In his first column, South African-based journalist Lashias Ncube starts his countdown to World Cup 2010.
In his first column, South African-based journalist Lashias Ncube starts his countdown to World Cup 2010 - an event he hopes former President Nelson Mandela will be able to reflect on with pride
But for the actions of one Charles Dempsey, former South African president Nelson Mandela would have spent the last three years reflecting on the euphoria of a World Cup played on his turf.
By way of a quick recap, Dempsey was Oceania's representative on the 24-man Fifa executive committee that voted to decide the hosts for the 2006 World Cup in 2000.
Dempsey abstained in the final round of voting meaning Germany prevailed by 12 votes to South Africa's 11, much to Africa's collective chagrin.
In the emotive aftermath, those who fronted South Africa's bid accused the football world of racism, among other dastardly sins. Typically, one man refused to be bitter or downcast. "We have done so well that I think we should rejoice instead of regretting," said Mandela.
Publicly, Sepp Blatter backed 'Africa's bid'. Whether he would have had the courage of his convictions to vote for South Africa in the tie-breaker that would have ensued had Dempsey obliged his confederation's mandate and voted for the African contenders is now a moot point. In a perverse way Blatter had Dempsey to thank for sparing him such an unenviable task.
There is a counter argument; that Dempsey scuppered Blatter's ambitions of becoming the Africans' hero. As swing vote, the Fifa president would have had the power to single-handedly give Africa its first ever World Cup tournament.
Mandela is 92 years old now and understandably frail. It is the wish of every South African that he lives not only long enough to realise a World Cup dream deferred by the machinations of a man who has since shuffled off this mortal coil, but also long enough to reminisce about the historic event.
The great man withdrew from public life a long time ago. However, that has not stopped self interest groups from invoking his name to lend support to their own agendas. Debate has been raging in recent weeks over who owns Mandela. He is quite a lucrative resource and a contested one. Brand Mandela, like brand Beckham, is worth trademarking.
Every year since 1994, South Africans have been treated to a Fifa-sanctioned challenge match played in Mandela's honour - the Nelson Mandela Challenge - contested by Bafana Bafana and hand-picked international opposition. Norway will play Bafana in this year's installment on March 28.
Big-names
Previous opponents include Brazil, Argentina, Holland, France, Nigeria and Cameroon, who all brought their big-name players along, ostensibly to meet Mandela.
The move to bring forward the 2009 edition, exactly four months after the 2008 edition last November, is deliberate. The 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) wants to run the rule over refurbished and newly constructed stadiums ahead of the Confederations Cup in June and the World Cup next year. The Norway clash is a litmus test for the upgraded Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, an opportunity to give the stadium a trial run.
The broader strategy will also see LOC take control of security arrangements for high profile domestic matches such as derbies and cup finals in a bid to gain much-needed organisational practice ahead of the World Cup.
And in the wake of the recent terror attacks on cricketers in Pakistan the local organisers are also working with international security organisations, including Interpol, to guarantee the safety of visitors.
"There needs to be strong international co-operation and we are working with international partners. We have to review and update given the world we live in," said LOC chief executive Danny Jordaan.
Early indications are that Mandela will not be attending the match against Norway. It is also doubtful he will be available to meet the Norway squad.
However, should David Beckham usurp Peter Shilton as England's most-capped player, we might see Mandela come out of retirement for one last hurrah.
Jordaan this week pledged to discuss with Mandela the possibility of the apartheid struggle hero hosting a ceremony for Beckham should the former England skipper rewrite the record books.
"I will discuss it with Mandela," said Jordaan. "He (Beckham) is a great role model and we look forward to having him in our country."
When Golden Balls, resplendent in cornrows, met Mandela in South Africa in 2003 the England international described the occasion as 'a dream come true'. He now has an added incentive to stay fit and make the England squad for football's Holy Grail next year.
