International companies in the construction sector have flocked to South Africa to forge business relations ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

These companies have taken advantage of the National Construction Week that government launched in Nasrec on Wednesday alongside The Star Interbuild Africa exhibition.

The exhibition that runs until tomorrow is the largest building services, construction, plumbing and woodworking event in Africa. At the launch, Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza challenged the industry to meet infrastructure demands for the 2010 tournament.

"With 2010 being so close we need to start asking ourselves what initiatives we must take to ensure we meet the demands of 2010," she said.

Partnerships between private and public sectors in terms of skills, capacity and funding will determine the success of hosting such a prestigious event, said the Construction Industry Development Board. The board has developed a manual to guide infrastructure development for 2010.

Countries that have stands at the Interbuild exhibition include Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Luxembourg, France, Turkey, Brazil and Germany.

"Our aim for being at Interbuild Africa this year is based on the 2010 Fifa World Cup. To us, it means investment in infrastructure, public buildings and stadiums," said Werner Zieg-elmeier, head of public relations for Deutsche Stein Keramik.