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Johannesburg – The World Cup has helped bridge the racial divide in a South Africa still often split by colour lines, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday as the host nation faced a make-or-break match.

"South Africa has never experienced such vibrancy and jubilation since the release of president Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners in 1990," he said in a speech in Johannesburg.

"We are truly excited by the success and the spirit engulfing the country. For the first time ever in the 16 years of freedom and democracy, we see black and white South Africans celebrating together in the stadiums and fan parks."

Bafana Bafana play France on Tuesday in a match that will seal their long-shot bid to make it to the next round.

Even if the national team crashes out, Zuma urged South Africans to focus on ensuring that the final weeks of the tournament go off without a hitch.

"We view the tournament not as an end in itself, but as a catalyst for development whose benefits would be felt long after the final whistle," Zuma said.

"Two weeks into the competition, we can proudly say that everything has gone according to plan with regards to the logistics of the tournament."

"While supporting our national squad, we must also remember that we have a much bigger responsibility. We are hosting this tournament on behalf of the African continent. We must succeed and we are doing exceptionally well so far."

South Africa has been plagued by doubts about its high crime rate and limited public transport ever since the country was named the host six years ago. So far, the main problems have centred on traffic jams around stadiums and a slate of mostly small crimes.