Yesterday, at the launch of the World Cup Trophy Tour, poor Sepp Blatter, once again had to launch a defence of South Africa’s security preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to the world media.
According to World Cup Bafana Bafana 2010, Blatter cited the successful Confederations Cup and the country’s staging of rugby and cricket World Cups and other international events as evidence that South African law enforcement organisations can cope.
“There was not one single incident in security [at the Confederations Cup] and still questions are coming ‘what about security’.”
Blatter seems to be getting increasingly irritated about questions of security and asked if anyone could tell him of one country anywhere in the world that is 100% secure.
“Please support us by saying let’s go there and trust the South Africans and South Africa. They are ready to organize the game and your security. But 100 percent security you will never find it anywhere in the world.”
High Level of Security at the 2010 World Cup South Africa
What is certain is there will be high-level security during the 2010 world Cup period in and around the 10 stadia in nine host cities, says worldfootballinsider.com. The problem lies in ensuring the safety of the 450,000 visitors expected to attend matches. Nearly 50 people are reportedly murdered every day in South Africa, one of the highest murder rates in the world.
“There was not one single incident in security [at the Confederations Cup] and still questions are coming ‘what about security’,” said Blatter, adding that the country also welcomes more than 11 million tourists every year.
Patron Saint of the Vuvuzela
Well I guess we can be relieved that we were spared the Austrian’s concerns about vuvuzela violence this time around… And Sepp Blatter, well I let us bestow on him the title of Patron Saint of the Vuvuzela – we will honour him with the blatter of of vuvuzelas throughout the World Cup.
And don’t they get it – we can’t understand what the world media is so freaked out about – they are not going to be staying in the shacklands and slums with the poorest of the poor and the wretched, where violence erupts in the blink of an eye – that Africa is something they might only photograph out of a taxi or bus window.
Visitors Will Move and Groove in “First World South Africa”
Where the visitors to the 2010 World Cup and the Media stay and where they shop and play, the crime and murder rates are probably comparable with most first world cities. They will move and grove in “First World South Africa”. And we are a really good tourism destination – we work pretty hard at not having our guests murdered and mugged.
But I can tell you, while we are on the subject of violence, we are waiting for the English soccer hooligans – just let them try to mess with our new facilities!
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