South Africa's deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a high-level delegation to London on Sunday to present South Africa's bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Ramaphosa will be supported by Sport and Recreation Minister Thulas Nxesi and Deputy Minister Gert Oosthuizen, who will present their case to the World Rugby Council at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London, on Monday, 25 September 2017.
The high-powered delegation also include SA Rugby president, Mr Mark Alexander, and CEO, Jurie Roux, and they will be laying out South Africa's technical and commercial case to host the tournament 28 years after late former president Nelson Mandela handed the Webb Elis Cup to Francois Pienaar at a packed Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
"We are deeply honoured and privileged to have such high-powered and visible support from our government to lead our bid presentation," Alexander said in a statement.
"The suggestion in some quarters appears to be that our government is lukewarm about our bid. I hope this delegation and the presentation we make on Monday will once and for all give the lie to that idea.
"The South African government is the lead partner in this bid and has signed off on every one of World Rugby's requirements; going above and beyond the required minimum guarantee. We will first share those details with the World Rugby Council on Monday before sharing them with the wider public."
The World Rugby will announce the host of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on 15 November 2017.