"We are ahead of schedule, and we will be ready," Jordaan told AFP.

His assurance came after a volley of recent criticism from both home and abroad about the readiness of his team to stage the first World Cup in Africa.

Germany football legend Franz Beckenbauer, Jordaan's counterpart in this year's finals, became the latest high-profile figure to raise question marks over the tournament, saying on Tuesday it was "beset by big problems".

FIFA president Sepp Blatter also revealed last week that he plans to visit South Africa shortly "to fire up the organising committee".

Jordaan dismissed Beckenbauer's comments, saying his criticism is devoid of detail and there is no need to press panic button.

"He is not telling us what the problem is. We will write him a letter so that he can explain what the problem was about," said Jordaan who masterminded South Africa's bid to host the 2010 finals as well as the unsuccessful campaign to host this year's tournament.

But South Africa football legend Jomo Sono, who played with Beckenbauer as well as Pele at the New York Cosmos, warned that the 2010 organising team should take his former teammate's comments seriously.

"The problem (with us Africans) is that we hate criticism," said Sono.

"I would not know why he (Beckenbauer) said that, but he should be taken seriously. They should talk to him," added Sono, who also coached South Africa in the 2002 World Cup.

Blatter also voiced concerns that construction and renovation of the 10 stadia due to stage the matches have yet to begin in earnest, saying that he had "yet to see the pickaxes and spades needed to start the work".

Jordaan, who said no firm date has been arranged for a meeting with Blatter, deflected suggestions that the stadia will not be ready.

"We have the stadia, the infrastructure is in place including the transport system, and we also have the backing of FIFA and the government," he said. "All of us will be working towards the success of the tournament."

Jordaan's confidence that South Africa will complete its preparations on time was echoed overnight by Jan Coetzee, chairman of the South African institute of Civil Engineering, who said in Cape Town that a multi-million dollar upgrade in the transport network will be completed well ahead of 2010.

Senior municipal officials in the nine host cities last month accused the South African government of hampering their preparations.

The officials told a parliamentary committee they are still in the dark about the amount of money they will receive for the tournament.

They also complained that legislation on tendering contracts threatens to derail their organisation efforts.