NELSON Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth is leading South Africa’s charge to welcome the world in June 2010. The City’s brand new stadium, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, is at an advanced stage of completion and is set to be complete a year before the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off.

In his hometown of Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth, 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (OC) Chief Executive Officer Dr Danny Jordaan today visited the stadium and was very happy with what he saw.

"We at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa are delighted with the progress made with the construction of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. It is extremely exciting to see a brand new 2010 FIFA World Cup venue taking shape so many months ahead of its FIFA World Cup completion deadline," remarked Jordaan.

Jordaan was able to walk on the newly laid pitch and take in a view of a stadium that has

40 000 of its 48 000 seats already installed a year and a half before it hosts a 2010 FIFA World Cup match. The stadium is set to be the first newly-constructed 2010 FIFA World Cup stadium to be completed.

More than half of the 36 girders that will support the roof have been erected, and the columns, slabs, precast seating, precast raking beams and moat are already complete.

"We would like to take this opportunity to commend the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and its 2010 team for the excellent job it has done in delivering the stadium. We would also like to recognise the cooperation between the local and provincial government in the Eastern Cape and the single mindedness with which these two spheres of government have worked together to ensure the success of Nelson Mandela Bay, not just for the city but for the entire province.

"We are convinced Nelson Mandela Bay will be a magnificent 2010 FIFA World Cup Host City. The city will host eight 2010 FIFA World Cup matches - including a 2010 quarterfinal and the third and fourth place playoff match - so the city will play a very important role during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Nelson Mandela Bay will host a number of high-profile matches and welcome countries and visitors from all over the world," Jordaan added.

Nelson Mandela Bay’s Deputy Executive Mayor, Councillor Bicks Ndoni said: "The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is, as always, extremely proud to be part of this fantastic event - the 2010 FIFA World Cup."

"We are especially proud that the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be the first 2010 FIFA World Cup stadium that will be completed, well before the FIFA World Cup deadline of October this year. In anticipation of this, we are already scheduling major events and activities to take place here from as early as May. We have already secured a British Lions tour match which will take place on the 16th of June (Youth Day).

"We are also encouraged by the progress of our local PSL team, Bay United, which will make this brand new world-class facility their home upon its completion.

"And we are always pleased to welcome visits from the Organising Committee, more especially our very own ’son’, Dr Danny Jordaan. For the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be a success it requires a collaborative effort on the part of all three spheres of government, SAFA, FIFA, the OC, and of course our stakeholders and the community and we believe we are well on track," said Councillor Ndoni.