Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Ramatsiyi Moholoa

The Local Organising Committee is not planning any major national celebrations tomorrow to commemorate South Africa's 2010 World Cup bid victory.

Tomorrow is exactly five years since Fifa president Sepp Blatter announced the 2010 World Cup finals will take place in South Africa.

Rich Mkhondo, the LOC's chief communications officer, said yesterday: "We are going to have a staff meeting, which will be addressed by the chief executive officer, Danny Jordaan.

"The CEO will use the opportunity to reflect on the successful journey we have travelled since the announcement was made on May 15 2004.

"There will be no major celebrations, except for a braai. We have done extremely well as the LOC and entire South Africa in the preparations.

"We are not sure if any of the host cities will be having functions to celebrate the day when president Blatter made that historic announcement."

Last year, the national celebrations took place in Mmabatho where LOC chairman Irvin Khoza gave an overview of the preparations.

Jomo Sono, whose club Jomo Cosmos, are back in the Absa Premiership after winning the National First Division title, will also be at the LOC tomorrow as a guest of honour.

Jordaan said they were happy that preparations for both the Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup were well on track.

He again urged South Africans and the corporate world to go out in their numbers and buy tickets for the Confederations Cup taking place from June 14 to 28.

So far, Investec is the only company that has come on board to spend R3,5million for the purchase of 50000 tickets for their staff and clients.