Knowledge bank: This paper, by Dr. Gary Baines, looks into the way in which the hosting of 2010 World Cup matches has effected South African city Port Elizabeth. It also examines the potential legacy for the city, a legacy viewed as “likely to exacerbate existing economic disparities, contribute social instability and increase tensions within the ruling party at local level as it struggles to defuse dashed expectations amongst its constituency.”

How much money is being spent in ‘Il Ritrovo Lounge’ each day? Nobody knows - but it is a lot. A striking number of stocky men gather at the bar, talking in rough northern English accents. These men are ticket dealers.

The organisation Sport et Citoyenneté has published a special edition of their scientific journal Sport and Citizenship. This Special Edition covers a subject with inevitable media hype from different angles. Sport and Citizenship wishes to take advantage of this unique occasion and the media’s attention to raise this question: “Is this really Africa’s hour?”.

“It was crowded. It was ear-drummingly achingly loud. But it was MAGIC."...

A poor and non-integrated public transport system can be crippling for a World Cup host nation, yet many South Africans were optimistic at the news of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) systems planned for Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth, with the Johannesburg Rea Vaya BRT intended to be ready for the Confederations Cup in September 2009.

With all the hype surrounding international football and the spectacle of the World Cup tournament, the concern amongst South Africans is the legacy that the prestigious event will leave in its wake.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa is vulnerable to several forms of corruption, determines a new report from Institute for Security Studies. The report focus on the more controversial aspects of the 2010 World Cup and explores a range of situations where conflicts of interests are apparent and might lead to corruption.

‘Carbon-neutral’ seems to be the catchphrase of the year, and the international community is hoping that hosting the world’s largest sporting event will have a positive impact on South Africa’s green energy projects.