Ramaphosa heads Government delegation to back SA Rugby’s 2023 World Cup bid

JOHANNESBURG — Cyril Ramaphosa heads off to London with the SA delegation to present South Africa’s bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Since the host nation’s head of state traditionally declares the tournament open, you’ve got to wonder if Cyril has the image of himself doing the honours should things go his way at the ANC Elective Conference in December. There’s a lot at stake for the South African team. Grant Thornton’s economic impact assessment says that hosting the World Cup will have an economic impact on the country of R27.3 billion. It could create 38,000 jobs – some temporary, many permanent. The economic impact will be spread across seven host cities, with Johannesburg getting the lion’s share – R10 billion could be added to the city’s GDP. There are also the intangible benefits such as enhancing the country’s tourism profile in the international community. All of this without having to build a single stadium. The last time South Africa successfully bid for a World Cup was in 2004 when the country won the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. On that occasion, Nelson Mandela was a pivotal figure in persuading FIFA. Ramaphosa doesn’t have the same charisma. Can he do a similar job persuading World Rugby? – David O’Sullivan

From SA Rugby

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a high-level delegation to London on Sunday 24 September 2017 for the presentation to the World Rugby Council of South Africa’s bid to host the prestigious Rugby World Cup 2023 tournament.

Deputy President Ramaphosa will be supported by Sport and Recreation Minister Thulas Nxesi and Deputy Minister Gert Oosthuizen. The South African presentation will take place at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London, on Monday 25 September 2017.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa sends off rugby team to World Cup on 9 September 2015.

President Jacob Zuma requested Deputy President Ramaphosa to lead Team South Africa, in view of the fact that the President is leading the South African delegation to the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. UNGA has been scheduled from September 19 to 25, 2017.

The high-powered delegation will include SA Rugby president, Mr Mark Alexander, and CEO, Jurie Roux, in laying out South Africa’s technically and commercially compelling case to host the tournament 28 years after late President Nelson Mandela handed the Webb Elis Cup to Francois Pienaar at a packed Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

In a media statement, the Government said Deputy President Ramaphosa’s participation in this visit “demonstrated the government’s support for and commitment to the effort to return the tournament to the African continent in the 21st century”.

Read also: The massive economic impact of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on SA – if we get to host it

This commitment was demonstrated by the fact that the South African government had, as the lead partner in the bid process, signed off on all the requirements stipulated by the World Rugby Council, satisfying more than the required minimum guarantee in the process, said the statement.

“We are deeply honoured and privileged to have such high-powered and visible support from our government to lead our bid presentation,” said Mr Alexander.

“The suggestion in some quarters appears to be that our government is lukewarm about our bid. I hope this delegation and the presentation we make on Monday will once and for all give the lie to that idea.

“The South African government is the lead partner in this bid and has signed off on every one of World Rugby’s requirements; going above and beyond the required minimum guarantee.

“We will first share those details with the World Rugby Council on Monday before sharing them with the wider public.”

Deputy President Ramaphosa congratulated Team South Africa on its preparations to date for the presentation of the bid and has called on all South Africans to show their support for Team South Africa as the delegation enters the final stages of securing the Rugby World Cup 2023.

The World Rugby will announce the host of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on 15 November 2017.

Source: http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?category=sarugby/worldcup&id=4135064

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