SA government in talks with IOC about hosting Olympic Games in 2036 or 2040

The South African government says it is currently in talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about bidding to host the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympic Games. 

This comes after several independent groups, including Cape Town’s CT2040 think tank, have been exploring the feasibility of a Cape Town-led bid. 

RELATED: Govt begins early talks with IOC as SA weighs prospects of hosting a future Olympic Games

Unlike previous Games, the trend is moving more towards sustainability and utilising existing infrastructure, says John Fourie, Professor of Economic History at Stellenbosch University.

South Africa already has many of the necessary facilities from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"We would want to see these beautiful stadiums that were built for the 2010 World Cup being used. There will need to be some creative thinking about an athletics stadium, but Cape Town already has almost all of the stadiums that we need,” says Fourie.

He says hosting the Olympic Games has three key economic benefits:

1. Deadline mechanisms for infrastructure development that might otherwise face delays
2. Policy certainty for 10 to 15 years, which encourages private investment

1. It establishes a national strategic objective that helps coordinate efforts across government departments

“If we have a 10 to 15 year horizon, the Cape region certainly needs more investment in public infrastructure. This is a wonderful way to provide a catalyst for such investment [and policy]."

Fourie argues that the Olympic bid should be seen as an industrial policy, a strategic approach to ensure infrastructure investments that benefit citizens long after the event concludes.

To listen to Fourie in conversation with CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit, click below: