South Africa’s World Cup venues are ‘white elephants’
December 15th, 2009 - 5:16 pm ICT by ANICape Town (S. Africa), Dec.15 (ANI): Critics say South Africa has wasted resources on stadia to be used for the World Cup next year.
A jubilant Cape Town last night took delivery of its spectacular 370 million pound World Cup stadium.
However, officials faced claims that the country has wasted resources on state-of-the-art sports facilities that will be white elephants after the final whistle is blown.
The 68,000-seat Cape Town stadium, which has taken 2,500 workers less than three years to build, was formally handed over by the contractors to mayor Dan Plato.
Eight World Cup matches will be played there next June and July, including one semi-final.
The seaside stadium, which has 37,000 sq metres of glass roofing to protect spectators from the elements, is Cape Town’s most expensive building ever.
Its completion comes amid mounting claims that South Africa - where half the population still survives on an average of 130 pounds a month - has mortgaged itself to the hilt to host a football spectacular that will bring little benefit to its people.The country has built six new stadiums and refurbished four others to meet the specifications of football’s governing body, FIFA. (ANI)
- Future dim for South Africa's World Cup stadia - Jul 09, 2010
- South Africa mulling over use of World Cup stadiums - Jul 12, 2010
- 'Guards' strikes will not jeopardise World Cup security' - Jun 16, 2010
- South Africa accused of 'cleansing' impoverished residents in WC beautification drive - Jun 11, 2010
- Putin urges fans to help tourists at World Cup - Jan 20, 2012
- 2010 World Cup condom branding is 'nuts': Cape Town mayor - Dec 22, 2009
- Cape Town gets set to give fitting, emotional farewell to Ntini - Jan 09, 2011
- FIFA investigators in SA to probe match fixing - Mar 02, 2012
- David Beckham pops in for tea with Desmond Tutu - Jun 18, 2010
- World cup hosts Russia better organised than Brazil: Blatter - Jan 21, 2012
- Merkel to see Germany-Argentina match - Jun 29, 2010
- Kallis is the most sought after South African - Feb 24, 2011
- South African cricket to undergo review following WC quarterfinal exit - Mar 28, 2011
- Plaudits for 68 000-seater Cape Town football stadium - Jun 12, 2010
- Roosters make presence felt at FIFA match between France, Uruguay - Jun 14, 2010
Tags: art sports, body fifa, cape town, governing body, hilt, less than three years, new stadiums, plato, roofing, south africa, spectators, sports facilities, sq metres, stadia, state of the art, whistle, white elephants, world cup matches, world cup stadium, world cup venues