February 19, 2010

Despite strikes, South Africa finishes construction on World Cup stadiums

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

Despite construction delays and strikes, tournament organizing chief Danny Jordaan said on Wednesday that there was never any doubt that the stadiums for the first World Cup on African soil would be finished on time.

“We always knew that our stadiums would be ready and not only that, we knew that they would be among the best the world has seen,” Jordaan said in a statement.

South Africa has built five new venues for football’s showpiece event including the Green Point Stadium near Cape Town’s famous waterfront and Durban’s eye-catching Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The Soccer City complex in Johannesburg, which will host the opening game between the hosts and Mexico on June 11 and the final a month later, has been given a major overhaul.

Jordaan said each stadium was a triumph for the country.

“Soccer City is a marvel of design and construction and everyone who has visited this stadium has said it is among the best in the world. Green Point Stadium must have the most picturesque setting of any in the world.”

Construction workers at some of the venues went on strike last year in a dispute over wages raising fears that the first African country to host the football World Cup would not be ready in time.

Associated Press

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