMT
Cape Town, South Africa - South African President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday said it was 'kick-off' time for the real hard work of preparing to make the World Cup football tournament in 2010 a success.
He was speaking at a 'kick-off' workshop hosted by world football body FIFA in the city of Cape Town and attended by FIFA executives, officials from the World Cup Local Organising Committee, commercial partners of the events and officials from cities around the country that will host matches.
'It is indeed kick-off time for the real work, the real hard work, of making the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup the most successful of all,' Mbeki told the gathering.
He also assured the visiting Fifa delegation - that included executive member Dr Amos Adamu who was reportedly standing in for ill FIFA President Joseph Blatter - that the government of South Africa would spare no effort in hosting the event and making sure that it takes place on time and, 'preferably ahead of schedule'.
South Africa's ability to host the tournament has become a point for debate internationally with anticipated problems such as ensuring the personal safety of an estimated 400,000 foreign visitors and questions over whether stadiums and transport infrastructure will be construction in time.
Local football organisers have dismissed criticism, saying plans were on track and that as the first African nation to host the event, South Africa was determined to prove 'doomsayers' wrong.
Earlier this week, transport authorities announced a multi-million dollar progamme that will see an overhaul of the country's air, road and rail systems.
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