Google announced today that it has started imagery collection in South Africa for the Street View feature in Google Maps.

A popular Google Maps feature Street View allows users to explore and navigate locations through panoramic street-level photographs. Motivated partly by the FIFA 2010 World Cup, Google plans to have Street View for South Africa operational before the start of the tournament, starting with image collection in places like Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and Durban.

Toyota is partnering with the search giant on the project by supplying an undisclosed number of Prius hybrids that will be used to travel the country collecting imagery. Toyota’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Andrew Kirby, said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Google and supplying our fuel efficient and environmental friendly Prius for this groundbreaking project in South Africa.  South Africans and international visitors alike will benefit tremendously from Street View, which is both fun and practical. We hope that people across South Africa\'s major cities keep their eyes peeled for the Street View cars, and feel part of a major new initiative.”