The World Cup organising committee is looking at the possibility of a soccer world cup for grannies.
Organising committee chief executive Danny Jordaan told MPs on Tuesday the idea of grannies playing soccer "had to be encouraged".
"Unfortunately in the World Cup there is no curtain-raiser, so the grannies will not play an opening match," Jordaan said.
"But I think it is something that must be encouraged. So I will see whether we can have a grannies world cup.
He joked that he would consult with the Grannies Football Association on the matter.
Jordaan's remarks come after a recent report on hundreds of elderly women from a township near Tzaneen, Limpopo, who had established a soccer league of their own.
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The report said 35 women on the Vakhegula Vakhegula squad ranged in age from 40 to 83.
Nora Makhubela, 83, who had suffered six strokes, said kicking a ball around had given her strength she did not think she still had.
"I pray every day to God to keep me alive until 2010. I would really love to watch the games," she said.
The team had proposed playing a curtain-raiser before one of the first-round World Cup matches.
Community worker Beka Ntsanwisi started the team three years ago to help older women exercise and give them a new purpose in life.
The Fifa local organising committee also told MPs that travelling fans would have "difficulties" getting to places whose names were not clear on directional signs or on airport destination boards.
"If you travel from Johannesburg to Nelspruit, the signage is not always clear," said Jordaan. "If you go to Nelson Mandela Bay you are not going to find a sign at the airport. No plane goes there. Yet you get off and there is a big sign saying 'Welcome to Nelson Mandela Bay'."
Cities such as Port Elizabeth might have to consider joining the name with Nelson Mandela Bay. "The same applies to Mangaung. You drive to Bloemfontein but you get welcomed to Mangaung.
"Even when you go to Polokwane, somewhere you go through the second toll gate and there is a sign saying you are some kilometres from Pietersburg.
"Then the board changes to say how far you are from Polokwane.
"These are things that are going to have to be sorted out," said Jordaan. - Reuters
Have your say at www.iol.co.za/opinion
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This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on November 11, 2009
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