football: 2010 FIFA World Cup 

Football World Cup 

Host Cities:

City 

Stadium 

Capacity 

Bloemfontein 

Free State Stadium 

48,000 

Cape Town 

Green Point Stadium (under construction at site of Metropolitan Golf Course) 

69,070 

Durban 

Moses Mabhida Stadium (under construction at site of demolished Kings Park Soccer Stadium)

70,000 

Johannesburg 

Soccer City (being upgraded) 

94,700 

Johannesburg 

Coca Cola Park (being upgraded) 

62,567 

Polokwane 

Peter Mokaba Stadium 

46,000 

Port Elizabeth 

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (under construction) 

48,000 

Pretoria 

Loftus Versfeld Stadium 

51,760 

Nelspruit 

Mbombela Stadium (under construction) 

44,000 

Rustenburg 

Royal Bafokeng Stadium (being upgraded) 

42,000 

Republic of South Africa - Traveller's Profile:

Overview:

South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho (which is completely surrounded by South Africa). It is a vast country with widely varying landscapes and has 11 official languages, as well as an equally diverse population. South Africa is renowned for its wines and is the world's largest producer of gold. South Africa has a strong economy and is an influential player in African politics. In 2010, South Africa will host the first Football World Cup to be held on the African continent.

South Africa is divided into 9 provinces, they are:

  • Eastern Cape
  • Free State
  • Gauteng
  • KwaZulu-Natal
  • Limpopo
  • Mpumalanga
  • North West
  • Northern Cape
  • Western Cape

Modern human beings have inhabited South Africa for more than 100,000 years. At the time of European contact, its indigenous peoples reflected migrations from other parts of Africa, where new tribes had become dominant. Two major groups were Xhosa and Zulu peoples.

 

 

Fast Facts:

  • Motto: "Unity In Diversity"
  • Capital: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative)
  • Population: 47.9 Million (2008 estimate)
  • Official Languages: Afrikaans, English, Swazi, Zulu, Tsonga, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Venda, Tswana & Xhosa
  • Government: Constitutional Democracy
  • President: Kgalema Mbete
  • Currency: Rand (ZAR)
  • Time Zone: South African Standard Time (UTC +2)
  • Drives on: Left
  • Dialling Code: +27
  • Weights & Mesurements: Metric
  • Visas: Most nationalities get up to 3 months entry on arrival.
  • Driving Licence: If your drivers license is in any of South Africa's 11 official languages (e.g. English) and it contains a photo and your signature integrated into the license document, then it is legally acceptable as a valid drivers license in South Africa. However, some car rental and insurance companies may still insist that you provide an International Driver's Permit.
  • GSM: South Africa has an extensive GSM network, working on the same frequency as the rest of Africa and Europe. There are four cell phone providers in South Africa: Vodacom, MTN, Cell-C and Virgin Mobile. The networks support GPRS countrywide and 3G, EDGE and HSDPA support is available in larger urban areas.

Important Telephone Numbers:

  • The National Tourism Information and Safety Line, +27 (0)83 123-2345. Operated by South African Tourism 

From a fixed line:

  • 107 - Emergency
  • 10111 - Police
  • 10177 - Ambulance
  • 082911 - Netcare911 and The National Sea Rescue Institute 

From a mobile phone:

  • 112 - All Emergencies
  • 082911 - Netcare911 and The National Sea Rescue Institute  (You only need to dial 911 from Vodacom mobile phones)

Climate & Geography:

South Africa has a generally temperate climate, due in part to it being surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides, by its location in the climatically milder southern hemisphere and due to the average elevation rising steadily towards the north (towards the equator) and further inland. Due to this varied topography and oceanic influence, a great variety of climatic zones exist.

The climatic zones vary, from the extreme desert of the southern Namib in the farthest northwest to the lush subtropical climate in the east along the Mozambique border and the Indian ocean.

From the east, the land quickly rises over a mountainous escarpment towards the interior plateau known as the Highveld. Even though South Africa is classified as semi-arid, there is considerable variation in climate as well as topography.

The interior of South Africa is a vast, rather flat, and sparsely populated scrubland, Karoo, which is drier towards the northwest along the Namib desert. In contrast, the eastern coastline is lush and well-watered, which produces a climate similar to the tropics.

The extreme southwest has a climate remarkably similar to that of the Mediterranean with wet winters and hot, dry summers, hosting the famous Fynbos Biome. This area also produces much of the wine in South Africa. This region is also particularly known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year.

The severity of this wind made passing around the Cape of Good Hope particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many shipwrecks. Further east on the south coast, rainfall is distributed more evenly throughout the year, producing a green landscape. This area is popularly known as the Garden Route.

To the north of Johannesburg, the altitude drops beyond the escarpment of the Highveld, and turns into the lower lying Bushveld, an area of mixed dry forest and an abundance of wildlife. East of the Highveld, beyond the eastern escarpment, the Lowveld stretches towards the Indian ocean. It has particularly high temperatures, and is also the location of extended subtropical agriculture.

 

Main Tourist Hotspots:

South Africa is a paradise for anyone interested in natural history. A wide range of species (some potentially dangerous) may be encountered in parks, farms, private reserves and even on the roads.

  • The Kruger National Park is exceptionally well managed and a favorite tourist destination.
  • Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the heart of the Kalahari desert with wide open spaces and hordes of games including the majestic 'Gemsbok'. This is the first park in Africa to cross political borders.
  • There are also a large number of smaller parks, like the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Pilanesberg National Park or the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

 

There are many geographical features and landmarks in South Africa worth a visit:

  • The Augrabies Falls carved out by the Orange River in the Northern Cape.
  • The Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga is the third largest Canyon in the world.
  • The Tugela Falls, the second highest waterfall in the world, located in the Drakensberg.
  • The Drakensberg Escarpment and surrounding areas in Mpumalanga.
  • The southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas.
  • The Garden Route - One of the top destinations, running along the Southern Coast from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth.
  • The Wild Coast - offers spectacular coastlines without the tourist crowd. The whole region is very rural and infrastructure is sparse, so plan ahead.
  • The Drakensberg mountain range, if you like hiking.
  • The Whale Coast along the Overberg Coast from Hermanus past Gansbaai to De Hoop Nature Reserve.

There are hiking trails available in almost all the parks and around geographical places of interest.

With 2798km of coastline one can also expect to find excellent beaches and coastal activities:

  • Durban, not only the beaches, but also the Indian market.
  • Port Elizabeth for swimming and scuba diving and other water related activities.
  • Jeffreys Bay, the surfing mecca of South Africa

Other places not to miss include:

  • Cape Town - the mother city is a must. Be sure to visit its famous landmarks Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope
  • The famous Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.
  • The semi-desert Karoo and the famous ostrich farms near Oudtshoorn, as well as the Big Hole in the diamond city of Kimberley.
  • Johannesburg, the economic powerhouse of Africa.

A number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites are also located in South Africa:

  • The Cradle of Humankind, near Johannesburg is a must see for anyone interested in where it all started.A large collection of caves rich in hominid and advanced ape fossils.
  • Robben Island just off the coast from Cape Town where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years.
  • The Cape Floral Region in the Western Cape.
  • ISimangaliso Wetland Park, Mapungubwe Kingdom, in the North-West.
  • Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, for its landscape, biodiversity and rock art.
  • Vredefort Dome, remnants of the largest and oldest meteorite impact crater.

 


Match Cities:

  • Johannesburg: Economic heart of Africa.
  • Bloemfontein: Location of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the highest court in non-constitutional matters.
  • Cape Town: The legislative capital and seat of Parliament. A world-class city named for its proximity to the Cape of Good Hope. Also within a stone's throw of South Africa's winelands.
  • Durban: Largest city in KwaZulu-Natal ,second largest in South Africa and popular coastal holiday destination for South Africans.
  • Nelspruit: Capital of Mpumalanga and gateway to Mozambique.
  • Polokwane: Capital of Limpopo (formally known as Pietersburg) and a good jump off point for visits to the northern parts of the Kruger National Park and Zimbabwe.
  • Port Elizabeth: Coastal city in the Eastern Cape with Addo Elephant National Park located close by.
  • Pretoria: The administrative capital of the country.
  • Rustenburg: was founded in 1851 and is today mostly known for the platinum that is mined there.

 

Please call Dave Freeman on 01903 832888, or you can email your request to us.

 

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