Johannesburg - The ANC has welcomed FIFA's decision to cut prices for South African fans, a spokesperson said on Saturday.
Brian Sokutu called the decision to cut 30% of the tickets in Category 2 and 3 "a step in the right direction".
"With the huge challenge of high levels of poverty and unemployment still facing South Africa we believe the ticket price reduction will go a long way in ensuring affordability," he said.
"While we are fully behind the success of South Africa hosting of the FIFA World Cup, the first in an African soil, we have been concerned about whether many local fans will afford to pay for the tickets."
FIFA announced this week tickets would be re-categorised and the number of seats in Category 4, the cheapest tickets available, would be increased.
Tickets for Category 2 and 3, which cost up to R840 will now be sold to South Africans for only R140.
"Having just emerged from the global economic recession, which has adversely affected several industries and thousands of workers, the fact that one in four adults seeking work is unemployed and almost half our young people have not found work, paints a negative picture," said Sokutu.
Brian Sokutu called the decision to cut 30% of the tickets in Category 2 and 3 "a step in the right direction".
"With the huge challenge of high levels of poverty and unemployment still facing South Africa we believe the ticket price reduction will go a long way in ensuring affordability," he said.
"While we are fully behind the success of South Africa hosting of the FIFA World Cup, the first in an African soil, we have been concerned about whether many local fans will afford to pay for the tickets."
FIFA announced this week tickets would be re-categorised and the number of seats in Category 4, the cheapest tickets available, would be increased.
Tickets for Category 2 and 3, which cost up to R840 will now be sold to South Africans for only R140.
"Having just emerged from the global economic recession, which has adversely affected several industries and thousands of workers, the fact that one in four adults seeking work is unemployed and almost half our young people have not found work, paints a negative picture," said Sokutu.