Abstract
M.A.
In contemporary discourse, it is increasingly conventional to find mega-events being hosted in countries in the Global South, and their resultant impacts and legacies are raising new challenges as to the raison d’etre behind their organisation, and the legacy impacts that they might engender. South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM was the first ever to occur on the continent. The development and sustainability of stadia usually gains prominence among hosts seeking to deliver sustainable mega-events. In preparation for the ventures, the construction of stadia has often been accompanied by contentious debates about the costs involved, and the post-event sustainability. A plethora of studies indicates that mega-events impact on destinations hosting them, either positively or negatively. The current study delves into the sustainability perspectives of South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM, focusing on the evaluation of the post-event-legacy-impact dimensions of the stadia in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. Grounded within the political economy and stakeholder theories, and the mega-event legacy framework and sustainability concept, the epistemology adopted a critical review process of the existing rhetoric and empirical enunciations.
Theoretically, the study underpins upon a postulation of a sustainable stadium development legacy framework for the organisation flagship events of this nature that considers the context of developing economies and broadens the epistemological basis within the field of mega-event research. The theoretical framework of this research further articulates and underscores the need for the examination of stakeholder perceptions across a range of groups, thereby allowing for the unpacking of the extent to which differences or similarities can be attributed to the socio-demographic profiles concerned. The framework suggests that in the context of developing economies, mega-event infrastructure planning needs a new strategic thrust in relation to legacy considerations and sustainability outcomes. Mixed (qualitative and quantitative) techniques were employed to collect the required data. In total, 1120 resident questionnaires were completed (400 in Cape Town, 320 in Durban, and 400 in Port Elizabeth), using the systematic stratified random sampling method. The purposive sampling technique was employed in targeting seven key informants from the relevant stakeholder organisations in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.
Significantly, the findings outlined the legacy expectations, impacts and implications of South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM. In addition, statistical differences and similarities in relation to perceptions were observed between the resident and stakeholder groups in all three case study areas. The study revealed support for the construction of the stadia for the 2010 FIFA World CupTM that was mainly linked to the novelty legacy impacts of the stadia on the community members concerned. Furthermore, the outcomes enunciated contributions towards achieving the sustainability precepts that the construction of the stadia for the purpose of hosting such flagship events prefigured. While the residents and the key resource persons agreed that the stadia had the potential to attract positive legacy outcomes to their respective communities, one of the overwhelming outcomes was the unanimous agreement that the costs of maintenance and operation of the stadia were currently exorbitant, and they were not covered by the income generated by the stadia. Furthermore, the findings indicate that, even though the residents and the other stakeholders were in agreement with regards to the costs of maintenance being exorbitant, there was an almost identical unanimity in their responses, in respect of the need to demolish the stadia, with most of them refuting such. However, recommendations were proposed for the need for effective strategies to be put in place to engender the sustainability of the edifices in the long-term.