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Pessimism about World Cup grows
Most South Africans are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the 2010
World Cup being held in South Africa, a survey has shown.
Only 40 percent of people surveyed in Pretoria by TNS Research Surveys
said South Africa would be ready.
This was less than the overall average of 45 percent countrywide who said
they felt South Africa would be ready.
The results showed that most respondents were becoming increasingly pessimistic
about the World Cup being held in South Africa, TNS's Neil Higgs said.
Higgs said the majority of people - 87 percent - said a successful World
Cup was "of vital importance to South Africa".
The most positive respondents - 64 percent - were from East London.
Elsewhere, people were less optimistic. Only 30 percent of Bloemfontein
residents said they thought South Africa could host the competition, a
big drop from 60 percent in 2006 and 63 percent last year.
In Johannesburg, only 48 percent said South Africa would be ready - down
from 68 percent last year.
In 2006 and 2007, 52 percent of Capetonians thought South Africa would
be ready, compared with 48 percent this year.
Other surveys indicated that power cuts, interest rate hikes and rising
inflation could be contributing to South Africans' negative sentiments
about the World Cup, TNS said.
Last year, 61 percent of Durban residents said they believed South Africa
could host the World Cup in 2010. This year, only 37 percent thought the
country would be ready.
Meanwhile, Sapa reports that the army, navy, police and airforce will
descend on Port Elizabeth later this month to conduct a training exercise
ahead of the soccer tournament.
The agency quoted police spokesperson Sally de Beer as saying that "Exercise
Shield", to run between July 27 and August 3, would be a practice
run for securing the airspace, maritime environment and other strategic
areas. "There will be a great deal of activity with a number of uniformed
members, vehicles, aircraft and vessels in and around the city, its airport
and harbour."
The
Star, 17 July 2008
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