2010 concert: FIFA, LOC slam ‘short-sighted' critics

“It is also wrong to say that FIFA is only here to make money out of the concert. I want to state clearly that this concert cost FIFA a lot of money, especially with regard to bringing in international singers,” Valcke said.

“Yes, this is Africa's World Cup, but it is also an international event. And whatever I am hearing and reading, I close my eyes and ears and I will just say I am sorry because it is too late.”

The line-up

Since the concert's line-up was announced on March 17, FIFA has come up for a lot of criticism from various quarters, including politicians, for ‘putting foreign artists first' and ‘overlooking' and ‘undermining' local artists.

As things stand, the concert's line-up includes the likes of Alicia Keys, Amadou & Mariam, Angelique Kidjo, the Black Eyed Peas, BLK JKS, John Legend, Juanes, Shakira, The Parlotones, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré, and Vusi Mahlasela.

The concert takes place on 10 June at 8pm at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg.

Local Organising Committee chairman Irvin Khoza said his organisation had engaged with the minister of arts and culture and the Creative Workers, and they agreed that a decision will be made on 12 April whether or not to add more local artists to the line-up.

“This is a FIFA-generated event and it must have an international character,” Khoza pointed out.

Be good hosts

LOC CEO Danny Jordaan said: “We should not cut ourselves from the international community. The World Cup must reintegrate South Africa into the global community.

“All of us must act as good hosts so that when the tournament ends on 12 July, everyone, including the media, leaves the country satisfied about the hospitality.”

When asked whether an eventual ‘race war' - apparently to be unleashed by the Afrikaner resistance movement (AWB) to ‘avenge' the gruesome killing of their leader Eugene Terre'Blanche - will affect the tournament, Jordaan diplomatically evaded the question, saying that will not happen in SA.

Hurdles overcome

Furthermore, Jordaan said that his organisation is in ‘good financial health' and ready to deliver the tournament within budget, dismissing earlier reports that LOC will run out of money and will fail to deliver the World Cup.

“I am happy to announce that out of our FIFA-approved budget of US$423 million (about R3.073 billion), we have only spent 32% and left with 68% which will serve us well with 63 days left to deliver the World Cup,” he said.

The organisation, which has just released its 2008-2009 annual report, said it is now in good space to host the tournament.

Both FIFA and LOC said all major hurdles have been overcome, including the last major inspection tour of stadiums that showed a ‘nearly-perfect' state of pitches, and all designated stadiums will undergo winter species grass seeding.

Jordan also said that contrary to 2003 forecasts that close to half-million foreign visitors will come to SA for the World Cup, that number has now being estimated to 350 000 due to the global economic crisis and the high price of flying to SA.