S.Africa rules out bidding for 2020 Olympics

South Africa will focus on delivering basic services instead of seeking to host the Olympics South Africa on Thursday said it will not bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, after hosting the football World Cup last year, but would rather focus on rolling out basic government services "The decision taken by cabinet is final," chief government spokesman Jimmy Manyi told a post-cabinet media briefing.

The government wanted to improve basic services like water and electricity and rein in rampant joblessness, which have sparked major protests in angry poor communities in recent years.
"Job creation is going to be a serious issue," said Manyi.
"That is where the focus is going to be. So if any money is going to be spent, it's going to be on basic service delivery."
The cabinet turned down a request by the South African Sports Federation to host the bid, which the country's Olympic body chief said last year would be made after the successful hosting of the football World Cup.
"Cabinet has not taken this decision lightly. It has considered the whole view of the euphoria of the World Cup and the gains that we still have to consolidate on the World Cup," said Manyi.
"But more importantly, cabinet has felt... that it's better to rather focus the energies of the rest of the country on the basic service delivery. 'Laser approach' is the new terminology now in terms of what is going to be happening."

The $50 million dollar price tag to bid had also played a role, he said.
"The financial implications indeed were considered but the key issue here in cabinet is on a laser focus. Cabinet does not want anything that can be interpreted to be a distraction of what this government must achieve."

South Africa poured five billion dollars (four billion euros) into the first World Cup in Africa and largely overcame fears about crime and poor transportation, hosting a widely applauded tournament.
Cape Town sought in 1997 to become the first African host of the Olympic Games, but failed to win the 2004 edition and the country turned its focus to the World Cup.