Mandela asks for "perfect gift"

Former South Africa President Nelson Mandela says the 2010 World Cup would be a perfect gift for the country as it celebrates 10 years of democracy.

Mandela was speaking at a dinner on Monday before the country's World Cup bid committee leaves for Zurich on Tuesday for Saturday's announcement of the hosts.

"In this year of celebration there could be few better gifts to us in our 10th year of democracy than to be awarded the 2010 world soccer Cup," Mandela said to ministers, businessmen and leading sports officials.

President Thabo Mbeki, Nobel prize winner Desmond Tutu and former president FW de Klerk are due in Switzerland to lend their support.

South Africa's bid to host the 2006 World Cup was foiled by one vote when FIFA's Oceania delegate Charles Dempsey abstained.

Mandela said the tournament would add three billion rand to the economy and create more than 150,000 jobs in a country where unemployment tops 40 percent and poverty is still rife.

South Africa is the bookmakers' favourite to win when FIFA president Sepp Blatter announces the results of the vote on Saturday.

Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Libya are the other contenders.