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South Africans pessimistic about S.A hosting World Cup-survey Wed. July 16, 2008 04:51 am.- By Bonny Apunyu. -
(SomaliNet) A survey has suggested that most South Africans are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the World Cup being held in South Africa.
According to the survey, last year, 61 percent of Durban residents said they believed South Africa could host the soccer World Cup in 2010.This year, only 37 percent thought the country would be ready by 2010.
Only 48 percent of Capetonians believe that South Africa will be ready to host the event, but that makes residents of the Mother City a lot more optimistic than people from other cities.
The results of the survey by TNS Research Surveys showed that most respondents were becoming increasingly pessimistic about the World Cup being held in South Africa, TNS's Neil Higgs said on Tuesday.
Higgs said the majority of people, 87 percent, said a successful World Cup was "of vital importance to South Africa".
A total of 45 percent of people surveyed said they felt that South Africa would be ready for the 2010 World Cup.
The most positive respondents, 64 percent, were from East London, the city that has showed the biggest rise in optimism since earlier TNS surveys about World Cup readiness last year and in 2006.
Elsewhere in the country, people were less optimistic about 2010.
Only 30 percent of Bloemfontein residents said that they thought South Africa could host the competition, a big drop from 60 percent in 2006 and 63 percent last year.
In Johannesburg, only 48 percent of people surveyed said that South Africa would be ready for the World Cup, down from 68 percent last year.
Capetonians are also becoming less optimistic about South Africa's readiness for the World Cup.
In 2006 and 2007, 52 percent thought South Africa would be ready, compared with 48 percent this year.
Only 40 percent of people surveyed in Pretoria and in Port Elizabeth said South Africa would be ready.
Other surveys indicated that power cuts, interest-rate hikes and rising inflation could be contributing to South Africans' negative sentiments about the World Cup, TNS said.-The Mercury
News Category: Sports
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