South Africa's INDABA 2012-Will You Be There?

It has been touted as one of the top three "must see events" in the World and Africa's largest tourism marketing event and this year the Indaba will be held on 12-15th May, 2012 at the Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (Durban ICC),South Africa. Will you be traveling to South Africa this year to witness one of Africa' s great tourism marketing event? then mark the diary on your electronic calender and you can get booking for affordable(meant to read 'cheap') flights to South Africa courtesy of the online portal Dialaflight.com

Why is this a premier event for tourism marketing in Africa?Well for example it is boasted that over:

11 205 people passed through the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre’s doors over the four exhibition days last year, with 1610 exhibitors and over 7210 exhibition personnel across all imaginable tourism-related business categories showcasing their products, and 661 local and international media registering to cover INDABA 2011

Those figures are astounding for an event which a decade ago was largely a domestic gathering( the term Indaba in Zulu and Xhosa basically meant a gathering or meeting for the principal men in the tribes)with less than or slightly more than a thousand international guests.For that figure to grow into the tens of thousands is surely a notable accomplishment thanks to the Witch & Wizard Creative (Pty) Ltd an event management company owned by South Africa Tourism.

It is practically amazing what the South African Tourism board has been able to achieve especially in branding the event and utilizing the opportunities that events such as the World Cup accorded them.It is my sincere hope that other African Tourism Boards especially Kenya Tourism Board do borrow a leaf from their South African Counterparts.

The Indaba 2012 promises to be areal treat for anyone interested in the African Tourism circuit as exhibitors from across the continent will be present.So will you be there? book a flight online now!

Siphiwe Tshabalala Score Africa's First World Cup Goal!

South African soccer player Siphiwe Tshibalala has scored the first goal in the World Cup 2010 opening match against Mexico elating the African fans-go Bafana bafana go!The second half has been marked by incisive incursions by the South African team.However the young Mexican player Dos Santos, has proved enough trouble for the South African defence.This blog will live blog the African matches.keep it locked!Mexican player Rafael Marquez has leveled the score 1-1 almost 5 minutes to stopage time!The first match in the Fifa World Cup 2010 has ended with a draw. The fifa world cup was declared open by SA PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma.Bafana bafana you go boyz congrats coach pereira

World Cup Tips:Safety & Security !

With less than 6 days and counting to the 2010 Fifa World Cup Kick off match in South Africa it is important to share some little tips with the world at Large.Over a billion eyes will be glued to the Television Screens all around the World to watch the World Cup Football finals .The eyes will watch with intense emotions, feelings ,loyalty, admiration,disdain ,hate and other emotions however my tip is we all need to remember "ITS JUST A GAME " .There will be losers and winners but that's the beauty of it.Its Just a Game.

Football Cup

Unfortunately while there is relatively calm in many homesteads now since the games have not begun ,much will change in 6 days time.Indeed unfortunately due to misplaced feelings some will die due to small arguments, misunderstandings ..etc all over a game of football.So now the viewers can prepare themselves emotionally and mental after all "the World cup is just a game".Cheer your team but respect the right of others to cheer theirs. Do not brawl or fight,yet you are not even a player and perhaps will never be.Maintain a sense of decorum, enjoy your drinks but remember after all "its just a game".

There is blog that over the years monitors the bizarre killings and deaths that result due to World Cup and the deaths are reported in each and every continent across various strata of society and social classes.You can read it at the following link  , Its quite unfortunate and quite preventable for these deaths to occur.Hence; a lot of self control and self discipline is required.

Football Cup

For those who will have traveled to South Africa, remember that the Country's crime rate is exceptionally high and that will not change ,no not even for this event.South Africa's 50 murders a day translate into 38.6 for every 100,000 citizens, compared to 0.88 in Germany, host of the last World Cup.Stay safe in this period do not become a crime statistic.

Jo'bulani-World Cup Final Ball Unveiled By Adidas !

It is golden, it is glittering -it is Jo'bulani the golden themed ball named after Johannesburg-the golden city ! Jo'bulani is the golden ball custom made by Adidas and will be used in the final game between victors in the 2010 World cup ceremony to be held in South Africa this coming summer.The FOOTBALL was unveiled on Tuesday  21 April, 2010.This is the second time the German ball maker Adidas are privileged to make the final ball.The Jo bulani has some unique features as indicated in this earlier press release  by Adidas.The world cup never ceases to amaze. So much is paid to each detail and people follow it with almost a religious fervor.

Which team will be in the final two ? Lets wait and see?

In the meantime you can buy a replica of the final ball from Amazon from the links provided:

KNaan Bags Artist of Year in Juno Awards

The renowned astounding Somalian Born Musician/rapper Keinan Abdi Warsame(stage name K-Naan)now resident in Canada yesterday bagged the artist of the year and songwriter of the year award in the Juno Awards held in St Johns ,Newfoundland and Labrador Canada. Knaan's song "Wavin The Flag" won him the accolades for song writer of the year .The Juno awards are the Cnadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards given to musicians and artistes in recognition of their outstanding achievements and performances in the music industry.

Knaan's song "Wavin the Flag" has been chosen as the 'Coca Cola Anthem 'for the' 2010 Fifa World Cup' to be held in .For certain, this young  musician's resilience has come to be appreciated worldwide as a symbol of success and determination in the most adverse of circumstances seeing that his Country of Naturalization has been embroiled for decades in strife and war.Knaan inspires many upcoming young African Artistes that they can make it big despite adversity ,inherent disadvantages or economic turmoil.

His song wavin the flag can be purchased from the Amazon link below:enjoy!



If you are like me i am sure you love this Spanish beats in Knaan's Song ,enjoy the YouTube video

Julius Malema:Disgraces Blacks in South Africa

Without doubt ,the recent racists slurs and remarks by the ANC ' Youth Caucus Leader cum Politician Julius Sello Malema to BBC journalist Jonah Fisher are a shame to a Country that so badly needs healing and reconciliation especially after many decades of racial segregation.

The fiery tongued Julius Malema at a media briefing held at the ANC Headquarters last Thursday  8 April, 2010 hurled unrestrained vitriol at the BBC Journalist especially after advocating for Zimbabwean style seizure of white owned farmlands.His speech has raised concerns even about the World Cup and seems to lend credence to many's fears that if left to manage the economy some of this black leaders would end up destroying it as has been the case in many African Countries.The video footage from YouTube on  Joseph Malema's insults from South African e- Channel  are quite telling....


It would be in order if many of the  native African leaders in South Africa could evidence that they are above revenge or retaliatory actions, however Malema just does not seem to get it.He seems not to have learnt any lesson from Nelson Mandela that such actions are only self defeatist both in the short and long run.

Mr Julius Malema's remarks are reminiscent of an adolescent school boy's response evincing lack of manners ,civility and self control.His fiery temper worked against him but it is not surprising that Malema used such speech, after all he keeps company with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.What should you expect?

World Cup South Africa 2010 Qualified Teams

Call it football ,call it soccer...the drum beats of Africa are now rolling inviting their neighbors to come witness the peak of African hospitality, the diversity and richness of African culture and the resilience of the African continent in next years football World Cup matches to be held in South Africa in 2010 !

In its eighty years history , this will be the first time Africa is hosting the event  since its inception since 1930 making it of much significance to the content. African bloggers,vloggers ,podcasters... etc will take the opportunity to present a different picture of the continent to the World especially since western media always capitalize on the wars, poverty ,diseases conflicts,negative politics that encumber part of the continent.The perception of Africa will be changed to a great extent by the event that will feature 32 world national soccer teams.This blog takes the lead in this venture.Intense preparations are ongoing in South Africa to handle the volume of fans,security risks,accommodation, logistics etc that accompany hosting the event.

The teams that have qualified for next years football world cup include (Source FIFA website) by region are:

Africa

• Algeria (ALG)
• Cameroon (CMR)
• Côte d'Ivoire (CIV)
• Ghana (GHA)
• Nigeria (NGA)

• South Africa (RSA) HOSTS
  

Asia

• Australia (AUS)
• Japan (JPN)
• Korea DPR (PRK)
• Korea Republic (KOR)

Europe

• Denmark (DEN)
• England (ENG)
• France (FRA)
• Germany (GER)
• Greece (GRE)
• Italy (ITA)
• Netherlands (NED)
• Portugal (POR)
• Serbia (SRB)
• Slovakia (SVK)
• Slovenia (SVN)
• Spain (ESP)
• Switzerland (SUI)

North,Central America and Caribbean

• Honduras (HON)
• Mexico (MEX)
• USA (USA)

Oceania

• New Zealand (NZL)

South America

• Argentina (ARG)
• Brazil (BRA)
• Chile (CHI)
• Paraguay (PAR)
• Uruguay (URU)

 Match tickets for for the 64 matches that will be plaid can be purchased online from the FIFA website.It is important to note that the match tickets for the South Africa football World cup are being sold in phases with he first two phases already finished.The third phase will begin on Saturday December 5 , 2009.The price ranges for the tickets range from US Dollars $ 20(for persons on wheelchair ) to Dollars 2,100 to watch the finals.

All eyes are now turned to the Final draw that will take place on 4th December, 2009 at the Cape Town International Conference Centre(CTICC) 7 P.M South African time which will see the 32 qualifying teams lumped into 8 groups.The event will be beamed live to millions of anticipating viewers worldwide.From then forth fixtures will be known, opponents identified and intense preparations at team levels will begin.


The World Cup trophy which is the ultimate prize for the event  is already within the continent but it's a shame sometimes to see how humans glorify and  idolize the object(i know im hurting many feelings here).Its just a cup although it may elicit intense emotions but it remains just a cup, a lifeless object with no definite power to help those who overly adore or worship it .However without doubt this is one tournament that keeps its exhilarated fans on their feet constantly.The games affect work attendance, families, friendships etc to a near fatal extent sometimes.Notwithstanding the World will be watching South Africa World Cup 2010.The countdown begins.

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