BCL leads Selebi-Phikwe World Cup carnival

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Friday June 11, 2010 00:00

Already, Selebi-Phikwe's biggest employer, BCL mine has bought 80 tickets for its employees to watch matches in Polokwane. It is believed that other residents bought tickets online. Ahead of the World Cup, South African flags have been seen hanging on car mirrors while some fans have donned their teams' favourite colours. 

Retired soccer player, Phinda 'Mzala' Mbereki said he will be glued to the screen for the better part of the month-long tournament.

'I will be travelling to Pretoria tomorrow to watch one of the games. It is good that the tournament is in Southern Africa so it is an opportunity of a lifetime,' Mbereki said.

BCL public relations and communications superintendent, Tiro Kganela said the company found it fit to award its high performers with World Cup tickets. Some of the employees will watch the game between Algeria and Slovenia.

The employees will have an opportunity to watch the game between France and Mexico on June 18, Greece and Argentina on June 22 and the Paraguay-New Zealand tie on June 24. All the games will be in Polokwane.

The mine employees will watch games on a big screen at Makhubu poolside with their families. 'Selebi-Phikwe is BCL so the families of BCL employees will have the privilege to watch the games on a big screen organised by the mine,' Kganela said.

The World Cup has literally become the talk of the town with heated debates on which country will win on July 11. Local shops are making a kill from the sale of soccer merchandise particularly with South African colours.  One soccer fan said he could not wait for the event to start. 'This is a moment we cannot afford to miss and it deserves to be watched in a social spot away from children and wives who know nothing about soccer,' he said. 

Other than soccer fans, ordinary people in the mining town do not look upbeat about the World Cup. Women in particular, curse this period as their husbands will be glued to the screen and their favourite programmes will be postponed to pave way for the games.