Malibongwe! [Praise!] Chairperson, being the sweeper - as I will be closing the debate - let me commence by issuing a disclaimer. There are many hopefuls amongst us who are wearing yellow T- shirts. The only person who is doing the right thing is the Deputy President of the country. He doesn't have a T-shirt. You are disappointed, but Parreira has chosen. There is no chance that a 24th player will be chosen from amongst you. [Laughter.]
Hon Chairperson; Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Acting President Kgalema Motlanthe, former President Kgalema Motlanthe ... [Laughter.] ... hon members of the National Assembly and of the National Council of Provinces; president of the Confederation of African Football, Mr Issa Hayatou - and I have been reminded that it is very important to acknowledge that he has been awarded the highest award in South Africa, the Order of the Companions of O R Tambo ... [Applause.] ... the president of the SA Football Association, Mr Kirsten Nematandani; his deputy president, Mr "Shoes" Mazibuko; Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Irvin "The Iron Duke" Khoza; CEO of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Danny Jordaan; distinguished guests; and Zakumi, who has run away, one of the fundamental rules of Fifa relates to time, time for the commencement of a soccer game and its conclusion. This includes extra time or the referee's optional time.
When we in the Local Organising Committee presented to Fifa and to the world our adopted slogan of "Ke nako", we were conscious of this rule. "Now is the time." All LOC board meetings and committees have discharged their responsibilities on time. All roads and related improvements have been completed on time. All airports, new and improved, have been finished on time. All work on iconic stadia, including those that we had to refurbish, has been accomplished on time.
This World Cup is also about several firsts. It is the first Fifa World Cup on the African continent; the first Fifa World Cup in Madiba's country, our beloved South Africa; the first Fifa World Cup to be broadcast - by a developing country, we must say - with 3G technology; the first Fifa World Cup to be broadcast with a signal of high definition; the first Fifa World Cup to be held in so many iconic stadia; the first Fifa World Cup to be led by a Khoza ... [Laughter.] ... the first Fifa World Cup to be led by a Jordaan; and the first Fifa World Cup where we are going to see a supercharged Bafana Bafana team; and we say, "Ke nako!"
It was due to events in this House, then undemocratic and not representing the will of our people, that Fifa took a principled decision and expelled apartheid South Africa from the world community of football nations in 1976. Subsequently, owing to democratic changes that came about because of the struggle, changes that occurred in this country in 1991, including activities in this House, Fifa was encouraged to readmit South Africa into the fold of football nations. Through this act our status as a pariah nation in football was done away with, and our dignity was restored. This is something to be applauded. [Applause.]
Today, at this joint multiparty sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, we all stand a breath away, just one week away, from the commencement of this momentous event in the history of our country as many speakers have indicated, and indeed in the history of the African continent: the hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Again, we say, "Ke nako." In Venda they say ...
... tshinwe na tshinwe tshi na tshifhinga tshatsho. [... everything has its own time.]
Each and every thing has its own time.
If one talks from an economic point of view, the Fifa World Cup is the single largest sporting event for any chosen host nation. To us, as many other speakers have said before me, its legacy includes infrastructural development. Fifa is not going to take those things away. Remember what our detractors were saying - and many of them are applauding with us today - that we have wasted money. This is a huge economic investment.
The infrastructure development that we are seeing in all provinces is not going to go away. This development will stay with us. The new hotels will stay with us. Transportation - don't shoot down the Bus Rapid Transit system! - is with us. We are going to retain the Gautrain here. The jobs created, even if it were just one job, are our jobs. We have created more than one job, so that many people can put bread on their tables. [Applause.]
The legacy of this World Cup will be to leave us with an enhanced spirit regarding nonracialism, as well as patriotism. Witness, fellow members, the kind of atmosphere this country experienced outside Orlando Stadium deep in Soweto. On that day many blacks were at Soccer City where the Blue Bulls - not even a national team - were playing.
This World Cup is also going to leave us closer to our sister African nations. It will leave us more recognised and respected as Brand South Africa, and more integrated into the international community of more than football nations. It will also leave us with a sense of feeling good - the spirit of, "Feel it! Touch it! "Ke nako!"
We are hoping for the Barcelona effect. Long after the end of the Barcelona Olympics held in Spain, people kept on remembering that there was something called Spain, and they kept going back. So the manner in which we receive the people here must be in the African tradition of being welcoming.
Long after the final whistle, we as South Africans must not let the spirit of construction happening everywhere in this country dissipate. The political, the organisational, the patriotic, the financial, the logistical, the administrative and the project management elements, all of them, should still stay with us, so that we can make this nation, this country, one large construction site, creating, amongst other things, human settlements.
This World Cup is also going to leave us respected amongst nations, because Bafana Bafana is charged and poised to play soccer like never before. This is also going to leave us with the spirit of understanding that every South African and the members in this House have taken part in ensuring that this is a successful World Cup. It will leave us with the spirit of a people united, of a nonracial and nonsexist people, a people knowing that there is life long after the World Cup.
Many people have spoken before me. They have said a lot of things I was going to say. Therefore, I conclude by extending congratulations to several people. Well done, LOC. Well done! [Applause.] Well done, Irvan Khoza and Danny Jordaan! Well done! [Applause.]
Siyabonga, Safa! Siyabonga! [Ihlombe.] [Thank you, Safa! Thank you! [Applause.]]
Thank you, Mr Blatter and Fifa. Thank you! [Applause.] Dlala, Aaron Mokoena! Dlala! [Intswahla.] [Play, Aaron Mokoena! play! [Applause.]]
HON MEMBERS: Dlala! [Play!]