Q) You finally took office after vacating your position as South African Football Association (Safa) CEO last month. What is your current staff complement?

A) Just five people at the moment.

Q) Have you been able to move into your new offices yet?

A) We have four proposed sites in Sandton and we intend to move into the new premises in June.

Q) How are you financing your wage bill?

A) We receive an advance from Fifa (world football governing body) and this will continue until we are ready to stand on our own.

Q) Fifa will also open an office in SA. When will this happen?

A) They will only be able to have a fully operational office in SA after the 2006 tournament in Germany. And they will be housed in the same building as the South African organising committee.

Q) You are the CEO of the organising committee, Irvin Khoza is nonexecutive chairman. Who are your board of directors?

A) The board of directors is made up of Khoza, Danny Jordaan, Kaizer Motaung, Tokyo Sexwale, Anastasia Tsichlas, Koos Bekker, Kenneth Lenya, Safa president Molefi Oliphant, Safa CEO Raymond Hack, Safa chairman of the referee's appointment committee Mubarak Mohamed, Minister Essop Pahad, Minister Charles Nqakula, Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, Minister Jeff Radebe, Deputy Minister Jabu Moleketi and Prof Michael Katz.

Q) How much influence will Fifa have in the organisation of the 2010 World Cup?

A) This organisation is basically a partnership between Safa and Fifa. But the responsibility for ensuring that this is a success rests with the organising committee and Fifa. We all have clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

Q) Critics are saying that our world cup preparations are behind schedule. Are we?

A) Firstly, the media declared after the Fifa technical team came to inspect our facilities in November 2003 that we were ready. Now the same people have turned around and said we are behind.

Q) But critics say it has been months since then ...

A) People forget that we still have another world cup (the 2006 tournament in Germany) before 2010. We are currently in the compliance phase, where we are dealing with issues like the budgets and the legal framework. Germany began their preparations after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan and there is no doubt in my mind that we will be ready.

Q) How many stadiums are we going to use during the course of the 2010 World Cup?

A) Fifa said they wanted eight stadiums and we said we have 12. In Germany, Fifa cut venues from 15 to 12 and if they use this as a benchmark, they may ask for 10.

Q) How will we ensure that the new stadiums do not become white elephants as was the case after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan?

A) There must be an integrated economic strategy in place for those areas where stadiums will be built from scratch. This will be a government-driven initiative.

Q) What is the projected budget for all the work that has to be done?

A) The German budget was at R3,218 bn and ours is at R3,154bn.

Q) What is the Fifa deadline for all work to be completed?

A) The final assessment of all the host cities will be in June 2008.

Q) How will SA benefit from hosting the tournament?

A) We expect about 350000 visitors to come to SA over the 43 days of the event. The event will create 160000 jobs and the economic impact is projected at R30bn to the economy.

Q) What will government's role be during the preparations?

A) The different tiers of government have different responsibilities. The infrastructural issues falls under their responsibility and those will include hospitals, roads, emergency services and so on.

Q) Do your preparations include the creation of an effective talent-identification programme that will eventually develop a competitive team for 2010?

A) Safa's integrated team strategy is for that purpose. We addressed the need for a world-class team and an integrated national teams strategy was developed.

Q) Has the project got off the ground yet?

A) We began by acquiring sponsorship for the SA U17 side a few months ago and I have no doubt that they are going to be world-class.

Q) Many countries, such as England for example, have said that they are ready to offer assistance during the preparations for 2010. If you do accept these offers, how big a role will they have in the greater scheme of things?

A) I honestly believe that we have got the experience and all the expertise (that we need) right here in SA.

Q) Do you have a role for former Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe in the organising committee?

A) I believe that he will be integrated in the technical department of Bafana.

Q) Did you leave Safa on a good footing before assuming your new role on the organising committee?

A) Safa has paid off all major debtors and has reached a settlement agreement with the South African Revenue Service. Sponsorship has been secured from First National Bank for the U17 team. SABC increased the value of their broadcast sponsorship purchase. Sasol's sponsorship was confirmed and various other new deals, including contracts with South African Airways, LG and Avis, have contributed tremendously to the bottom line.

Q) What will Danny Jordaan do after the 2010 World Cup?

A) I honestly do not know.

Source: Business Day