Vendors

Vendors Glory In Homeless World Cup

Mzanele Mkanipi speaks to some of The Big Issue vendors who have been adding to spectacle at Grand Parade

The historic Grand Parade has come as a sort of relief to the street vendors who are selling around the stadium as 500 players come from around the globe to battle it out in the fourth Homeless World Cup from 24 to 30 September.

The Parade has been turned into a global soccer gala, hosting 48 countries in just a week. The vendors see the event as a showcase for Cape Town as an international events capital.

One vendor, Mohammed, said: "I want this event to come here every year because my business has been good ever since the opening of the games.

"Sunday,opening day, was the most fruitful day as President Thabo Mbeki was here to open this event officially, so I'm very happy ."

This event is the start of good things for South Africa with preparations hotting up for the 2010 World Cup, the first to be played in Africa.

Mohammed Kassim, jubilant at the experience of the Homeless World Cup, said " 2010 is coming to South Africa, so this is the start of good things for us. We must use this opportunity to attract more tourists to this diverse, beautiful and rich country of ours. This event has changed our lives in these few days that it has been here, because now we can double our profit."

Coke and cgarettes are said to be the items that spectators who are attending this HWC are enjoying the most. You don’t need to guess why, Cape Town has enjoyed an incredible few days of sunshine!

The excitement of the event is shared by all the fans – but none have forgotten that everyone in Cape Town this week is celebrating football as a powerful way to change lives.