Should the country become the first African nation to hold the Games, Cape Town and Johannesburg are also likely to host some codes.
Sascoc CEO Nozipho Jafta. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
Durban has been announced as South Africa’s preferred host city for potential Olympic Games bids for the 2036 and 2040 editions of the prestigious multi-sport showpiece.
Attempting to become the first African country to host the Games, the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) confirmed on Thursday that the Moses Mabhida Stadium – built for the 2010 Fifa World Cup – would be the main venue, should the country be shortlisted to bid for either edition of the quadrennial spectacle.
However, while more than 60% of sports would be held in Durban, multiple codes could be contested in other cities, including Cape Town and Johannesburg, which had also put themselves forward to be considered as host cities for the possible bids.
“That has been a discussion with all three cities, and they are aware that they might also be called upon to take on some of the codes,” said Sascoc acting president Lwandile Simelane.
“It was engaged with all cities, and they are all ready and accepting to do that when the time comes… so it is for us going to be a multi-city approach. It is a national Games, but it is possible for 60% to 70% of everything to be done in Durban.
“As the host city, Durban will be the home of the Olympic village, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.
“So we will be making use of the whole country at large, however ensuring that we do not create a fragmented Games and it is a compact Games, and that athletes are not expected to be all over the show, as well as spectators in order to experience the Games.”
Multiple countries showing interest
At this stage, while government had approved a request from Sascoc to show interest in hosting the 2036 or 2040 editions of the Games, they were still in the early stages of the process, and multiple issues including the costs involved, facilities available and public transport infrastructure still needed to be ironed out.
South Africa was one of seven countries which had shown interest in bidding for the 2036 Games, along with Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Korea and Turkey.
Aside from South Africa, Germany, Poland, Egypt and the United Kingdom had shown potential interest in bidding for the 2040 edition of the multi-sport spectacle.
“All seven countries (for 2036) have been invited to present to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the end of November,” said Sascoc chief executive Nozipho Jafta.
“That’s when we will all be presenting our regions and sharing our stories to say why we are the countries that should go to the next phase of the process.”
