Jordaan awarded at 2010 AIM Summit

Kwazulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize also received recognition for his leadership and vision and for also hosting a unique 2010 programme in his province to make 2010 a lasting legacy. South African National Editor's Forum (SANEF) deputy chair Mary Papayya, who is also the KZN editor of the Sowetan Newspaper, was honoured for her general contribution to journalism excellence and leadership on the African continent.

Media awards

The Living Legend award for soccer excellence went to soccer legend Pele. SA journalists Canaan Mdletshe (Sowetan), Zanele Buthelezi (SABC) and veteran journalist Subry Govender were given special achiever awards for their 2010 reporting. The SA National Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) received honour for the media entity that delivered on its mandate. AIMS office bearers from around the world received certificates for their achievements.

The two-day AIM Summit, organised by the Diaspora African Forum (DAF) and the African Communications Agency (ACA), deliberated the impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on the image of Africa.

"People said we would not be able to host this World Cup, but we delivered. People said we should not bill this as an African World Cup, with all that is going in the African continent, with the famine, civil war, child soldiers," said Jordaan.

"They said we did not have the infrastructure and the technology to deliver an event of this magnitude. Because of this FIFA advised us to have a plan B, but then when the World Cup arrived, and even before it started, it emerged that we were the first country in the world to host the World Cup that delivered on all its infrastructure ahead of time.

World Cup firsts

"It was the first time that the World Cup was broadcast in HD and 3D. It was the first ever in FIFA history that matches were watched on mobile phones - this did not happen at the last Germany World Cup, but in Africa," he added. The SA 2010 World Cup proved to be the one with the lowest crime rate in the history of the event. "They said this World Cup would make FIFA bankrupt, yet 700 million watched the event and it raked in an amount of US$2.5 billion for FIFA. This World Cup debunked all the myths and distortions," he added.

Premier Zweli Mkhize said the 2010 FIFA World Cup was used to market not only Kwazulu-Natal as a province but the whole of Africa and South Africa. "We hosted dignitaries, celebrities and ambassadors. We showcased our province and country not only as a tourism destination but also as one in which international investors could invest. People will remember us for the Vuvuzela that even Chinese people were able to pronounce when they left."

Uniting Africa

He said the greatest achievement of the SA 2010 World Cup was that it united the people of Africa. "We debunked all the myths surrounding Africa. We slayed the dragons of pessimism about Africa. It was pessimism where people thought that nothing worked, there is constant fighting, coups and famine - they never had a reason to praise Africa. Africa is now the envy of many countries who still want to host the World Cup. The SA 2010 World Cup attracted 28 heads of states, 20 of them from Africa - very few countries that have hosted the World Cup can record this," said Mkhize.

"We were honoured to host the fifth summit in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. It was our intention to say thank you to the people of South Africa for organising a first class event in Africa. The event put the African continent on the world stage. The re-branding of Africa is an evolving process that will continue over a period of ten years until Africa is set in a more positive light in the minds of millions," said AU ambassador Dr. Erieka Bennett, head of mission DAF.

The deliberations of the media summit attended by football stars, and media including African and South African journalists, and students, will be tabled before the African Union as part of the process to leverage a more positive image for Africa from all leaders including government and the media.