Fourteen heads of state have confirmed that they will be attending the 2010 World Cup final, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation said on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Saul Molobi said those attending included King Letsie of Lesotho, King Mswati of Swaziland, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba and Comoros President Ahmed Abdullah Mohamed Sambi.
The presidents of Malawi, Burundi, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Djibouti are also expected.
Many of the heads of state will attend the 1Goal Education Summit, hosted by President Jacob Zuma and Fifa president Sepp Blatter, to take place before the match on July 11.
A further 10 “eminent persons”, including former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda, other former presidents, prime ministers and government ministers are expected to grace the tournament finale.
There are also dignitaries invited by Fifa, Molobi said.
Fifa spokesperson Nicolas Maingot on Wednesday said it was too early to tell who would attend. –Sapa