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NONE of the 2010 Fifa World Cup teams has shown an interest in using Mthatha as a team base camp.

In a bid to spread benefits of the 2010 soccer showpiece across the Eastern Cape, the province has designated the King Sabata Dalindyebo (Mthatha) and Buffalo City (East London) municipalities as potential base camps, but has excluded Nelson Mandela Bay.

Provincial 2010 co-ordinating committee chairman Bubele Mfenyana confirmed that no countries approached by the province wanted to use Mthatha as their team’s base camp, “preferring high-altitude areas like Gauteng”.

Mfenyana said consideration was being given to lobbying countries like Cameroon, France, Australia, Slovenia, Ghana, Slovakia, Ivory Coast and Mexico to play friendly games at the Mthatha stadium, still under construction.

While only having two hotels, a Holiday Inn Garden Court and the revamped Savoy Hotel, the town has about 45 B&Bs.

There are also plans to spruce up the town and to upgrade roads.

About R200-million was allocated for the construction of a 17000-seater 2010 stadium in Mthatha. The first phase, with 6000 seats, was expected to be completed by the end of March.

Mfenyana said the only soccer facilities available for the teams’ training were the Walter Sisulu University stadium, Ngangelizwe Stadium (with an artificial pitch), and the Dan’s Lodge fields.