DURBAN, Nov 22: Stadiums for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will be ready on time despite strikes by construction workers, the local organising committee chief said on Thursday.

Danny Jordaan, speaking at a news conference three days before the preliminary draw for the World Cup, said disputes such as the two-week strike by workers at the new Durban stadium, which ended this week, would not affect the timetable for stadium completion.

“We will not fail for delivery of stadiums on time but I’m not sure it will be on budget,” Jordaan said.

He added that South Africa supported the democratic right of workers to strike but said the problems strikes posed were no different to delays caused by rain and bad weather.

“What is critical is the commitment of the workers. We have the commitment and support of the workers. We have taken care of that,” he added, referring to the deal on overtime pay struck with Durban construction employees on Monday.

Jordaan said technical teams had been set up to look at infrastructure cost over-runs for the World Cup and they would deliver an interim report this week and a full report next year.

He said they would look at the causes of increased costs and whether they were justified.

The budget for World Cup stadiums is officially 17.4 billion rand ($2.57 billion).

Jerome Valcke, general secretary of FIFA, said at the same news conference that the sport’s world governing body was confident that stadium construction was on track.

Jordaan also played down concerns that the high level of crime in South Africa would pose a problem for people visiting the country for the World Cup.

He reminded that South Africa had put on several major sporting events, such as the cricket and rugby World Cups, as well as the recent Twenty20 World Championship cricket, without major incidents involving visiting fans.—Reuters