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Africa
Travel Newsletters > World Cup 2010 Host Cities
1. 2010 FIFA World Cup: A Brief Review of South Africa's Host Cities
The countdown to the soccer World Cup scheduled to be held in South Africa has begun. Dubbed 2010 FIFA World Cup, the world's most watched sports event will kick off at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg on June 11, 2010.
The month-long FIFA World Cup - which takes place every four years - is not just an occasion to watch soccer giants battling for gold, but it is also an ideal opportunity for people from around the world to discover a bit of South Africa. The event is expected to draw 400,000 foreign visitors to the country. As excitement builds in the countdown to the first World Cup in Africa, we review in brief the nine World Cup cities of South Africa.
Johannesburg
Located at an elevation of 1,753 metres on the eastern high-lying plateau in South Africa referred to as the Highveld, Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and the capital of Gauteng - the wealthiest province in the country. The city, also popularly known as Jozi or Joburg, is the business capital of South Africa – contributing about 16 per cent of the country's GDP and over 40 per cent of Gauteng's economic activity.
Johannesburg became a city in 1886, at the beginning of the Witwatersrand Gold Rush. It is today one of the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the world. It is also one of Africa's only two global cities. Joburg is served by O.R. Tambo International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Africa and the main gateway for international South Africa flights to and from the rest of southern Africa. Other airports serving Johannesburg include Grand Central Airport, Lanseria and Rand Airport.
Johannesburg enjoys a dry, sunny climate, with fairly mild temperatures due to the city's high altitude. Winter temperatures range from 24°-16°C while Summer sees temperatures exceeding 30°C. Occasional afternoon thunderstorms occur in the Summer months of October through to April. During Winter, temperature occasionally drops to below freezing at night causing frost.
Snow is, however, rarely experienced in Johannesburg. South Africa snowfall records indicate that snow was experienced in May 1956, August 1962, June 1964, September 1981 and August 2006. The latest snowfall event occurred on 27 June 2007 where snow accumulating up to 10 centimeters was recorded in the southern neighbourhoods. Johannesburg has an annual average rainfall of 713 mm, much of which is concentrated in the summer months.
The relatively dry climate notwithstanding, Johannesburg boasts over 10.5 million trees, now the world's largest man-made forest, followed by Graskop in Mpumalanga. These trees were planted in the northern areas of the city towards the end of the 19th century with the aim to supply wood for the lucrative mining industry.
Johannesburg has a population of 3.2 million - with Black Africans accounting for 73 per cent of the city's population, followed by whites at 16 per cent, coloureds at 6 per cent and Asians at 4 per cent. The most widely spoken local languages in Johannesburg are Nguni and Sotho; with 32 percent and 24 percent of the residents using the two languages respectively.
Architecturally speaking, Johannesburg has most of the tallest buildings in Africa including the Carlton Centre, Hillbrow Tower and Sentech Tower. The city also hosts numerous leading local and international firms such as Nedbank, Standard Bank, IBM, First National Bank, Absa and BHP Billiton.
Although Johannesburg is not a particularly popular tourism destination, the city remains relevant in the South African tourism sector as it is the hub for connecting flights to Durban, Cape Town, and the Kruger National Park- all very popular destinations with tourists. Most international visitors on South Africa tours pass through Johannesburg at least once during their visit to the country.
While in Johannesburg, tourists are bound to be fascinated by the cultural wealth displayed in the numerous museums in the city. These museums include Constitution Hill, Hector Pieterson Museum and the Apartheid Museum. A large amusement park situated to the south of the Central Business District is also a huge draw for tourists in Johannesburg and so is the close by Cradle of Humankind - a UNESCO World Heritage site encompassing the Sterkfontein caves -the site where the oldest hominoid skeletons were found.
Cape Town
.jpg) Located in South Africa's most western point with the iconic Table Mountain in the backyard, Cape Town is said to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. The city's pristine beaches, enchanting sunsets and some of the world's bluest skies have placed the city in the front ranks of world's leading retreat centres. It is therefore not surprising that Cape Town has been voted one of top cities in the world and the best travel destination in Africa and Middle East.
The flat topped Table Mountain that towers 1,086 m above the city dwarfs even the tallest skyscrapers in the city's Central Business District. The mountain is visible 200km out to sea has for a long time served as a mariners' landmark.
In addition to being voted the most beautiful city in Africa, Cape Town is reputed to be the most open-minded and relaxed city in South Africa and is one of the safest cities in Africa for visitors. The city is the legislative capital of South Africa, and has enjoyed this honour since 1910.
Cape Town travel is a rewarding experience for everyone. Nature lovers, for instance, can enjoy the unique beauty of the Cape Floral region, one of South Africa's seven World Heritage Sites or watch the African Penguins as they swim and breed at Boulders Beach. History lovers can step back in time in the city's excellent museums, monuments and heritage sites such as Robben Island and the South Africa Museum.
Arts and theatre enthusiasts can enjoy the many and diverse art galleries, craft markets and theatres that abound in the city; while business travellers can enjoy excellent conference facilities and team building venues in Cape Town.
The Victoria and Albert Waterfront- a trendy shopping and entertainment complex is situated towards the north of the Cape Town city center. The shopping centre has numerous art galleries, restaurants, art and craft shops, cinemas, taverns, theatres and an aquarium.
Cape Town is well connected to one of South Africa's most popular travel destinations; namely the Garden Route. The Garden Route is the southern coastal area starting west of Cape Town at Swellendam and ending at Humansdorp, just a short distance before Port Elizabeth. A Garden Route tour is perhaps the most scenic adventure you will ever make. Here, you encounter wide beaches, soaring cliffs, semi desert, rocky coves, rain forests, rugged mountains and tranquil lakes.
The Garden Route is ideal for watersports and the weather allows this throughout the year. There are also numerous golf courses in the Garden Route area and Cape Town. The Western Cape area is a well-known wine-producing region, and there are several tours available along the 'wine route'.
The best period to visit the Cape region is over the summer months of November-February. The rest of the year is normally cool, rainy and windy. A lot of people then find it quite hard to engage in swimming and water sports. There is a wide array of accommodation in Cape Town and the Garden Route area. Top range 5 star hotels and other rated Cape Town hotels are found throughout the region.
Other accommodation options in Cape Town include guesthouses, motels, bed and breakfasts, beach cottages, farm holidays, bungalows as well as holiday flats. The Cape region is today a much sought after destination and advance booking is necessary during the October-April summer season. If you plan well in advance, it is possible to get good value and affordable vacation stay. Flights from Cape Town to Johannesburg are the easiest means by which to reach the city, although a few visitors prefer using commuter trains.
Durban
The mix of sounds and scents which infuse Durban hints at the port city's intense gust for life. Durban, the busiest port on the continent, is the third most populous city in South Africa and the largest city in Kwazulu-Natal.
Durban has a mild subtropical climate with warm wet summers and mild moist to dry winters frost-free winters. But due to large altitude variations, some western suburbs get extremely cold during the winter. The city has an annual average rainfall of about 1,009mm.
Although it lost its holiday pre-eminence to Cape Town a few decades ago, Durban remains popular among domestic tourists. Durban is an ideal spot from which to explore two of South Africa's most famous UNESCO World Heritage sites; the Ukahlamba/Drakensberg National Park and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.
The Ukahlamba/Drakensberg National Park has blue mountains and the largest concentration of rock paintings in the region while the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park boasts a variety of landforms such as coastal dunes, swamps, reed, coral reefs and papyrus wetlands. The city is also the gateway to the Zulu Kingdom, where visitors can experience the riches of Zulu culture.
In addition to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, six other cities in South Africa cities will share the glory of hosting the FIFA 2010 World Cup. These are: Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Rustenburg, and Pretoria. Each of these cities has its own unique attractions that are worth exploration.
Situated in the central interior of South Africa, Bloemfontein, also known as Mangaung, is the judicial capital of South Africa and the capital of the Free State Province. The city has a rich culture and history, reflected by its numerous museums, monuments and incredibly rich architectural heritage. Bloemfontein is an ideal place to start your discovery tour of the Free State Province.
Also referred to as Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth is a busy port city and the motor industry capital of South Africa. The city has 40 kilometres of pristine beaches in a protected bay – ideal for water activities, thus making it the water sports capital of South Africa. Port Elizabeth is an excellent place form which to explore the attractions of the Eastern Cape.
At the centre of the Mpumalanga Province is Nelspruit, the provincial capital, which is situated in the local municipality of Mbombela. The area has a flourishing fruit industry and numerous waterfalls and it is a good base for discovering the near by Limpopo Trans-frontier Park, which incorporates the Kruger National Park (South Africa), Limpopo National Park (Mozambique) and Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe).
Polokwane, situated at the heart of Limpopo Province bordering three of South Africa's neighbours – Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique - is the economic and cultural hub of Limpopo. Lovers of history are fascinated by the Polokwanwe Museum where artifacts from the Stone and Iron ages are preserved. The city is the base from which to start adventure excursions and hiking trails in the Polokwane Game Reserve.
Located in the North West Province, 30 kilometres from the Sun City, Rustenburg region is rich in mineral wealth and it is where most of the world's platinum is mined– thus claiming the title of the platinum capital of the world. The Hartebeesport Dam, situated just 40 minutes from Rustenburg, is a getaway for many people.
Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, boasts a rich heritage reflected in the city's numerous museums and monuments. Placed between rocky ridges in the north eastern part of the country, the city is in the transitional area between tropical savannah and the Highveld plateau.
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