The former Archbishop of Cape Town and one of the most important public figures in South Africa has announced that he is stepping down from public life after decades of tireless work as a churchman and as the conscience of South Africa.

Last month, South Africa opened its arms out to the world and most people had no idea what to expect of the 2010 World Cup. With so many of the world’s best football teams competing, critics were easy to diminish African hopes of winning the tournament.

However, Africa has proven its critics wrong by demonstrating that the competition is not just about winning the trophy, but about playing the game and unifying people in the process.

The home team has already proven this to spectators by playing with great pride, great passion and great sportsmanship, which has galvanised the rainbow nation.

Top players such as Benni McCarthy and Steven Pienaar brought innovation and imagination on the side – that will have no doubt inspired many children in Africa following the tournament.

Steven Pienaar told FIFA ‘People can never say that we didn’t do our best but throughout football we have brought the whole nation together, and have shown that we are one country.’

South Africa’s graceful exit from the World Cup was a class above the French team, who dominated headlines with their fights and clashes on and off the pitch.

The celebrations will last throughout the day and will be graced with a performance by the award winning South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza.

At 3.00 pm the people will celebrate the kicking off of the first game of the tournament, with Bafana Bafana challenging Mexico.

SA High Commissioner Dr Zola Skweyiya says that ‘all South Africans have to be proud of what we have realized and we are celebrating today, because this World Cup has not been the product of the Government, but the result of a joint effort of the whole South African society’.

Referring to the critics about the high unemployment rates and the difficulties the nation still has to overcome he replied that ‘we know that there are challenges, but we hope to show to everybody that working together is possible to achieve important goals’. Every one of the nine South African provinces now has a stadium and improved infrastructures, which in their own various ways have improved the living conditions of the people, Skweyiya explains.

Former president Nelson Mandela will not be present at the opening ceremony due to the tragic loss of his great granddaughter in a car crash early this morning for which the High Commissioner expresses his condolence to the family of young Zenani Mandela. Nonetheless, all former presidents of the rainbow republic will follow the event from the stadium ‘giving energy to our united nation and, of course, supporting Bafana Bafana.’

The National Arts Festival (NAF) in Grahamstown is hosting international artists as well as the country’s top performers, writers, directors, musicians, dancers and choreographers. NAF chief executive Tony Lancaster explains that ‘Because the World Cup is a global celebration, we wanted to ensure our program featured some strong, exciting, vibrant, celebratory international work. We’ve got that mix right, and I think we’re poised for a great event.’

For those who want some more sport, the Billabong Pro in Jeffreys Bay will see top surfers from all over the world performing from July 8th to 18th. In the relaxing atmosphere of the Wild Coast it will be possible to try a meaty South African treat over the weekend of 16-17 July during the weekend-long Somerset East Biltong Festival.

Another important occasion to discover South Africa and to escape the pitch fever will be the 27th Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival. With more than 100 scheduled events the festival claims to be offering ‘the best 10 days of your 2010’. Oysters and wine testing, Pick n Pay Cape Times Knysna Forest Marathon and the Pick n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour and events especially conceived for kids will be just part of the program.

The BBC’s Special Report, ‘Superpower’, focuses on the massive transformative effects of the internet, as a global facilitator. A revealing and worrying feature of the report includes a timeline of past and present internet coverage around the world. As mentioned, Africa does not fare very well. The continent ‘lags behind the rest of the world’ in connecting to the net. As of 2008, heavyweights South Africa and Nigeria had, respectively, only 6-10 and 11-15 percent of their populations online, while the majority of countries in the continent had less than 5% of their population covered. With so little coverage, Africans are not getting access to the world’s information, and with much of the world aligning their efforts in line with the growing ‘information economy’, Africa is in danger of falling behind.

Switched on Africans are not standing still in their bid to bring information-based tools to their regions. The GLORIAD project underway in Egypt, Africa’s most connected country with 20% of people online, plans to extend the country’s high-speed fibre optic network, already linked with Europe and the northern hemisphere, to other African countries. Such a move will allow for improved data transfer, videoconferencing and access to information in these countries. The NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Programme is working on plans to connect African countries to one another and the world by means of a broadband network utilising a series of fibre-optic submarine cables. Trade, social and cultural exchange and knowledge access will be increased exponentially by such an eventuality.

The effects of the internet on public mobility were demonstrated dramatically in Kenya after 2007’s notorious election debacle. Kenyans used the internet to connect with each other and apply pressure for political accord, sharing relevant and timely information directly when so much of the mainstream media was taken up with rumour and misinformation. The country has embraced the internet and the use of modern social networking tools, with local TV stations and the government getting involved by providing online content. Local technology firms have been capitalising on this popularity and leasing cable capacity from the national networks, providing greater and faster access to consumers.

Entrepreneurship such as the above will continue to thrive as Africans look for ways to get online and communicate with the world. Governments and businesses in the region should continue and redouble their efforts to facilitate access for their people. Bringing Africa online will empower its citizens, bring them together and allow their voices and ideas to be heard on a global stage.

Ngongo, an activist working in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been recognised for his efforts in protecting his countries rain forests. Hamlin, based in Ethiopia for the last five decades, has dedicated her life to improving women’s health in the East African country.

Other winners include Alyn Ware from New Zealand, who was recognised for his advocacy initiatives to rid the world of nuclear weapons, and David Suzuki from Canada, for promoting the socially responsible use of science.

Besides the accolade of the award itself, each winner will receive €50,000 ($74,000) to help them continue the work they are doing.

The foundation said Ngongo, 48, was honoured “for his courage in confronting the forces that are destroying Congo’s rain forests and building political support for their conservation and sustainable use.”

Ngongo founded the OCEAN environmental group began in 1994, exposing the impact of deforestation and monitoring the plunder of minerals by warring factions during Congo’s 1996-2002 civil wars. He also has been working for Greenpeace in Congo.

Hamlin, 85, moved to Ethiopia from Australia in 1959 to work as an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Hamlin and her late husband founded a hospital where women can seek free treatment for obstetric fistulas, which are holes that develop between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum that can develop during long and difficult births. They are common in Africa and other developing countries where prenatal care is limited. Hamlin pioneered surgical procedures that achieved a 93% success rate.

One of the biggest dangers of fistula is the loss of the baby. Untreated, fistula can also lead to chronic medical problems, including kidney disease and nerve damage in the legs.

Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull founded the Right Livelihood Award in 1980 to recognise work he felt was being ignored by the Nobel Prize.

“The 2009 Right Livelihood Award recipients demonstrate concretely what has to be done in order to tackle climate change, rid the world of nuclear weapons and provide crucial medical treatment to the poor and marginalised,” the foundation said in a statement.

The awards will be presented in a ceremony at the Swedish Parliament on the 4th December, six days before the Nobel Prize ceremony.

On Africa’s future:
’We must start from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans. I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family’s own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story. …’

Good governance:
’Development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa’s potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans. …’

Corruption and tyranny:

‘Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. … That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end….’

Africa doesn’t need strongmen:
’Across Africa, we have seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny, and making change from the bottom up. …
Make no mistake: history is on the side of these brave Africans, and not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. …’

US eye on corruption:

‘As we provide this support, I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights report. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don’t, and that is exactly what America will do. …’

Fighting aids:
’Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and eradicating polio. …’

Ending genocide, terrorism:
’Now let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at war. But for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes. These conflicts are a millstone around Africa’s neck. That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. …
When there is genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems _ they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. That is why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy, technical assistance, and logistical support, and will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. …’

Yes, you can!

’Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population.

You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes, you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move.’