The huge Soccer City football stadium dominates the landscape from its position on a hilltop situated between the outskirts of Johannesburg and Soweto. The BBC's Bill Wilson takes a look inside.
A reduced-price category of tickets has been created for South African residents, many of whom survive on low incomes. Here a Soweto resident collects scrap wood from near the stadium.
A workman walks past a board showing how the stadium will look when it is completed and ready for the big kick-off of the World Cup at Soccer City on 11 June, 2010.
A handful of the turnstiles through which hundreds of thousands of fans will flock next summer are already in place outside the stadium, although many still have to be installed.
The colour and contours of Soccer City's facade is based on the design of a traditional African calabash or bowl, and the windows will let in light in a way which recreates the African night sky.
Inside the bowl-like stadium there are seats for 94,700 people, cut to about 88,000 for the World Cup. Black lines of seats run through orange ones to point to other World Cup 2010 venues.
Soccer City is scheduled to host eight games, and the seating - designed by UK firm Bluecube and made in South Africa - will offer good views of the action, whatever ticket category.
As the stadium, designed by firms Boogertman and Populous, nears completion of its building work, some smaller fixtures and fittings are installed, like this seat row plate.
The roof at Soccer City is designed to let in as much light as possible and to create a bright environment. The roof cladding is complete, with some minor work left to be completed.
Engineers study the work that needs to be done on the area between the pitch and the tunnel area, where the players who contest the final on 11 July will emerge.
There are seven months to get everything ready at Soccer City, and under the main stands, work is under way decorating the interior - here at the VIP entrance area.
On leaving Soccer City, you are reminded of Johannesburg's industrial past. This chimney stack is part of the former gold mining works of the region.
What are these?
Bookmark with:
What are these?