Bringing 2010 closer to the people

By Lebogang Seale and Jabulile Ngwenya

Perched on top of two spheres, two grown men played ball.

When they came down, they kissed the ground.

Nobody would have guessed from the fun they were having on Tuesday that the two were 2010 local organising committee chairperson Irvin Khoza and Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa.

The two huge steel spheres in Bank City's courtyards, on either side of Simmonds Street in downtown Johannesburg, were filled with 150 000 soccer balls.

Each held 75 000 Size 5 soccer balls branded in First National Bank's colours, with Fifa, Adidas and FNB logos on them.

They were part of an initiative by FNB to bring 2010 closer to the people.

And while perched on the spheres, Khoza and Shilowa had dropped the last 10 balls into one of them.

"These structures will leave the legacy of the best World Cup in South Africa," said Khoza, who commended FNB, one of the 2010 sponsors, for its initiative.

Shilowa said: "Yes, we have difficulties (preparing for the World Cup) but we will overcome them. Not by denying, but by showcasing our infrastructures.

"Not only will we be ready for 2010, but for 2009 (the Confederations Cup)."

Dubbed the FNB Save to Score Challenge, the aim of the project is to encourage people to save money.

Michael Jordaan, the CEO of FNB, said the project was driven by the bank's responsibility to highlight the social and economic challenges people faced in the current hard times.

"South Africa has a very low savings rate and we are trying to encourage people to put a little aside for emergencies, retirement and so on."

Jordaan said people who opened an FNB Flexi Fixed Deposit account with R100 stood to get a free branded ball when their savings reached R500.

When that increased to R5 000, they would receive a ball signed by FNB and 2010 ambassador Lucas Radebe.

Among those at Tuesday's event were Joburg's 2010 director Sibongile Mazibuko, 2010 ambassadors and former Bafana Bafana players Radebe, Mark Fish and Doctor Khumalo.