Buffalo City marks 50 days
By Tabisa Mntengwana
26 April 2010
FLAGS flew and people danced in the street when Buffalo City joined the rest of the world in celebrating the 50-day countdown to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
The countdown event was held in front of the East London City Hall, where 32 schoolchildren marched down Oxford Street holding flags representing some of the teams that will participate in the tournament in June. The 50-day mark was on Wednesday, 21 April.
Afro-pop singer Pearl of Africa led the singing of the national anthem. Then the portfolio head for public participation, Thembisa Nondala, welcomed the guests. “This is an event for the whole country to remember and I hope you also mark it as a milestone to South Africa’s successes,” she said.
Diski dancers sprang into action, teaching the crowd the moves. Guests were given hats, vuvuzelas and T-shirts to build enthusiasm for the World Cup.
The 50-day countdown in Buffalo City was organised by the municipality and the district municipality, Amathole, in a joint venture to gear up for the coming tournament. Nondala thanked the organisers and stakeholders who had made the day possible for soccer lovers, uniting them to celebrate the day together in one place.
The World Cup takes place between 11 June and 11 July, with matches being played at 10 different venues around the country, including at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Some 2,2 million tickets have already been sold for the 64-match tournament.
Speaking to the crowd in front of the City Hall, Executive Mayor Zukisa Faku said: “We are gathered here today to mark 50 days before the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ tournament and as a city we stand tall and make a bold statement to the football bosses both international and local that even at this late hour we can easily live up to their expectations.”
The 50-day mark before the kickoff gave the city ample reason to join the chorus of celebration in the country, she added.
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