FRANKFURT

GERMAN auto giant Daimler said on Tuesday it had won a contract to deliver 460 long-distance Mercedes-Benz buses to South Africa in April for use in the 2010 football World Cup.

Daimler signed a contract with Autopax, a subsidiary of the South African national railway PRASA, a statement said without providing financial details.

Parts of the buses are to be manufactured in Brazil, with final assembly in a South African factory located in East London, where Daimler has invested one million euros (S1.46m) to boost capacity.

In August, Daimler won a contract for 125 Mercedes-Benz shuttle busses to be used in providing access to a high-speed train line being built for the World Cup.

The world’s most watched sporting even takes place in South Africa from June 11 to July 7.

Africa will be represented by six countries, South Africa, the host, Ghana, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria.

Cameroon has participated in the World Cup finals a record six times, the highest for any African country.
South Africa will be participating in the finals for the third time.

AFP