accommodation
IOL: 2010 World Cup
  • Former French coach blasted in report
    A report on the one-day mutiny by France's international football side during this year's World Cup has reserved harsh criticism for former coach Raymond Domenech
  • Minister wants R90m for WC cops
    Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa is claiming nearly R90-million from the LOC to cover payments for the hundreds of police who stepped in when private security guards went on strike during the World Cup.
  • Robben possibly out for the year
    Dutch winger Arjen Robben could be out for the rest of the year as he struggles to recover from a thigh injury he picked up at the World Cup.
  • Evra appeals suspension
    The lawyer for former France captain Patrice Evra says his client is appealing his five-game suspension, the punishment for the team's boycott of a training session at the World Cup.

Sponsored Links

Accommodation

Cape Town
Hallo daar

S American hopefuls to face the Dutch in semi-final PDF 
Monday, 05 July 2010 14:55

Pretoria - The only South American survivors in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Uruguay, will face the Netherlands in a semi-final clash in Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday.

Uruguay advanced to the last four following a controversial Luis Suarez hand ball on the goal- line in the dying minutes of extra time in the quarter-final against Ghana.

And, for their part, the Oranje caused a stir last Friday when they defeated five-time World champions, Brazil 2-1 in their last eight match, at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.

Ranked number 16 in the FIFA World rankings, Uruguay will come into this crucial match as the underdogs. The fourth-ranked Dutch team was booted out in the World Cup semi-finals by both Germany and Argentina in 1974 and 1978 respectively.

The Netherlands is on a 24-match unbeaten run and is in its first World Cup semi-final since 1998 in France, when it lost on penalties to Brazil.

Uruguay won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, but last reached a semifinal in 1970 when the team finished in fourth place.

Although, Suarez will miss out on this important encounter, the South American side can still upset the Dutch with their star striker, Diego Forlan, who has scored three goals at this tournament.

The Oranje head coach, Bert Van Marwijk and Oscar Tabarez of Uruguay will have to make changes to their starting line-ups due to suspensions and injuries.

Uruguay defender, Jorge Fucile received a one match ban after picking up a second yellow card against Ghana, while central defender Diego Godin, who missed the quarter-final as a result of a left thigh problem, remains doubtful.

The team's skipper, Diego Lugano who sustained a right knee ligament during their hard-fought victory against the Black Stars, is still battling to be fit. On the other hand, Van Marwijk will have to restructure his defence which at times has been called sloppy.

Gregory van der Wiel and defensive midfielder, Nigel de Jong are both on suspension after collecting their second yellow cards during their match against Brazil.

Joris Mathijsen was declared fit to play this crucial semi-final match. Mathijsen recovered from a knee injury that saw him missing out on the quarter-finals.

With four goals to his name, sensational Dutch midfielder, Wesley Sneijder who scored two goals to send Brazil home, is also expected to cause a bit of havoc for Uruguay.

The kick-off of this semi-final match is 20:30.

The other semi-final match will be between European champions, Spain and Germany at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday at 20:30.

Source: BuaNews   

 
Cape shows first signs of World Cup economic success PDF 
Tuesday, 22 June 2010 22:45

Cape Town - Initial surveys and research show that Cape Town restaurants, informal traders, hotels and shopping malls are experiencing better than usual business over the winter period, as foreign football fans are flocking to the city for the biggest soccer tourney.

Overall, the business activity in Cape Town seems to have picked up since the arrival of the first team in the country, said Mansoor Mohamed, Executive Director: Economic and Social Development and Tourism for the City of Cape Town. 

"The V&A Waterfront shopping mall has seen a record increase in the amount of visitors in the first week of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Suburban shopping malls in Cape Town like Cavendish, Century City and Tygervalley have also seen a spike in sales. The restaurants in Cape Town are also doing better than expected trade, with some even beating their actual Christmas figures."

Most of the Municipal Markets in Cape Town, for example Greenmarket Square, the Grand Parade, Green Point and Mitchells Plain, have seen a significant boost in trading activity since the start of the World Cup ten days ago. 

"Informal traders have been well prepared by the City of Cape Town's economic unit to take advantage of the World Cup visitor numbers," Mohamed said.

Initial surveys are showing that the accommodation numbers for Cape Town thus far are generally lower than expected, except for budget accommodation, which is looking promising. 

Although the more expensive hotels in Cape Town are experiencing lower than expected occupancy (under 20% to 40%), it is still a bumper season compared to last year, said Mohamed. 

The city is expecting higher accommodation numbers towards the end of the World Cup, as people come down from Johannesburg to enjoy the last part of their South African holiday in Cape Town. 

"Cape Town has won the 'Oscars' of the Travel Industry (World Travel Awards) as the leading tourism destination on the African continent for two consecutive years in a row. 

More recently, it won the prestigious award of being the best destination worldwide for Responsible Tourism (2009 Virgin Responsible Tourism Awards). 

"These awards are the culmination of strategic partnerships between the city, its tourism agencies and the tourism industry. 

"This is why Cape Town has been a destination of choice for many of the international visitors in the country for the World Cup and we expect an increase in the number of international visitors as the tournament progresses," Mohamed added.

Even though less people than expected seem to be coming to Cape Town during the tournament, early economic research suggests that tourists are staying for longer periods and are spending more. A recent Grant Thornton Study on the economic impact of the World Cup supports these findings. 

"If visitor numbers are down 20% from our initial estimates, but those who do come spend 20% more and stay three days longer than originally anticipated, we will see an increase of nearly 40% in the expected economic impact that the tournament will have, which is very encouraging," said Mohamed. 

Mohamed emphasised that these findings are only based on initial surveys and that the true economic impact of the World Cup will only be established by comprehensive research following the end of the tournament. 

He is, however, confident that Cape Town will benefit from the World Cup in the next few decades to come. 

"The World Cup is the single most important event for South Africa and the African continent in recent time. It is positively changing the world's perceptions about Africa. 

"The socio-economic benefits of the World Cup will be felt for a very long time and it is therefore important that government and businesses develop strategic partnerships to reap the benefits of this tournament over the next 20 years."

 Source: BuaNews

 
Portugal annihilate Chollimas PDF 
Monday, 21 June 2010 21:55

Cape Town - Portugal today blasted North Korea out of the World Cup with a 7-nil drubbing, notching up one of the biggest whitewashes in the history of the competition.

Portugal's win tops the 4-nil triumph by Germany over Australia last week and is also one of the biggest whitewashes since the 1974 match in West Germany, when Yugoslavia beat Zaire 9-nil at Park Stadium, Gelsenkirchen - an all time record for the highest goal difference in a World Cup match.

North Korea started well in the first half, making several dashes at the goals, and looked a very different side to the one that faced Brazil last Tuesday, when the Asian team clung tightly to a defensive strategy.

The Chollimas missed several chances at goal and ended the first half 1-nil down, with Portugal's Raul Meireles opening the scoring in the 29th minute. 

But it was in the second half that the Iberian team let loose, sending cheering fans into a ballistic stupor as they swept past the North Koreans in a goal frenzy which saw them netting three goals in just 10 minutes.

First was Simao, who slipped the ball past North Korean goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk in the 53rd minute.

Three minutes later Hugo Almeida headed the ball in to take the score to 3-nil and when fans were barely recovering from screaming their lungs out - Tiago, seven minutes later, added his name to the Iberian team's scoring log by knocking a goal in too.

The action didn't stop there, when Liedson scored off a pass from Duda in the closing minutes of the game, with the world's most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo taking it to 6-0.

Two minutes later Tiago took the final score to 7-nil in the 89th minute.

Despite hundreds of open seats at the start of today's match, the game proved to be one of the loudest in Cape Town so far, with fans answering one another at opposite ends of the stadium with rhythmic vuvuzela blasts.

"It's historical because it's such a huge score," said an excited Portuguese fan, Brito Ferreira from Lisbon.

Ferreira said he was pleasantly "astonished" about Cape Town because it shared a similar climate to that of Portugal. 

Man of the match, Ronaldo, thanked the fans and commented that his goal was "funny", but added "I'm happy, a goal is a goal".

Portugal's last encounter with North Korea took place in 1966 in Liverpool and it was a very different match when the Iberians had to claw their way back from being three-nil down to beat the Asian team 5-3.

North Korea's coach Kim Jong Hun said the team would have to rethink its strategy in the final group game against the Ivory Coast.

"As a coach I think it was my fault for not playing the right strategy, that's why we conceded so many goals," he said. 

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz commended the clean way the North Koreans played today and said his colleague should not be deterred "as these things happen". 

"I hope that North Korea can at least score one point in this tournament, with their performance so far," said Queiroz.

 Source: BuaNews

 
City's Fan Fest all set to connect the world PDF 
Wednesday, 09 June 2010 14:57

Cape Town - With just two days until kick-off to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Mother City's FIFA Fan Fest is all set to connect football fans globally across South Africa and five continents.

The city has set up four fan parks, namely the Oliver Tambo Sports Centre, holding 7 000 people, Swartklip Sports Complex in Mitchells Plain (2 000 people), Belville Velodrome (7 500 people), and Vygieskraal at Athlone Civic Centre (2 500 people).

The City's FIFA Fan Fest, which unlike the fan parks will be running as an official FIFA event; will be free to all and will hold a capacity of 25 000. 

It will be open from 11am to 11pm and will broadcast all 64 matches and a 2.6km fan walk leading to the stadium will open during the eight match days in Cape Town.

Lesley de Reuck, the city's director of operations for 2010 said when people visited the R34-million Fan Fest they needed to "feel, hear and taste Cape Town". 

He requested that people use public transport and leave their cars at home or at the various park-and-ride centres around the city.

Items such as aerosol cans, cans and dangerous weapons will not be allowed inside the Fan Fest. 

The city would run themed days according to the teams playing in the city, while on Youth Day, the city will attempt to do the biggest diski dance ever at the Fan Fest. About 7 000 Dutch fans are expected to swamp the city when Netherlands squares up against Cameroon on June 24.

Local artists such as Goldfish, Flash Republic, Robbie Jansen, Loyiso, Danny K, Flat Stanly, will perform during the duration of the FIFA Fan Fest and there will also be a five-a-side street soccer tournament.

The city will also run a showcase at the Fan Fest and fan parks, following the local talent search the city ran recently.

"We've gone through an extensive process in Cape Town auditioning local talent. So we've had our own local Idols. We've auditioned about 3 000 people, everyone you can imagine from tiny tots to 60-piece brass bands and out of that we will be accommodating 60 local artists through the talent search," said de Reuck.

Food prices at the Fan Fest will range from R15 to R25 for Malay food, boerewors and potjiekos and R10 - R20 for soft drinks and beer.

Bakers will fire up ovens at 2am to prepare about 150 000 bread rolls, while between eight and 10 million beers are expected to be downed at the Fan Fest.

The Fan Fest's project manager Steyn Momberg said the three-storey-high 75mý screen at the Fan Fest had been set up by a team of five Germans in five days.

The city also had a child safety plan for the event and will run lost and found rooms at the Cape Town Stadium, the Fan Fest, and all four fan parks - Vygieskraal Stadium, Bellville Velodrome, Swartklip Sports Centre and the OR Tambo Sports Centre. 

In addition, all children - whether they are part of a group or just one of a family - will be tagged by the city's volunteers who will be deployed at the entrances of the respective event sites.

For more details on the city's FIFA Fan Fest visit www.capetownfifafest.com.

Source: BuaNews

 
Mother City gears up for 2010 party PDF 
Wednesday, 09 June 2010 14:56

Cape Town - As the final finishing touches are added to Cape Town's FIFA Fan Fest, soccer fans are bracing for one of the biggest parties to hit the mother city.

About 17 000 revelers are expected to gather from Thursday afternoon at the FIFA Fan Fest on the Grand Parade and another 50 000 on the streets of Cape Town's inner city.

The party will begin at 2pm tomorrow and artists such as the spectacular R Kelly, Kurt Darren, HHP, Vicky Sampson and JR of Make Da Circle Beega fame, are expected to start wooing the crowds at around 9pm.

Flaming torches will light a cauldron on the historic balcony of the City Hall where former President Nelson Mandela gave his first speech after being freed from prison in 1990.

This will signal the start of a 2 000-strong carnival to be led by minstrels and the switching on of Adderley Street's spectacular soccer lights. 

While Metrorail trains will run until 1am Friday, the city's new MYCiTi bus service will continue its newly introduced service between the airport, as well as the inner city circular route. 

Speaking on Tuesday at a media briefing at the City Hall, Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato said there was a real big vibe among Capetonians ahead of the event.

"Lots of people are talking about flags and saying that there are not a lot of flags around and that there is not a vibe around. 

"I need to say that for the last three or four weeks I was basically running around from one venue to another," said Plato, who added that he had attended a church in the city on the weekend where the congregation burst into a diski dance.

Cape talk radio presenter Solly Philander, who will MC Thursday night's World Cup Welcoming Party at the FIFA Fan Fest, said he was "incredibly excited" about the soccer tournament. 

"We are so cosmopolitan, we are such a great mix that I just think, bring the world, bring the world! We are so ready for the party of a lifetime!" 

Philander, who said he would be hanging out at the Fan Fest every day believed the World Cup was an opportunity for Capetonians to show the entire world that they could host an event of this kind and that they knew "how to party".

"I think within the stadiums you're going to get a real sense of the game and the FIFA aspect of it. I really believe that if you're in the stadium you could be in any stadium of the world. 

"When you come outside that's when you're going to experience the country and that's what I'm up for," he said, joking that after the World Cup, house prices were going to go up as every one discovered how beautiful the city really was.

Construction worker Fredrick Mbasela from Strand who was working on setting up marquees at the Fan Fest said he was excited and said he would be at the Fan Fest for the opening match between Bafana Bafana and Mexico.

He believed the World Cup would change everything and bring with it more jobs and tourists for South Africa.

Source: BuaNews

 
<< Start < Prev 1 2 Next > End >>

Page 1 of 2

Random Gallery Images

p1010652
Image Detail
p1010675
Image Detail
p1010704
Image Detail
p1010707
Image Detail
p1010669
Image Detail
dsc01575
Image Detail
Compare, Book Cars Online - CarHireCompare.co.za