Olympics: S Africa still wants 2020 bid

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's sport minister said he still wants the country to bid for the 2020 Olympic Games despite a cabinet decision last month to instead spend money on services for the poor. Fikile Mbalula hopes to convince his colleagues in President Jacob Zuma's cabinet to revisit plans for an Olympic bid, which the government vetoed after estimating it would cost $50 million. Durban had been tipped as a likely bidder for the 2020 summer games after winning praise as a host city during the football World Cup last year. But the South African government said it would rather spend money creating jobs and improving services like water and electricity. South Africa poured $5 billion into the first World Cup in Africa and largely overcame fears about crime and poor transportation to host a widely applauded tournament.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15th, 2011.