09 July 2009 - 14H01

Siemens lands S.Africa orders ahead of World Cup

German engineering giant Siemens said Thursday it had landed around a billion euros' (dollars) worth of orders to improve infrastructure in South Africa as the country gears up to host World Cup 2010.

"Most of these orders are connected with the expansion of the country's energy infrastructure," the company said in a statement.

The company has built new power plants in Cape Town and Mossel Bay to manage spikes in energy demand during the World Cup, which is expected to attract more than 3.5 million people when it kicks off next year.

Siemens subsidiary Osram will also provide the lighting in eight out of ten of the stadiums hosting matches, the statement said.

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