SOWETO – South Africa’s biggest football fixture is not only about who walks away with the bragging rights of being Soweto’s soccer giant, but there are also great economic spin-offs for the locals.
Economist Duma Gqubule said the Soweto Derby is an incredible occasion that must be looked at from multiple dimensions.
“It is a very huge boost for the local economy. It provides great stimulus for a struggling economy.”
Gqubule said if one were to consider the nearly 100 000 seat capacity of the stadium and how much each person was spending to be there, the numbers look great.
“The South African economy is not doing well right now. This occasion brings with it a boost for various sectors like transport, food and tourism. If we are conservative and say each person at the stadium spends R100 on food and drinks, that alone runs into the millions. You must then consider people that spend money on accommodation as well.
“The football economy is really broad. The gate revenue is also income for the teams as well.”