Zille: We must use Cup lessons

Johannesburg - The lessons of the FIFA Soccer World Cup can be used to improve the justice system and service delivery, Democratic Alliance Leader Helen Zille said on Sunday.

"The lessons of the World Cup extend far beyond sport," she said, citing the example of the 56 dedicated courts set up to deal with cases for the sporting spectacular.

"The results have, apparently, been astounding.

"Within four days of kick-off, 20 cases had been brought before the special courts and four finalised. At this rate, the special World Cup courts will finalise five times more cases per month than normal courts."

Zille said an equally "dramatic" example of rapid delivery was the less than four years it took to build the Cape Town stadium.

"In contrast, a proposed housing development, initiated at the same time as the stadium, is unlikely to be completed until 2013."

Zille said the difference lay with the fact that for these projects there was an "unchangeable deadline".

"The single greatest risk was that we would miss the deadline. We did everything necessary to prevent that risk."

Zille said "immutable deadlines" now needed to be set up in terms of addressing South Africa's social problems.

"If we can learn this lesson from the World Cup, and apply it in a way that does not erode democracy, it will have been more than worth it."

Zille also urged South Africans to stand by Bafana Bafana

"We are not fair-weather fans," she said in a statement.

"Bafana Bafana need our support now more than ever."

She said South Africans needed to begin to build great national teams in every sports code.

"This can only happen if we spot talent at primary school level and develop it systematically."