The South African Spokesperson, Themba Maseko said recently that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will serve as a booster to unite and strengthen the relations between ordinary Africans from across the continent. He made this statement at the 2010 National Communications Partnership forum that "One of the outcomes of the 2010 FIFA World Cup must be to strengthen and unify the ordinary people of Africa from all across the continent, who will then all become ambassadors for the world cup in South Africa...

 Maseko asserted that, every individual must show hospitality to football fans from across the world to ensure that these people return to South Africa. They must be able to share and remember our stories, sculptures, music, scenery and hospitality," said Maseko.

The world cup, he said would give Africans the opportunity to tell the continents untold stories, as opposed to the usual stories of war, famine, disease, poverty and under-development.
Once the 2010 tournament is over, South Africa and Africa would like to see upliftment of tourism, investments and trade as just one of the spin-offs of the world's most watched event.

Maseko highlighted that the success of spreading a positive message, as well as getting South Africans and Africans excited about the world cup was the responsibility of all media and communicators.
In another development, the Chief communications and marketing officer for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) Tim Modise said South Africa has made some landmark impressions and will deliver on all the 17 guarantees to FIFA by 2010, which would cost South African taxpayers R30bn.

"It is estimated that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will inject about R51bn into the South African economy," Mr. Modise.
The majority of visitors to South Africa during the month long event in 2010 will be Africans said Modise, adding that the success of the event hinges on the concerted efforts of all South Africans not the LOC alone.

There has been an adequate provision for Bus Rapid Transport system, Information Technology infrastructure has also been uplifted and Tambo International Airport has been upgraded to the international standard so as to accommodate an increased passengers capacity from 14 to 21 million by 2010," said Modise.