You need hardly descend from cloud level over Johannesburg to remember that a year ago today, this city was the site of the most watched sporting spectacle known to man.
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The very skyline defiantly refuses to forget the 2010 World Cup. Wrapped around the Hillbrow tower, the telecommunications mast almost as iconic to Jo'burg as Table Mountain is to Cape Town, there is still, three-quarters of the way up its pylon, a bulbous black and white football, some 30 metres in diameter.
Soccer City lies barely five miles away. There, last July 11, Andres Iniesta scored the goal that made Spain world champions for the first time in their history.
Some nine evenings earlier, Ghana matched Africa's finest ever showing at football's greatest showpiece by coming within a penalty shoot-out of reaching a semi-final.
Soccer City still looks stunning, its red-brown bowl exterior weathering well, yet its role in post-World Cup South Africa remains unclear, its part in the legacy of the tournament still under busy negotiation.
The arena's very name has been subject of a court case in the last 12 months. Its managers sought to have it known as The National Stadium.
A bank, FNB, reminded them they had a contract for its naming rights. The issue keys into the future of the 85,000-capacity stadium, rebuilt at a cost of US$440 million (Dh1.615m) for the World Cup.
Talks are in progress for the Golden Lions rugby union team to make the venue their new, full-time home.
Its location on the edge of Soweto would not instinctively be associated with rugby, a sport largely associated with the country's white minority, but the oval-ball matches that have taken place there have been well attended.
To have the Lions as permanent tenants would symbolise an important, positive benefit for a country still struggling with racial divisions nearly 20 years after the end of apartheid.
The Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa's most popular football club, are also being wooed as anchor tenants by Soccer City, though for the first season since the World Cup, the Chiefs have enjoyed a peripatetic existence, playing home matches in the local Premier Soccer League (PSL) at a variety of the smart grounds erected for 2010.
The Chiefs and the Orlando Pirates are the only pair of clubs who can guarantee very big crowds nationwide.
And the World Cup stadiums need bigger crowds, especially those such as Greenpoint in Cape Town that were constructed for a month of football last year without an obvious long-term purpose.
Greenpoint cost $600m. When it hosted the Cape Town derby, between Ajax Cape Town and Santos last October, only 8,000 of its 65,000 seats were occupied.
Big concerts, by the likes of U2 have filled the venue since, but football is an infrequent visitor.
Rugby is there even less, because the Cape Town Stormers, semi-finalists in the latest Super 15 competition, are content with their home at Newlands, the stadium South Africa's World Cup organisers chose not to use last year, preferring lavish expenditure on Greenpoint.
Elsewhere, the grounds at Nelson Mandela Bay, Polokwane and Nelspruit struggle to bring in large crowds regularly, and suffer for not having strong local football clubs.
What South Africa's fans have seen, though, in the first post-World Cup year, is exciting football. A broad consensus says that standards in the PSL have risen. Whether that is coincidence or inspiration, the domestic season finished with a dramatic cliffhanger, the Pirates overtaking Ajax in the table on the a last day when three clubs - the Chiefs were the other - might have clinched the league title.
Football, always the most popular sport in the country, is now being played by more people.
"The World Cup fostered greater understanding," Johan Volsteedt, the headmaster of Grey College, a school famous for producing international cricketers and rugby players, told the Johannesburg Sunday Times.
"More schools are offering soccer, and soccer has brought our students closer."
Bongani Khumalo, the South Africa defender who scored the opening goal in his country's win against France during the World Cup, said: "People generally seem to have greater respect for the game and us footballers since the World Cup. It gave us a lot of energy as a country."
Khumalo earned a transfer, last January, from the PSL's Supersport United to Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League partly on the back of his World Cup performances.
He has struggled for playing time in England, but his national team have thrived since becoming the only host to go out in the first round of a World Cup finals.
Now captained by Steven Pienaar, of Spurs, and coached by Pitso Mosimane, a respected former South Africa international, "Bafana Bafana" have beaten Egypt at home and drawn with the reigning African champions in Cairo in qualifying the for 2012 African Cup of Nations. There are South Africans who expected a watershed, a nation-altering effect from staging sport's greatest show. The reality is more tempered.
As the popular columnist Mondli Makhanya, wrote, wistfully: "You would be hard pressed to point to the legacy apart from the stadiums, nice infrastructure and an assertive Bafana Bafana.
"One can list dozens of other nations which used the hosting of global events to impact on their social, political and economic cultures. It is those nations in whose company we should be."
sports@thenational.ae
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Racecard
6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.10pm: British Business Group – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
8.20pm: Czech Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,400m
8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMaly%20Tech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mo%20Ibrahim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%20International%20Financial%20Centre%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.6%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2015%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%2C%20planning%20first%20seed%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GCC-based%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
