A recent visit to Cape Town by senior federal, state and local government officials from across Brazil has demonstrated a number of areas where international collaboration is considered important in preparations for the 2014 World Cup.
As reported on The NewAge news site, a networking event last Friday featured the provincial coordinator for Cape Town from South Africa 2010, Dr Laurine Platzky, the City of Cape Town’s 2010 director, Dave Hugo, the chief project manager of the Cape Town stadium, Dr Andre Lambrechts, Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariette du Toit-Helmbold and Nils Flaatten, the chief executive of Wesgro, the Western Cape Investment and Trade Promotion Agency.
They presented the Brazilians with a range of priority issues, including taking a sustainable development approach to the building of infrastructure, local skills and related entrepreneurial development, as well as ecologically friendly “green goal” practices. The latter included using renewable energy sources for Cape Town Stadium and Fifa Fan Fest areas, recycling 65% of the waste in the stadium, and transporting 53% of fans with public or non-motorised transport.
A further focus was security, with presenters insisting that relationships built during the event between the national, provincial and city authorities, the police, Metro police, traffic services and emergency services created a strong security legacy for the city, as did the additional rescue helicopters, ambulances and emergency personnel that were brought in.