Official Mascot

The official mascot for the FIFA World Cup 2010 is Zakumi which was born June 16, 1994 and age is 15. It is an anthropomorphized leopard with green hair. It was presented on 22^nd September 2008. His name has comes from “ZA”. The international abbreviation for the South Africa and “Kumi” a word which means “ten” in various African languages. The mascot’s colors will reflect those of the host nations to whom playing strip will be yellow and green.

Zakumi’s birthdate which was concurred with a day known and was also celebrated as the Youth Day in South Africa in their second group match. The year 1994 marks the first non-racial nationwide elections in South Africa who will turn 16 in 2010. Andries Odendaal created the original character design fro Cape Town.

The motto was seen in the digital advertisement boards during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and beside it will also appear at the 2010 World Cup as Zakumi’s official motto is “Zakumi’s game is Fair Play”.

Dr. Shiaan-Bin Huang who is an ANC representative member in the South African parliament, awarded to a company owned by a contract for the manufacture of Zakumi figuringes. The product of the figurines was outsourced to Shanghai Fashion Plastic Products in the PRC and the value of the contract was in excess of USD 112 million. The Congress of South African Trade Unions has suggested that more 2010 goods be sourced locally because of concerns over the loss of jobs in the South African product sector. Assertion of sweatshop conditions at the Shanghai Fashion Plastic Products factory which led to an audit by Global Brands Ground. The maker who denied the assertion of sweatshop conditions and claimed and the working conditions at the Shanghai Fashion Plastic Products factory were very good.

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