“We are moving very well and we are on target. We will finish our work soon,” conference co-ordinator Salwa Dallalah told reporters in Durban.

A United Nations delegation, the departments of environmental affairs and international relations, and the city of Durban were briefing media on the state of readiness for the conference.

Dallalah said a lot of work had already been done.

“We are expecting 15,000 people who will participate in the conference at the Durban ICC.”

It was anticipated that between 20,000 and 25,000 people would visit Durban during the conference, to be held from November 28 to December 9.

Representatives of 194 governments were expected at the event, officially called the 17th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Talks would centre on finding solutions to global warming.

International relations spokesman Clayson Monyela denied claims preparations were behind schedule: “Everything is on track. The UN representatives are here and they are happy with what has been done. So the noise that we are lagging behind is not true.”

He said "thousands" of delegates had already booked accommodation.