South Africa score first goal of World Cup
Updated on 11 June 2010
South Africa open the scoring in the 2010 World Cup with a thrilling goal against Mexico, in a match that ends 1-1. But first day is overshadowed by the absence of Nelson Mandela, who pulls out of the opening ceremony after his great-granddaughter is killed in a car crash.
The African themes ceremony included drummers, dancers and a performance by the R&B star R Kelly, who sang Sign of Victory with a South African choir while the flags of the 32 competing nations were displayed.
Musicians from the six African nations competing in the tournament also performed traditional music and dance.
President Jacob Zuma opened the World Cup as the first match got underway. Addressing the crowd, and to the sound of thousands of vuvuzela horns, Zuma said: "This is the African World Cup".
Among the dignitaries attending the opening ceremony were UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, the Mexican president Felipe Calderon and the US vice president Joe Biden.
However the event was marred by the death of Nelson Mandela's great-granddaughter who was killed in a car crash on her way home last night's Word Cup concert.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation said Zenani Mandela, 13, was killed after leaving the Soweto concert apparently died in a one-car accident. No-one else was injured.
The Channel 4 News team is believed to have witnessed the scene of the crash while travelling into Johannesburg last night.
Eight or nine police cars from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police were attending the scene on a motorway in the city where a silver Mercedes appeared to have rolled over the crash barrier. The area was conned off around the car - which was facing the wrong way on the opposite side of the barrier. The back of the car also appeared to be smashed.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation said today the former South African president would not attend the opening match after the incident. Mandela, 91, was expected to take some part in today's opening day festivities, although his family is worried about his health.
On Mandela's absence President Zuma said he had spoken to the former president who urged that the games go on. "The game must start - you must enjoy the game," Mandela told the president.
South Africa's moment in the sun, writes Keme Nzerem from Johannesburg
South Africa's roosters have competition. This morning's dawn chorus was not the rousing cry of cockerels but the parp of vuvuzelas.
The World Cup started today - and this country no longer the skunk of the world, as Nelson Mandela once lamented, but enjoying instead the sweet smell of global respect.
It is a also a sad reality check for the former president, who's great-granddaughter was killed last night in a car crash, on her way home from the opening concert in Soweto. The 91-year-old will not attend the celebrations today.
But across Soweto people are gathering in carnival spirit to watch South Africa's inaugural game against Mexico. Most will watch not in the official FIFA fan zone, where a beer costs more than many South Africans earn in an entire day, but in viewing centres where people are free to bring their barbecues and homebrew to take part in this country's moment in the sun.
We witnessed extraordinary scenes at Wits University where 15,000 people are being bussed to soccer city. A phalanx of gold and green clad fans stood dancing in unison on a motorway overpass - stuck in the queue but starting the party early.
Vuvuzelas' long, short, straight and curly - and like South Africans, in every shade and colour. This city today is a seething mass of yellow and green. This moment has been a long time coming.
Fans from the 32 competing nations have flown in to join the celebrations in the first World Cup ever to be held in Africa.
South Africans have been enjoying a carnival atmosphere during the build-up to the tournament with many believing that their team, known as "Bafana Bafana", can lift the trophy.
The team have never progressed beyond the group stage but they will be cheered on by a nation in the grip of football fever. Many believe the vuvuzela, the plastic trumpets which makes a noise like a herd of charging elephants, will be their secret weapon.
Over a thousand performers took part in the opening ceremony ahead of the first match between the host nation and Mexico.
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- Tributes to students killed in South Africa bus crash
Last night's concert featured a host of international stars including Colombian pop star Shakira and US chart-toppers The Black Eyed Peas. South African president Jacob Zuma also took to the stage and thanked South Africans for the welcome they have given World Cup fans, and called on them "to show the warmness for the whole duration of the tournament".
London hosts World Cup screening
Back in Britain London mayor Boris Johnson hosted a party in Trafalgar Square, London, where the opening ceremony was screened.
"Throughout the world, anticipation and excitement are reaching fever pitch as the master exponents of the beautiful game come together in thrilling competition," Johnson said.
"So vuvuzelas at the ready - here's to South Africa and a glorious World Cup!"
Meet the Aids orphan who will open a World Cup match
His mother is dying of Aids, his home has no water or electricity, yet next week Sonelisile Sotshangane will lead South Africa out for the World Cup's opening match, reports Keme Nzerem.
He is expected to walk out in front of more than 40,000 fans inside Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane/Pretoria, and be watched by a global television audience, as the rainbow nation exhorts to the world that they have thrown off the shackles they inherited from apartheid, to join the elite group of countries deemed mature enough to host the world's most popular sporting event.
But Sonelisile simply cannot believe it. Things like this do not happen to boys like him.
From the litter strewn scrap of land that makes for his front yard, Sonelisile can see and hear the venue for the World Cup opening concert. One of South Africa's most successful football teams, The Orlando Pirates, play their football barely a throw-in's length away.
Yet Sonelisle has never been inside his local football ground.
Read more from the article here
England's first group match takes place tomorrow against USMNT - the US Men's National Team in Rustenburg.
Thousands of travelling England supporters have made their way to South Africa, although many have stayed away because of the high cost of flights and accommodation and fears over safety.
While thousands of fans have flown to South Africa back home nearly four million are expected to flock to the pub to watch the match, according to a ComRes poll commissioned by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA). The poll predicted a £35m sales boost from the game with an extra nine million pints of beer sold.
After a highly successful qualifying campaign under manager Fabio Capello there are high hopes the team could end 44 years of hurt and lift the trophy for the first time since 1966.
But warm up matches against Mexico and Japan proved less than inspiring and captain Rio Ferdinand will sit out the tournament after sustaining and injury in his first training session in South Africa.
