South Africa’s sports minister Fikile Mbalula said he hopes to convince his colleagues in President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet to revisit plans for a South African Olympic bid in 2020, which was vetoed by the government after it estimated the bid would cost $50 million.
Mbalula told journalists Tuesday, “the bidding process is quite open. If we’re able to persuade government otherwise and turn around things, then we’ll still be able to announce (a bid)”.
Mbalula added, “from our own point of view, the struggle continues. It’s not all lost”.
The sports minister was speaking at a briefing on preparations for a meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) next month in Durban, where the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games will be announced.
