Deflated: South Africans have been encouraged to buy more tickets

Ticket sales have been sluggish locally for World Cup 2010, with just over half purchased by South Africans.

Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the organising committee, said the tournament would be one of the grandest nation-building initiatives undertaken since the death of apartheid.

Ticket sales have been sluggish locally for World Cup 2010, with just over half purchased by South Africans.

Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the organising committee, said the tournament would be one of the grandest nation-building initiatives undertaken since the death of apartheid.

Sepp Blatter, president of soccer's governing body Fifa, has previously criticised South Africa for a lack of anticipatory atmosphere in the build-up to the finals which start on June 11.