Organising a FIFA World Cup™ is a mammoth task with many different facets. As well as the more obvious tangible elements of the building and upgrading of stadiums and infrastructure, there are aspects to consider such as ensuring the smooth co-ordination of the match schedule, transport, security, protocol and so on.

For three years now, the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee South Africa (LOC) has been laying the groundwork for a successful tournament and are confident that, thanks to the efforts of national experts in their respective fields, all the elements are coming together.

As the chief executive officer of the LOC, Danny Jordaan has the executive responsibility for the entire operation and for ensuring that progress remains on course and on schedule.

He is ably supported in senior management by five Chief Officers, namely Chief Competitions Officer Dennis Mumble, Chief Security Officer Linda Mti, Chief Financial Officer Farouk Seedat, Chief Officer of Communications and Marketing Tim Modise and Chief Operations Officer Nomfanelo Magwentshu, who was a former executive of South African Airways.

Of course, all the years of meticulous planning and organisation ultimately boil down to the successful staging of 64 FIFA World Cup ™ matches in 2010.

Meet the team
Mumble, an experienced football administrator who has worked on FIFA and South African Football Association structures for many years, is the man tasked with ensuring that the all-important match schedule runs smoothly.

Managing the budget that is required for such a massive event is the responsibility of former Deloitte and Touche chartered accountant Seedat.

South Africa has a good record of hosting significant sporting events such as the 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup, the 1999 All-Africa Games and the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup without incident, and the task of ensuring that the 2010 FIFA World Cup is equally trouble-free falls to former Commissioner for Correctional Services Mti and his security directorate.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is a major global media spectacle and it is the job of seasoned television and radio journalist Modise and his team to convey up-to-date information and to leverage the considerable marketing opportunity to raise South Africa's international profile over the next three years.

The LOC is determined to make good on its promise of making 2010 a truly African World Cup and to this end Dr Eddy Maloka is heading up its African Legacy Programme.

Recruiting the thousands of volunteers that will be needed is the job of Volunteer Programme Manager Onke Mjo, while recruitment of the growing number of LOC staff is the responsibility of Human Resources Manager Nomzamo Kasana.

The LOC's technical team overseeing the host cities' construction of South Africa's ten World Cup stadia is headed by Moira Tlhagale, while co-ordination between the LOC, the host cities and the various spheres of government is the task of LOC Host Cities Manager Amanda Nair.

Looking after the many legal requirements that constitute the hosting of a FIFA World Cup is the job of legal managers Leslie Sedibe and Mncedisi Khumalo, while much of the logistics of the operation rests with Projects Manager Malcolm Tarbitt.

With technology becoming more and more advanced with every World Cup, the LOC's IT&T Manager Zakes Mnisi is responsible for managing information technology commitments.

The LOC's SAFA House headquarters is certainly a hive of activity at the moment and it's a building that promises within which the frantic goings-on will only become more frenetic as the clock ticks steadily towards June 2010.

2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa: Board of Directors

Dr Irvin Khoza
Dr Danny Jordaan
Dr Molefi Oliphant
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
Makhenkesi Stofile
Jabu Moleketi
Dr Essop Pahad
Aziz Pahad
Sydney Mufamadi
Jeff Radebe
Charles Nqakula
Raymond Hack
Kaizer Motaung
Nastasia Tsichlas
Kenneth Lebenya
Mubarak Mahomed
Tokyo Sexwale
Koos Bekker
Professor Michael Katz
Selwyn Nathan
Zwelinzima Vavi