SOWETO residents are embracing the 2010 Fifa World Cup despite not hosting any of the 64 matches in the popular residential area.
SOWETO residents are embracing the 2010 Fifa World Cup despite not hosting any of the 64 matches in the popular residential area.
The decision to support the World Cup was a resolution taken by community members at a workshop initiated bythe Soweto Football Association at the weekend.
"A resolution was taken at our football indaba on Sunday to urge our people to buy tickets," SFA chief executive Phil "Chippa" Mogodi said.
"The workshop was attended by the ANC, South African National Civics Association and Congress of South African Students Association.
"We are united as residents of Soweto in believing that the World Cup is bigger than individuals, we need to embrace it despite not getting joy from the Local Organising Committee.
"We sent an invite to the LOC to send representatives to address us as Soweto residents on how our township will benefit from the World Cup."
Mogodi said they were going to send a letter to LOC chairperson Irvin Khoza asking for a meeting with him about the World Cup benefits.
"Residents of Soweto also want to know the football development benefits of the World Cup. We want something tangible."
Mogodi announced that the community also backed the call to the South African Football Association to grant Soweto regional status.
"The South African Soccer Legends are also fully behind us. We are serious about the regional status for us in Soweto because we have more than 300 teams."
Soweto soccer clubs, administrators and some of the community members participated in a protest march to Safa head-quarters last month to ask the federation to grant them a regional status.
Unhappy Sowetans back 2010
SOWETO residents are embracing the 2010 Fifa World Cup despite not hosting any of the 64 matches in the popular residential area.
SOWETO residents are embracing the 2010 Fifa World Cup despite not hosting any of the 64 matches in the popular residential area.
The decision to support the World Cup was a resolution taken by community members at a workshop initiated bythe Soweto Football Association at the weekend.
"A resolution was taken at our football indaba on Sunday to urge our people to buy tickets," SFA chief executive Phil "Chippa" Mogodi said.
"The workshop was attended by the ANC, South African National Civics Association and Congress of South African Students Association.
"We are united as residents of Soweto in believing that the World Cup is bigger than individuals, we need to embrace it despite not getting joy from the Local Organising Committee.
"We sent an invite to the LOC to send representatives to address us as Soweto residents on how our township will benefit from the World Cup."
Mogodi said they were going to send a letter to LOC chairperson Irvin Khoza asking for a meeting with him about the World Cup benefits.
"Residents of Soweto also want to know the football development benefits of the World Cup. We want something tangible."
Mogodi announced that the community also backed the call to the South African Football Association to grant Soweto regional status.
"The South African Soccer Legends are also fully behind us. We are serious about the regional status for us in Soweto because we have more than 300 teams."
Soweto soccer clubs, administrators and some of the community members participated in a protest march to Safa head-quarters last month to ask the federation to grant them a regional status.