afrol News, 15 April - Many South Africans returned home with disappointed faces after failing to secure cheap over-the-counter tickets to see the home soccer team in the nearing World Cup.
The over the counter World Cup ticket sales started this morning in all the major cities and town of South Africa, where local soccer fanatics formed long queues hoping to secure cheaper tickets to watch their soccer heroes. Tickets over the counter are selling for as little as US$ 20 for the lowest grade seats.
Reports across the country showed that some people actually slept at the selling points hoping to be the first to be served, but much to their disappointment.
However, tickets for other games than those of the host nation team were still said to be available for South African soccer fans.
The world football body, FIFA, had agreed to sell the remaining half a million tickets over the counter, a system which was said to be most favourable to the South African and other African soccer lovers. This decision was reached following complaints by many local fans that they could not get access to the online methods used for the ticket purchases.
South Africa, who is hosting the World Cup from 11 June to 11 July, for the first time on the African soil, is grouped with Mexico, France and Uruguay in the play-offs. Other African teams to compete in the 2010 Soccer World Cup are Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español