Speculation is rife about which South African performers have made the final list of those who will take to the stage during the opening ceremony for the World Cup at Soccer City next Friday.
The local organising committee is keeping mum about the performers list for the eagerly awaited event, which is set to be broadcast to about a billion viewers around the world and attended by 52 African heads of state and others of participating countries.
However, reports in international newspapers have given hints as to what can be expected from the show.
TheNews.com and several Indian newspapers report that Indian composer Salim Sulaiman has been commissioned to compose a song, which he will perform at both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Reports, also from India, claim that local star Loyiso Bala and Kenyan singer songwriter Eric Wainaina are both performing at the opening event.
This follows the tragic death last week of South African operatic tenor Siphiwo Ntshebe, who died of bacterial meningitis.
Ntshebe was supposed to have sung his hit, Hope, after he was reportedly recommended to perform at the ceremony by former president Nelson Mandela. His memorial service was conducted yesterday in Port Elizabeth. He will be buried on Saturday.
The opening ceremony, which begins at 2pm next Friday, before the 4pm kick-off of the opening match between Bafana Bafana and Mexico, is being organised by local production companies VWV and producer Lebo M’s Till Dawn Productions.
LOC spokesman Rich Mkhondo said they were not revealing the names of the performers yet. “We will make an announcement as soon as we are ready. I don’t know anything about Salim composing music for the opening ceremony,” he said.
