We were there
The CEO of Cell C, Lars Reichelt, decided to give the company's 800+ VIP Hospitality tickets for the World Cup to underprivileged school learners, who under normal circumstances would not have had the opportunity to watch a game live. In addition to the suite tickets, the company will also put these children up in hotels around the country and some will even be flown to the match cities. The children were selected based on their performance - academically, arts and culture and sports.
In total, the company will host 28 groups of school children, 4 groups from children's homes from various regions and 4 community soccer teams, chosen from the company's sponsored tournament.
Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) has a Visitor Review site, which is hosted in partnership with Digital Visitor, who hosts similar sites for Britain as well as England's tourism authorities. Reportedly a first for South Africa, visitors to Cape Town and the Western Cape can now post comments, videos and photos of their holidays and experiences in nine different categories for reviews, which include the six regions as well as World Cup specific attractions and events.
"Visitors are flooding in from every corner of the country and we want to share in their experience of our wonderful destination. Not only will this give us insight into our guests, but it also provides a platform for them to share their experiences of Cape Town and the Western Cape with an audience beyond their friends and family," say Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO of CTRU, destination marketing organisation for Cape Town and the Western Cape. View the website on www.visitorreview.com/tourismcapetown.
For the duration of the 2010 World Cup, the Gauteng province has set up several entertainment precincts in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Metsweding, West Rand and Sedibeng to present and co-ordinate live performances from local and international musicians, DJs from almost every genre, comedy, poetry and other forms of entertainment.
The theatre programme, Gauteng Alternative Space, presented by the Southern African Theatre Initiative, will also be running in the same precincts showcasing stage actors, directors, play writers, directors and all the other elements that form a piece of theatre art. The performance topics range from teaching tolerance, respect and women's empowerment, to the importance of the World Cup and tackling social issues. The performances also form part of a skills development programme in the arts.
The Tshwane FIFA Fan Fest at Centurion Cricket Ground offers fans more than just the soccer, it's also a line-up of live performances from a variety of South African artists. Heading the bill is HHP's collaboration with PJ Powers as they belt out their captivating hit song Jabulani. The City has also installed a giant makarapa not just for the many thousands of soccer fans to sign, but also as a legacy that will demonstrate the status of Tshwane as the City of Champions.
