Cabinet has thrown its support behind the hosting of the World Cup kick-off concert scheduled for next week, saying calls for its boycott are “ill-advised.”
“The call to boycott the concert by some artists is ill advised as more artists have been included among those performing from South Africa and the African continent,” said government spokesperson Themba Maseko at a post-cabinet briefing on Thursday.
He said cabinet called on the parties to sort out all the outstanding issues without resorting to media statements that would undermine the positive mood that South Africans are already experiencing.
On Wednesday, the Local Organising Committee and FIFA said the Kick-Off Celebration Concert, set for 10 June at the Orlando Stadium, to precede this year's opening of the World Cup, will go ahead as planned.
FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke said all preparations for the concert had been finalised, adding that there was no need for people to panic.
"It's very sad that eight days before the event people are still raising these issues when everything was discussed and agreed on.
It's very sad because as we said before this is an international event and we have tried to create a balance," Valcke said. – BuaNews
