East London, 22 April marked 50 days until the kick-off of the first FIFA Soccer World Cup match.  Celebrations were held across the country to mark this milestone in the countdown to the biggest sporting event in the world.

Although Buffalo City will not be actively involved in the hosting of any World Cup matches or hosting any teams, leaders in the city are extremely excited to get Buffalo City involved in the hype and excitement surrounding the sporting spectacle.

Oxford Street was the venue for celebrations in East London, where a partisan crowd was entertained by DJ’s and the Guild Theatre dancers.  The event was attended by Executive Mayor Zukisa Faku, BCM Councillor T. Nondala, and our very own Terry Taylor, President of the Border Kei Chamber of Business.

School learners opened the ceremony by marching down the cordoned off section of road in front of the City Hall, bearing flags of all 32 participating nations.  The ceremony was opened by Councillor T. Nondala, followed by the keynote address by BCM Executive Mayor, Zukisa Faku.  Faku commended Border Kei Chamber of Business on their involvement in the Buffalo City Corporate Football Challenge initiative.  Faku commented that BKCOB was taking the initiative to increase ‘soccer fever’ in the city through this initiative, and she went on to urge the city to support local soccer clubs, such as Blackburn Rovers who have recently won promotion to the National First Division and will now be fighting for promotion the ABSA Premiership next season.

Mr Terry Taylor then took to the podium to ‘launch’ the 2010 Buffalo City Corporate Football Challenge, which includes 32 teams each sponsored by a corporate company, and who will compete against one another with the first round of matches being held on the 8th and 9th May and culminating in a final weekend of games on 6th and 7th June.  The corporates are ‘adopting’ a team and by donating R5000, will buy their entire team full soccer kits with their company branding on.

The Buffalo City Corporate Football Challenge trophy was presented by Terry Taylor to Mr Xolani Bishoti, President of the Buffalo City Local Football Organisation.

It was then time for the ever popular Diski Dance to be performed by the Guild Theatre dancers.  They performed the dance to a joyous and highly excitable crowd blowing vuvuzela’s and waving South African flags which were handed out to the crowd. The spectators were then treated to their very own Diski Dance class, where everyone was taught the steps to the dance, sweeping through the country, much to their enjoyment. 

The event was a resounding success, and went a long way to inject some enthusiasm into the residents of Buffalo City.