Beijing - There were doubts just a few weeks ago about South Africa's readiness to hold the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Now doubt may have been replaced by soaring confidence, prompting a top-ranking South African World Cup official on Wednesday to say the 2010 World Cup might surpass any previous one.

"There is sufficient experience in South Africa, there is sufficient experience in Fifa to make sure this is the most successful World Cup," said Dennis Mumble, the chief competitions officer for South Africa's 2010 organising committee.

"I think we can, and I think we will probably do it better, not that the others didn't do it good enough," Mumble added. "Every successive World Cup becomes better than the last one."

Speaking at a soccer convention in China's capital, Mumble's assurances come in the wake to two weeks of contradictions about South Africa's readiness to hold the world's most-watched sports event.

Just over two weeks ago, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said the world governing body had contingency plans in place if South Africa failed to deliver; a severe test for the first African nation to be awarded the World Cup.

Blatter clarified his remarks last week. Barring a natural catastrophe, he said "the World Cup 2010 will not be taken away from South Africa. This is my last statement on that."

Mumble said construction had begun on all stadium venues, and security planning was under way. Even transportation, the biggest question, is on track.

"I think we are a bit ahead of the game in terms of our planning," Mumble said. "We are planning for the event, we are not really ready to host the event yet.

"There is no doubt we are going to be ready with those venues," he added "With the timelines we have, we are very comfortable with the fact that they will be finished."

Mumble added that South Africa's "security services are strong enough and good enough and experienced enough to make sure that we host a safe and secure World Cup."

He said the country was also upgrading rail lines. Getting around by train was very successful in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, and last year in Germany.

"There are certain areas in which we want to use with 2010 a catalyst to upgrade rail service," Mumble said. "There is certainly no shortage of transportation in South African. It's the standard, the quality of transportation on the rail side that government has made a very concerted effort to improve."