host one of the semi-final matches.

He said thousands of soccer lovers from all corners of the globe would attend the tournament and utilise the local hospitality and tourism industry, as well as enterprises such as B&Bs, the small beading industry and SMMEs.

"All this goes to prove that the 2010 Football World Cup showcase will not just be a frivolous money-gobbling exercise, but will bring about unprecedented economic and social benefits to provide a rich legacy for generations to come."

On matters of infrastructural delivery, Ndebele said the government was spending R7,63billion on housing, road construction and maintenance, agriculture, land reform and restitution, tourism and corridor development projects in the province.

Economically the gross domestic product of the province has risen from 1percent in 1999 to more than 5percent in 2005,and is now the second largest in the country.

He said the province had also almost eradicated the bucket toilet system from more than 13000 in 2003 to only 100 this year.

The provincial government was also in the process of enlisting national government to secure additional funds for the backlogs in clean water provision to some 600000 households.