Preparations by the city of Johannesburg for next year’s 2010 FIFA World Cup are well underway and are on track to be completed before the event kicks off.

Speaking at the Tourism Indaba in Durban, Sibongile Mazibuko, executive director of the Johannesburg 2010 office, said: “Our various projects and infrastructure programmes are on course for a scheduled completion.”

Mazibuko added that a five-year contract to manage the Soccer City stadium has been awarded to Global Event Management, rather than a municipal manager, as the city wants to take advantage of the investment it is making.

South African Tourism Board chairperson Jabu Mabuza also noted that the country still expects an influx of visitors in spite of the financial crisis, adding that South Africa remains “cautiously optimistic” of reaching its goal of 10-million visitors in 2010.