South African Football Association (Johannesburg)
18 January 2012
The South African Football Association (SAFA) Observer Group leaves for Equatorial Guinea and Gabon this coming Friday to observe the hosts’ operational models. The lessons learnt will help prepare the country when it next hosts the 2013 AFCON tournament.
The 10-member delegation comprising top National Executive Committee (NEC) Members will be headed by SAFA Vice-President Mandla ‘Shoes’ Mazibuko.
After identifying 7 venues who meet the minimum requirements, the Association has appointed a delegation made up of NEC Members who reside in or near the cities/towns where these venues are located.
The delegation therefore consists of Messrs Alpha Mchunu (Ethekwini /Moses Mabhida Stadium), Monde Mhletywa (Vice-President of SAFA Nelson Mandela Region/Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium), Paseka Nkone (North West/Royal Bafokeng Stadium), David ‘Brains’ Zulu (Mpumalanga/Mbombela Stadium), Abel Rakoma (Limpopo/Peter Mokaba Stadium), Mzwandile Maforvane (Free State/Mangaung Stadium) Morris Tshabalala (Western Cape/Green Point Stadium), Chief Operations Officer, Dennis Mumble and Head of International Affairs, Ms Pinky Lehoko complete a list of the SAFA delegation off to the AFCON tournament.
“We are going there as observers to establish the necessary relationships with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Organising Committee, note the procedures that pertain to the AFCON and to finalise some of the list of requirements for 2013,” said Mr Mazibuko.
“We hosted the best FIFA World Cup ever but in modern football you learn new trends almost every day. As hosts of the 2013 edition of the tournament, we want to do our homework so that we are not found wanting when we welcome the rest of the continent next year. Bear in mind, it is only a year to go now,” added Mazibuko.
Some of the areas the delegation will be looking at are the opening ceremony, ticketing, accreditation, logistics, and the general management of the entire tournament.
“We will also meet the hosts’ Organising Committee and exchange notes,” said Mazibuko.
SAFA President, Kirsten Nematandani is already in Equatorial Guinea and will be joined by Vice-President Danny Jordaan, also a Member of the 2012 AFCON Organising Committee, later.
The two are part of the CAF committee entrusted with running the 2012 edition of the tournament that is being co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
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