In the draw South Africa were lucky to land in a relatively easy group, with the only danger seemingly coming from the very experienced Morocco.

But with every gain comes pain. Ratepayers will foot a sizeable chunk of the four host cities' expenses. We have learnt from the exorbitant costs to ratepayers in our experience of the 2010World Cup. The fact that Durban's Moses Mabhida stadium has lain idle since then - with an operating budget of millions, irrespective of whether it is used or not - and the fact that the Sharks have no intention of moving into the stadium as a training venue, means that adequate foresight and community consultation can make all the difference between an economic boon and a disastrous white elephant.

Though some soccer enthusiasts might be able to afford tickets that range from R50 to R200, others, especially in the townships, might find the costs of tickets and of travelling to and from the stadiums exorbitant.

But a consolation for the poorer soccer supporters is that local stadiums in and around the four host cities will be used as training venues for the different participating nations.

So Chatsworth residents, for example, will be able to get a glimpse of some of Africa's greatest soccer stars at their local stadium.

Bafana Bafana, make us proud.

With Gordon Igesund at the helm, and with a promising opening match against Cape Verde, South Africa is destined to start the 2013 Orange African Cup of Nations with a bang.