Many South Africans wonder whether the money would not be better spent invested in infrastructure, job creation, and social welfare programs for the poor. They ask: Aren't the poor the least likely to benefit from mega-events like these anyway, despite promises to the contrary? The last time developing countries hosted Soccer World Cups -- Mexico in 1986 and Argentina in 1978 -- it wasn't clear at all that poor communities benefited. I suppose the only obvious benefit for them was getting to see the world's finest sportsmen up close, for what it's worth.

During South Africa's apartheid era of racial discrimination, which officially ended in 1994, successive white governments deliberately did not invest in black areas, leaving a terrible legacy of poor infrastructure, crippling housing shortages, and a decrepit public transport system.

Being South Africa, race looms large in sports. Soccer in South African is played, watched, and administered mostly by blacks. Many soccer supporters note that when the rugby and cricket world cups came to town -- two sports dominated by white players, audiences, and administrators -- few questioned whether the country could pull it off. There was an implicit assumption it could.

But since Germany successfully hosted the World Cup in 2006, there have been frequent articles in foreign media wondering whether South African preparations are on track. Of course, an event of such global magnitude always attracts coverage; Germany's preparations came under similar scrutiny. But some South Africans now mutter darkly that perhaps deep "Afro-pessimism" -- within South Africa itself and in the West -- is unfairly creating perceptions of sham-bolic preparations. Sensing South African anxiety, the old "enemy down under", Australia, is rubbing it in. Many local football administrators there have "offered" to take over in the coming years if South Africa falters.

Added to these anxieties about administrative preparations, others worry that the South African football team might just not perform. Poor administration there, along with a lack of investment in youth development, and frequent managerial interference in coaches' jurisdictions have all conspired to dramatically decrease the performance of the national soccer team, the Bafana Bafana. There are certainly quality players; in fact, the South African team sports boundless raw talent. But most sports in the modern era have evolved to the point where raw talent alone does not guarantee success. The missing ingredients often are lack of tactical and technical know-how. Talent must be combined with tactics, technique and mental strength. Hard work also helps.

Bafana Bafana should invest in important youth development structures and sporting academies. These can be linked up to the professional team so the young can be nurtured and trained over longer periods of time. Australia's phenomenal sporting success owes itself in large part to such youth development structures. South Africa is now in a race against time to get the football team right and to ensure that the World Cup in 2010 benefits the country's poor.