It is time to Dazzle - World Cup Road Show gets underway

Lunch hours in various cities throughout the country is now set to take a distinctly different look from January 15 when the "Time to Dazzle" tour hits the road, starting in Nelspruit.

The "Road show" is part of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 marketing campaign to heighten awareness of the 14-nation event, which is set to kick off in Cape Town on February 8 with a spectacular Opening Ceremony.

The road show will visit a number of cities and during its stopovers various entertainment activities will take place and spectators will be urged to take part.

With ghetto-fabulous kwaito star and TKZ band member, Kabelo, gritty voiced powerhouse vocalist PJ Powers, Lebo Mathosa of Boomshaka fame, Pop Idols start Heinz Winkler taking to the stage, and funny men "Ashifa Shabba and Krijay Govender providing the laughs, it promises to be a show not to be missed.

Two musicians and one comedian will appear at each venue and there will be a guest appearance by the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 sporting ambassadors.

This must-see event will be taking place on the South African Breweries "gig-rig" which has since been rebranded and renamed as the Dazzlemobile for the Cricket World Cup road show. The Dazzler is the official mascot of the Cricket World Cup. The vehicle, branded in Cricket World Cup colours will travel through nine major South African cities, bringing the crème de la crème of South African musical entertainment and sports stars directly to the people of South African cities.

"It is an incredible honour for us as South Africans to be hosting the Cricket World Cup on behalf of the African continent. One of our most important mandates was to bring the game to the people and it is for this reason that we conceptualised this national road show. The "Time to Dazzle" is our way of bringing the game closer to the South African masses in a fun-filled and exciting two hour show," commented Ms Nomsa Chabeli, Marketing Director of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003.

Executive Director Dr Ali Bacher added:" It's a celebration of South African as a proud host of this prestigious event and the launch of this road show signifies that the time has come. The time to welcome the world to our shores, the time to celebrate cricket and the time for this country to showcase that it is capable of hosting an event of this magnitude. It is a perfect way to kick-off the various activities planned around the World Cup."

Apart from the Dazzlemobile itself, there will be fun processions that will meander through the streets of the towns, complete with floats, marching bands, marimbas and steel pan bands, leading people to the show venue.

The inaugural show will take place in Nelspruit at the Promenade Shopping centre at 13h00 on Wednesday, January 15.

The remaining schedule is as follows: 18 January, Paul Kruger Square, Pretoria
21 January, Mary Fitzgerald Square, Johannesburg
24 January, Mayor's Garden, Pietermaritzburg
26 January, Old Pavilion Site, Durban
29 January, Loch Logan Waterfront, Bloemfontein
31 January, Oppenheimer gardens, Kimberley
2 February, King Beach Parking Lot, Port Elizabeth
5 February, Drive through Paarl
7 February, Grande Parade, Cape Town