Second round of tournament starts

This weekend’s first matches of the second round of the FIFA World Cup™, the Round of 16, had fans glued to their TV screens, both at home and at fan fests around the country, as the remaining 16 teams battled – and continue to do so - for a place in the quarter-finals. The matches also triggered an increase in the number of visitors to the country, with some 28% of tourist establishments in the Cape Town metropole area alone enjoying occupancies of 71-100%.


Deutschland uber alles!

The weekend’s biggest crowd-puller, the much touted England vs Germany match in Bloemfontein yesterday, saw 18 500 English and German clad fans jostling for space in a surprisingly amiable atmosphere at the FIFA Fan Fest™. Defying any expectations of violence, most people just wanted to have fun. And fun they had! Today's match between the Netherlands and Slovakia attracted Dutch fans by their thousands. Wearing regalia ranging from the bizarre to conservative, it didn't matter as it was orange. Fans started arriving in large numbers about two hours before kick-off. While many of the Dutch are now moving on from Cape Town to Durban to support their team, others have stayed behind, revelling in the warm weather and the Cape's many attractions.


You’ve got to hand it to them! 

Also at the fest were Mayor Dan Plato, acclaimed musician Danny K, the Performing Arts Network of SA’s (PANSA) youngest rising star Kameron Steyl (and her pianist, Rae Swart) and renowned South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo (accompanied by the City's Director of Communication, Pieter Cronje in picture), who signed their handprints on the Mandela Legacy Canvas in support of the anti-crime SHOUT campaign. Launched by Danny K and Kabelo Mabelane of TKZee after the murder of acclaimed local singer Lucky Dube to unite South African artists in the fight against crime, a number of illustrious people have since ‘signed’ their names to the canvas, including Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, American R & B singer and songwriter, R Kelly, Prince Albert of Monaco, London Mayor Boris Johnson, American football star Reggie Bush and American celebrities actor Djimon Hounsou and his wife Kimora Lee Simmons, a former top model and Baby Phat designer. Hounsou has starred in films such as Amistad, Gladiator and Blood Diamond. He received an Oscar nomination for the latter.

The canvas, which now features 76 palm imprints, will be auctioned soon to raise funds for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.


It’s all about numbers

So far, more than two million people have attended World Cup matches, and newly released tickets that have been returned are being snapped up faster than you can say ‘sold’. With fans’ favourite teams being knocked out, many of them are adopting other teams. Many Bafana Bafana supporters, for instance, are now rooting for Ghana, looking to them as standard bearers for Africa. Meanwhile, Capetonians are still revelling in their hosting of the World Cup, which has so far overcome worries about crime and poor public transport, and seen no major incidences. According to Mayor Dan Plato, the only thing we need worry about now is the weather, which apart from the occasional rainy day, has been glorious.


The FIFA Fan Fest™

The clash between the Netherlands and Slovakia in Durban at 16:00 today was televised live via the giant screen at the fest, with Dutch supporters once again outnumbering their opponents by some almost 2000 people. The evening match between South American teams Brazil and Chile at 20:30 is expected to again draw a capacity crowd, so be sure to get there before 18:00, when South African rock and pop band Flat Stanley and Keeno Lee belt out some of their hits.


Tomorrow’s action

The City’s Fan Jols will reopen at 11:00 for tomorrow’s matches between Japan and Paraguay at 16:00 and Spain vs Portugal at 20:30. As the latter is to be played at Cape Town Stadium, use public transport and avoid travelling into town by private car. At the Bellville Velodrome Fan Jol, Freshlyground, Shimmy Isaacs, Blade Breakaz Hop Hop, Everliving Reggae Band and the Immortal Style Breakdance band will get the crowds rocking, while at the Swartklip Fan Jol, fans can look forward to vocalist Elouise and dancers from the Marion Dance Studio. At the Oliver Tambo Fan Jol, De Ja Vue and DJ/EmCee will once again feature, and at Vygieskraal, Jean Pierre will mesmerise audiences with his performance.

At the FIFA Fan Fest™, which opens at 13:00, Somalian-Canadian rapper K’Naan and Congolese musician Junior Kissangwa will feature between the Spain vs Portugal and Japan vs Paraguay matches. K’Naan is known for his 2009 album Troubadour, which features well known songs ‘ABCs’ and ‘Soobax’ (which features on FIFA 06).