By Barbara Birungi | UNAA Times Online. The count down has now began to the start of the world cup and I am telling you we are ready. First in 2005 when Seth  Blatter( FIFA President) announced that SA will be hosting the world cup, it sounded like a dream. The white man said how can a black man host a major event. how can they build the stadium they want. South Arica had the money to build the Staduims. But not only were the Stadiums required, they needed more hotels, better transportation system,

First let me talk about the stadiums:There are a total of 10 staduims in different cities. They are beautiful. Its so amazing that we have such beautiful stadium on African soil. Soccer City in Johannesburg is spectacular. You just gaze. The stadium in Durban(Moses Mabhida Stadium) No words. Its the most beautiful stadium. All the stadiums were ready 100 days to World Cup kick off. From a civil/project engineering management view: this is great. To complete a construction project to the correct quality and ahead of time, it great!!!

The Airports: OR Tambo has been expanded. There is no airport in Africa like that. OR Tambo is much better, bigger than most airports in Europe.

We have trains and communal buses but those were for poor people who cannot afford cars. In Johannesburg+Pretoria they’ve built the Gautrain( for the upper class). This runs from the airport to Johannesburg + Pretoria. Again from the engineering view, the train will run above the road network ( Including the interchanges)

The road network: Yes there are freeways. They have now made them 6 lane. We already had spaghetti junctions, but they have made them more complicated. From a civil engineering aspect: you gaze at the bridges and smile. you look and wonder what type of structural engineers designed and constructed them. They don’t block the roads. Traffic has to continue flowing. They also don’t use precast beams.

We(White, black, Indian coloured chinese and malay) are all behind Bafana Bafana. It doesn’t matter whether they don’t win, for us we are all behind Bafana Bafana. Every Fridays we all dress up in our Yellow T-shirts( Bafana Bafana style).

Security: This shouldn’t scare you. Look we don’t live in a war zone!! Yes there are hijackings, stealing.. but in New York City its the same… All you do drive with your windows up, be aware of your environment, don’t wear a ROLEX. I don’t mean a watch, I mean a ROLEX you will be followed. Take care of your children. Its simple: we aint in a war zone. Overall they have beefed up security!! the malls are very safe. Even though you want to go the kafunda ( Mainly in the township), to experience Shisa Nyama its also safe. You only have to say SAWOBONA and answer YEBO!!! its simple

When you see all these preparations and how ready we are… you know there is nothing impossible. You repeat Obama’s words YES WE CAN!! My darlings SA is planning to put up a spectacular opening. I mean we want it to be better that the Chinese Olympics opening. The official song is WAKA WAKA… ( 80′s song sang by some cameroonians who had big stomachs it used to be on UTV)

My dears WE ARE READY!!! I wish you could only come and see for your selves. Its beautiful..

Article by Barbara Birungi a Chief Engineer – Civil at Eskom, South Africa (Barbara.Birungi@eskom.co.za)

Popularity: 1% [?]