It’s finally D-day for South Africa, Bafana Bafana and Carlos Alberto Parreira. The FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010 begins today at Soccer City in Johannesburg, a proud moment for many South Africans. The 84 490 seater stadium will be packed to capacity, while millions of people from across the world will watch the 14:00 opening ceremony on television. The first historical match, between hosts South Africa and Mexico, will kick off at 16:00.

The celebrations began last night in Soweto’s historic Orlando stadium for a star-studded “kick-off” concert; including the likes of Shakira and the Black Eyed Peas. I tried to watch it, but due to that fact that I had exercised for the first time in a long time and that we are currently going through a very busy transformation at work, I was ready for bed by 19:30 and the eight o clock scheduling of the concert was way past my bed time. Sorry SA, it’s sad I know, but I will try do better today. I have recorded all the lead up programs, opening ceremony and the actual game on PVR, so when I get home I can fast forward all the adverts and watch everything un-interrupted. See I do care and I am actually very excited about it.

Good luck Bafana Bafana, make us proud, we all know you will. To all South Africans I will leave you with a quote from our very own President Jacob Zuma.

“In this time, we need good South Africans. Let them, just for four weeks, be good. Just for four weeks.”

Don’t just be good, be great and get involved. We need ‘gees’, optimism and patriotism. This might be the last time in our lives (hopefully not) that the world cup is hosted here, so let’s make the most of it…………….Ok?