The country's football team is known as Bafana Bafana - "the boys, the boys" in isiZulu - a name that comes from the fans' cry that went up during the squad's triumph at the 1996 African Cup of Nations, hosted in SA.

Some 3-million tickets are available for the 2010 World Cup's 64 matches. One third, or a million, is allocated to South African football fans, another million to international visitors, and the third million to sponsors, teams and the "Fifa family".

Time zone
South African Standard Time is two hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+2). During June and July, when the 2010 tournament will be held, South African time is the same as that in continental Europe, and an hour ahead of the UK. So matches that kick off at 9pm here should be comfortable viewing for Europeans, but will be in the middle of the day in the US and early in the morning in Australia.

Transport
The host cities are all linked by air and train routes, and South Africa has a number of first-rate tour bus companies. The country's road infrastructure is excellent, so it's a viable option to rent a car.

South African public transport is not up to the standard of New York or London, but there are options. The most popular form of public transport is the minibus taxi. By 2010 a massive recapitalisation plan, currently underway, is likely to have replaced the old vehicles with larger and safer small buses.

Most of the host cities have Metrorail train and Metro bus systems, and there are numerous meter cab companies.

Accommodation
The hotel sector in South Africa is first-rate, the Fifa inspection team said in its country report. Other options are the many guest houses and bed & breakfast establishments in and around all the host cities, and over 150 backpacker lodges. Accommodation is also available in National Parks.

Communication
With a network that is 99% digital and includes the latest in fixed-line, wireless and satellite communication, South Africa has the most developed telecommunications network in Africa. The country's three cellular operators provide telephony to over 30-million subscribers - more than half the population.

Safety
Yes, there is crime in South Africa. But you really don't need to do much more than take all the usual sensible precautions. Know where you're going before you set off, particularly at night, watch your possessions, and lock your doors at night.

Fifa  said as long as people attending the 2010 Fifa World Cup keep within certain boundaries, they should not encounter any trouble. A comprehensive programme for policing stadiums, media centres and main hotels has been drawn up and will be put in place.

Water
South Africa's water is of a far higher quality than that of many developed countries. High-quality tap (faucet) water is available almost everywhere, treated to be free of harmful micro organisms and both palatable and safe to drink straight from the tap. Johannesburg's water, for one, is as good as anything you'll get in a bottle.

Health
The health system received excellent ratings from Fifa and the private health system is considered one of the best in the world -  drawing on modern technology and highly qualified specialists and medical staff.

There will be fully equipped infirmaries with adequate first-aid facilities to meet every need in the stadiums for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Currency
South Africa's unit of currency is the rand, which is divided into 100 cents. Coins come in denominations of 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5, and notes in denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200. With a favourable exchange rate for many international currencies, South Africa is an inexpensive destination.

Banking
South Africa has a world-class, sophisticated financial sector, abreast of all the latest technological trends. Banks, bureaux de change and automatic tellers (ATMs) are widely available. All major credit cards can be used, foreign banks are well represented, and banking can be done by ATM, internet or phone.

Source:
Media Club South Africa