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Unveiling of 2010 count-down clock
EAST LONDON AIRPORT
REMARKS BY BUFFALO CITY
EXECUTIVE MAYOR ZINTLE PETER
- Honourable MEC for Sport in the Eastern Cape Province, Mrs Noxolo Abraham-Ntantiso (if present)
- Regional Manager of First National Bank, Mr Sabatha Mbalekwa
- Officials of the provincial Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts & Culture as well as Buffalo City Municipality
- Honoured Guests
- Members of the Media
- Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a pleasure for me as the Executive Mayor of Buffalo City to see you all here today on the occasion of the unveiling of Buffalo City's own 2010 "Count-down Clock". Thank you especially to MEC Noxolo Abraham-Ntantiso for joining us and gracing the occasion with her presence.
For me the unveiling of this clock is a significant moment on our road to 2010.
It is significant because although Buffalo City did not succeed in winning the first prize of hosting 2010 matches, we have still set our sights on gaining meaningful economic benefits from the road to 2010, from the event itself and beyond.
As we look at the challenges faced by other cities in meeting the rising costs of constructing new stadiums, and as they begin to wrestle with the very serious questions that must be answered about the viability of the facilities after the World Cup, we have adopted the view that if we had won the right to host one or two World Cup matches, it may in fact have turned out to be a mixed blessing for Buffalo City.
We rather hold the view that the longer-term economic benefits of 2010 do not lie primarily in the new stadiums that are being built, but rather in the refurbishment or development of economically productive infrastructure that will make our country into a more attractive tourist and investment destination after 2010.
This is where we believe that Buffalo City is quite well-placed nationally. We do not see 2010 as an event nor as an end in itself.
In offering ourselves for consideration as a "base camp" and possible training venue for one of the teams, we have committed ourselves as the municipality to making the necessary moderate investment in our facilities that will put us in a good position to build on our profile as a preferred destination for sports tourism in South Africa.
We have noticed a growing trend over the past few years that has favoured Buffalo City as the venue of choice in a number of sporting codes, from hockey to swimming to yachting.
Besides the obvious attractions of the beautiful coastal environment, we believe the reason for our increasing popularity is largely due to the money we have spent over the past five years on upgrading our sports facilities.
We have hosted a number of national and international competitions with great success, and are looking forward to hosting more soon (such as the Ironman 70.3 early next year). Tournament organizers and competitors always speak very positively about what the city has to offer in comparison with the major urban centres of the country.
Besides investing to ensure that our facilities meet the required standards, we have also been proactive in establishing the Buffalo City Development Agency. This is a municipal entity that has a mandate in its first phase of operation to attract new money into our coastal precinct.
Before 2010, we want to see an esplanade between the IDZ and the Quinera River that is well on the way to being holistically upgraded and visibly transformed.
The first consortium of investors has got us off to an excellent start with a planned development to the value of more than R750 million on the "Old Caravan Park" site next to Buffalo Park Cricket Ground.
We have also established a 2010 Steering Committee that is chaired by Mayoral Committee member Councillor Mhleli Matika, and following the elevation of Mr Vuyo Zambodla to the office of a Director in the municipal administration, I am pleased to announce that we have now appointed Mr Roy Young as the new Buffalo City 2010 Co-ordinator.
Our 2010 Steering Committee is also looking seriously at the possibility of establishing what is known as a "fan-park" in Buffalo City, where soccer fans can get together to watch matches on a high-resolution large television screen. These facilities have proved very popular in other countries where soccer fans who are not able to get tickets for a match still want to get together and watch the match at a central venue.
With all of these developments, we are very hopeful that we are on track to be positively favoured as a base camp and training venue.
We are confident also that Buffalo City stands to gain significantly in the long term from the media focus on South Africa generally as a world-class tourist destination.
Every time we pass through this airport, this "Count-down Clock" will serve to remind us that time is not going to wait for us to get ready for the big day. It should therefore focus all of our minds, not only those of us in provincial or local government but also in the private sector, particularly the hospitality industry.
Estimates of the number of visitors that are due in South Africa range from 350,000 to 500,000 during the tournament alone, with millions more in the years that would follow from the positive international exposure of a successful World Cup. It is therefore a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to market and brand the city internationally, with the potential to generate economic momentum, job-creation and growth
Ladies and gentlemen, time marches on, and those who seize the day and grasp their opportunities now will be the ones who will be able to benefit from the future.
The erection of this clock is a testament to the commitment of the private sector to work with other role-players towards our mutual benefit and advantage. We must therefore offer a word of appreciation to First National Bank and its Regional Director, Mr Sabatha Mbalekwa, for the generous sponsorship that has made it possible.
We trust it is a sign of things to come as together we work to find creative ways to grasp these opportunities, for the good of Buffalo City and all its people.
I thank you.
N.C. Peter
Executive Mayor,
Buffalo City Municipality
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