Dear Mr Paul “The Oracle” Octopus,

Having heard of your imminent retirement, I write this letter hoping that it reaches you in time. I understand that it is imperative that you be left alone to relax and do what you do best; eating and entertaining kids. You have had amazing accuracy in your career as Oracle; correctly predicting eight out of eight games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and it is in this capacity that I write to you now.

As you know South Africa has hosted a very successful World Cup and we are feeling very proud at the moment. As expected of course we have now been hit by the slump after the high, many South Africans have been asking themselves how on earth we will ever match the energy, the emotion and the sheer joy that came with hosting the biggest spectacle on earth again.

Eish it’s hard but the answer is simple, nothing will match the enormity of what we have just been through but we can certainly look forward to trying!

Like a druggie looking for the next high, we “desperately” and “greedily” need our next fix. This is where you come in Sir, South Africa will now forge ahead and look to host the Winter Olympics.

My request to you is for you to please let us know if we will be hosting the Olympics or not. This could be the last thing you do before you retire. Just think about it, you would be doing the motherland a huge favour. What better way to give back to Africa for all your fame and your chance to shine! (okay, you owe that to Germany) but don’t sweat the small stuff man!

I would ask Jabulani, the octopus who lives in the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town because he like you correctly predicted that Spain would win the World Cup, but something tells me he would be biased seeing as he does live here.

The International Olympic Committee is yet to begin the selection process and a host city is expected to be announced in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the middle of 2013 but as you have gathered from this letter Paul, it would mean the world to me for us to know before they do who they are going to choose.

Just some information to help you make your selection, not that you need it; the Organising Committee did suggest back in 2004 that they are interested in having a developing nation host the games in 2020 and since Africa has never hosted the Olympic Games, we reckon we stand a pretty good chance, and just in case you are not convinced that this is a matter of the highest importance; here are some facts to convince you.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said he would be glad if a South African city made a host bid; "I think it's absolutely normal that they think of the future; what next after the FIFA World Cup?" the president of the IOC chief said. "So we're glad that they're thinking about the Olympic Games."

President of South Africa Jacob Zuma is also filled with confidence: "I don't see why we can't bid to host the Olympics in the future. It's important for Africa," he said in an interview with football governing body FIFA. Cape Town first tried in 1997 to become the first African host of the Olympic Games, but failed to win.

Durban will be bidding as well this time: "When we started preparing for the World Cup, we developed a strategy called '2010 and Beyond'. We said whatever we do in the city must be looking at beyond the World Cup," Durban’s general manager, Michael Sutcliffe, said.

So back to the business of your selection, you obviously want to know who your two candidates are: I shall dismiss the rest of the world as after Brazil host in 2014 they would have all had the chance to host the Olympics except Africa and that gives us the edge over any other continent. Therefore the two glass boxes with delectable morsels of food inside will have the flags of Morocco and South Africa attached to them.

Rabat, the Moroccan capital, is expected to submit a bid for the first time ever, and it will be for the 2020 Olympics. Officials from Morocco are said to be confident that their capital will win the right to host the games. They have chosen Rabat as the bidding city over Casablanca because Rabat is more internationally significant they say.

South Africa has gained a lot during the World Cup and now possesses the infrastructure to host the games. Cape Town and Durban are both set to make bids for the 2020 games.

Paul, It would go a really long way if you could just assure us that the Olympics will at least be held in Africa by not choosing to ignore both glass boxes and preserving your figure.

Once again, thank you for your awesome contribution to the excitement of the World Cup. You Rock!

I should be very grateful if you would grant my request.

Yours Faithfully

Sthembile Shelembe