The Organising Committee head Danny Jordaan said today (Wednesday) that greater public enthusiasm for the event was needed as the country moved into the final phase of preparation.
Jordaan, Chief Executive Officer of the South African World Cup Organising Committee, said the tournament would be one of the greatest and grandest nation building initiatives ever undertaken since the death of apartheid.
“The challenge is now to mobilise the nation – the country needs each and every South African in their workplaces and their communities to stand up and decide what they are going to do to welcome the world in 2010,” he said in a New Year’s message.
“Every South African must ask himself or herself: What I am doing to be a good host of the 2010 World Cup?”
Jordaan said locals should not lose out on the opportunity to watch some of the world’s best players in their local stadiums.
“Let us not miss the opportunity to marvel, admire and enjoy their skills.”
His remarks come hard on the heels of a heightened campaign launched by Fifa to sell tickets to South Africans, who have been sluggish in purchasing in the first two phase of sales.
Only just over half of the tickets sold to date have been taken up by residents.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter had also previously criticised South Africa for a lack of anticipatory atmosphere in the build-up to the tournament, which takes place from June 11 to July 11 next year.
