In the days following Jacob Zuma’s rise to political power, one might forget an upcoming event that will change the way the world views South Africa henceforth - Fifa World Cup 2010. The event is one of the largest sporting spectaculars in the world, and the sport has perhaps the most incensed fan-base out of any. Let us go over the precautions South Africa’s new government must undertake to ensure World Cup 2010 is viewed historically as a pivotal step forward for a geo-political power player leading a continent on the rise as opposed to a foreigner haven for a mere few days in a valley of civil unrest, hooliganism run rampant, power cuts and an ideology inserted through infrastructure reform. 

Easy start - the threat of violence. Clearly international bodies, and indeed even Fifa, must be concerned that a lack of security stability may be what leads to the event’s downfall in the eyes of the world.

Soccer by nature has instilled patriotism to an extreme, in my mind ludicrous degree, and combined with a mixture of heat and alcohol, could lead to panic rather than profit on the streets of South Africa. Given the nation’s notoriously high crime rate, concerns have already been raised about security, although they tend to be more focused on fan safety during the tournament. Although certainly a pivotal event for the nation and a catalyst for increased tourism, the onus is clearly on government to ensure the experience for travelers and South Africa’s citizenry is a positive and controlled one.

Power cuts. Concerns about power blackouts, which virtually paralysed South Africa is 2008 , appear to have been addressed by the national energy regulator, Eskom. Generators are being installed in every stadium, while the power grid is undergoing heavy surveilance to ensure the country does not suffer the embarrassment of power cuts in the eyes of the world. In an era of rising geo-political players, there is no time to show weakness, especially when the international microscope is planted firmly in Port Elizabeth.

Political risk indeed plays a large role and serves as the ultimate precursor to the event. Recently, our blog commented on the Dalai Lama being banned from visiting South Africa, apparently due to the upcoming World Cup. Clearly, this was due to pressure emanating from China, and with their large investment in infrastructure, there indefinitely seems to be a continent-wide strategy to win over hearts and minds. Foreign investors need to take heed that they may no longer be dealing with an ANC-led government, but indeed a southern extension of China’s growing political power. To better equip one’s self before investment, precaution and further study of Chinese corporate integration must be undertaken in order to become acquainted with South African contemporary economic and indeed social policy. 

Truly the onus will be on government officials to showcase South Africa’s independence and leadership of a continent on the rise, no longer pigeon-holed in a role of nations in need. There may be no greater showcase, no greater symbol of a dynamic shift in geopolitics than that of Fifa’s World Cup 2010.