Brazil Tries to Calm Concerns About Crime Ahead of World Cup

Amid recent violence, officials in Brazil are insisting that the 2014 World Cup will be a safe event.

Justice Minister Luiz Paulo Barreto made the comments as Rio de Janeiro tries to contain a surge in violence, with gang members blocking roads and setting cars on fire in the city expected to host the World Cup final four years from now.

Barreto downplayed the recent concerns, saying security will reach its maximum level during the World Cup.

"We will be at an advanced level, with the police properly prepared," he said in the opening of a three-day meeting with government officials, local authorities and FIFA executives in the nation's capital. "The competition will take place in an environment of a lot of peace and tranquility."

Brazil insists 2014 World Cup will be peaceful
USA Today
November 23, 2010

Security the Big Challenge for Rio: IOC Chief

Security and to a lesser degree transportation will be the top two challenges Rio de Janeiro will need to tackle ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics, according to Jacques Rogge, head of the International Olympic Committee.

“I’m not saying Rio is not equipped (to confront the problem).

On the contrary, but I have to say that the number one issue is security. We are talking about human lives.

“The second main problem, and it’s one that can be applied to all editions of the Games, with a few rare exceptions, is transport.”

Security wil be Rio's biggest Olympic challenge: Rogge
Times
November 1, 2010

Striking Security Guards Canned

The contract of a private security company whose employees had staged a wage protest at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium has been terminated.

Following an emergency meeting between police and Fifa on Wednesday, it was decided that police officers would take over security duties at Soccer City, Moses Mabhida, Green Point and Ellis Park stadiums for the rest of the World Cup.

The meeting came after security guards embarked on a strike over salaries. They claimed they had been promised R1500 a day, but were getting only R190.

On Sunday, security guards at the Moses Mabhida Stadium walked off their post just before the Australia- Germany match. Police replaced them immediately to provide security.

Yesterday, some of the sacked guards said they were shocked by the decision to fire them

Striking World Cup guards regret losing jobs
The Sowetan
June 18, 2010

South African Security Officials Declare Readiness

South Africa's police forces are touting their readiness to deal with criminal activity large and small during the World Cup. The country has invested nearly $100 million in security updates for the event. However, high crime remains a concern.

"We are ready. We were ready yesterday," national police commissioner Bheki Cele said as the host country showed off part of the $89 million worth of security equipment it has bought to keep fans safe at soccer's biggest tournament.

Police minister Nathi Mthethwa watched as South Africa's police paraded water cannons, boats, jet skis, motorcycles and heavy duty emergency disaster vehicles through Cape Town's main square before the display at Greenpoint Stadium.

South Africa shows its security muscle for WCup
USA Today
April 29, 2010

Police Union Calls for Overtime Increase During World Cup

The South African Policing Union is calling for an increase in ovetime allowances for its members during the World Cup.

Police management had offered to pay employees R700 per shift for overtime worked.

The union rejected this and demanded a R900 allowance per shift for its members and that they only work up to eight hours of overtime per day.

"We don't want a situation where our members will refuse working overtime, especially during the World Cup."

The union has called on police management to attend to the matter urgently as it could compromise security during the World Cup.

Cops demand raise for Cup
News24
April 19, 2010

Awkward Timing for Violence and Racial Tension in South Africa

Recent violence and racial tension in South Africa has created a big problem for locals trying to assure international visitors that safety will not be a major concern during the World Cup.

To add to the torture for World Cup officials while the spotlight is fixed on South Africa, municipal workers have declared an indefinite strike over wages, threatening the chaotic scenes seen last year when rubbish was strewn over the streets. South Africa’s biggest labour federation has threatened strikes during the tournament to protest against big hikes in power prices.
All of this illustrates the point that countries or cities staging major world events suddenly become fixed in an often uncomfortable glare of world attention as the big day approaches. But even by these standards, South Africa looks unfortunate. World Cup officials, led by chief organiser Danny Jordaan, have spent literally years fending off suggestions that soccer fans will be in mortal danger in South Africa, which has one of the globe’s highest rates of violent crime. Jordaan and others have repeated a familiar mantra– the country has staged 150 sports and other events since the end of apartheid with little problem, millions of tourists have enjoyed South Africa’s many attractions for years without major criminal attacks and protecting a finite event is a lot less complex than overcoming the national crime wave–especially since 40,000 police have been mobilised to do only that.

Violence and tension come at worst time for World Cup
April 12, 2010

Bombing Threatened During World Cup

Reputed terrorist group al Qaeda has released a statement suggesting it will attack a game at the World Cup.

"How amazing could the match United States vs. Britain be when broadcasted live on air at a stadium packed with spectators when the sound of an explosion rumbles through the stands, the whole stadium is turned upside down and the number of dead bodies are in their dozens and hundreds, Allah willing," reads a statement the group published in a recent issue of the Jihadi online magazine Mushtaqun Lel Jannah (Longing to Paradise).

Qaeda Group Threatens to Attack World Cup
CBS
April 7, 2010

Despite Concerns Along the Way, South Africa's Cup Preparations Come Together

This article from The Guardian looks at some of the problems that have plagued South Africa throughout its World Cup preparations, and also some of the successes the country and its event organizers have achieved.

Given the exacting scale of the task set by Fifa to host its landmark tournament, huge progress has been made to produce 10 venues of the required capacity finished on time, a massive road expansion programme, and rail links including new terminals built next to each of the five stadiums specifically built for the tournament. Practically, the competition can definitely go ahead, a prospect that has not always been certain as construction was punctuated by workers striking over pay. Security in a country sporting ugly crime statistics has been a persistent concern which, together with the fears that the infrastructure would not be ready, led to Fifa reportedly preparing contingency plans to move the event.

South Africa has responded with the promise of a blanket deployment of police and security officers – with 41,000 policing the World Cup alone – and the army and Interpol closely involved. Fans will be given precise instructions about which well-trodden paths not to stray from.

World Cup 2010: Will £800m buy positive images of South Africa?
Guardian
April 1, 2010

Interpol Officials OK South African Security Preparations

The international police agency Interpol has given high marks to South Africa for its securioty and crime-fighting preparations leading up to the World Cup.

"What I have seen so far is very positive. South Africa can be proud of the level of security that is in place," Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble said.

"My opinion is that South African police services is doing all that is in its power to ensure that South Africa is as safe as possible during the World Cup."

Interpol was in South Africa to assess security plans ahead of the tournament, where it will work alongside South African police and provide links to its database of lost and stolen passports.

World Cup security gets the nod from Interpol
Independent Online
March 31, 2010

'Not About Security', But Army Will Be in Full Force During Cup

Despite declaring that army personnel would not be allowed to take leave during the World Cup, South African Army Chief Solly Shoke is trying to make the argument that safety concerns over the World Cup have been overblown.

Members of the army would not be granted leave during the Fifa World Cup tournament, SA Army Chief Solly Shoke said on Thursday.

"All leave has been cancelled. All members of the SA Army will be on high alert," Shoke told the media during a briefing in Pretoria.

However Shoke said high alert was a norm for large events and was not a result of any perceived disruptions.

'This World Cup is not about security'
Independent Online
March 25, 2010

Breachable Border May Be Security Concern During Cup

Defense analysts are expressing concerns about terrorist threats during the World Cup because of South Africa's porous border, which will be easy to breach for anyone intending to pose an attack.

"The World Cup will be a real problem as we have no way of controlling anyone coming through a beach or a land border," defence analyst Helmoed Heitman said during a border security conference organised by DefenceWeb, a security news service in Midrand.

"If someone wants to cross into SA it's not very difficult to do."

South Africa: SA's Borders 'Vulnerable' for World Cup
Business Day
March 18, 2010

Personal Security Costs Expected to Rise Over $1,000 Per Day

Private security firms are hoping to cash in during the World Cup, with prices for personal bodyguards and protection during the World Cup ranging up to R7,500 per day (~$1,000 USD).

Chris Beukes, the chief executive of TSU Protection Services, said a diplomat, celebrity or wealthy business executive could pay anything between R3 500 and R7 500 a day for a bodyguard, depending on the individual's profile.

Since the beginning of the month, he said, his company had received requests from high-profile executives for protection services during the World Cup.

World Cup security: High rollers to dig deep
Cape Argus
March 16, 2010

UK and SA to Join Police Forces During Cup

South Africa and the United Kingdom have made a deal to jointly handle policing during the World Cup, which is expected to increase the amount of police on the ground during the event -- an issue that had worried many in South Africa and beyond.

The agreement on police co-operation includes intelligence sharing, measures taken in the UK to stop hooligans travelling to South Africa and the roles and remit of each country's police forces, the department said in a statement.

SA, UK sign World Cup policing agreement
Independent Online
March 9, 2010

Police Official Assures South Africa's Safety

South African Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa is reassuring the press that the country will be safe during the World Cup.

The host nation for this summer's finals are devoting huge resources to ensuring the fans' safety, including the deployment of 41,000 police officers.

Security has been an issue that has dogged preparations for the World Cup because of South Africa's crime rate, which is among the highest in the world.

Police chief insists South Africa safe
ESPN
March 5, 2010

Nation's Top Cop Says World Cup Will Be Safe

National Commissioner Bheki Cele, South Africa's top police official, says the nation will remain safe during the World Cup, despite fears about its high rate of crime.

"One thing I would never do is to deny that there is crime in South Africa, especially violent crime," Cele said.

But he said crime was decreasing, a point independent researchers also have made. The South African Institute of Race Relations said in a study last year that the number of murders and the rate per 100,000 have declined steadily since South Africa held its first all-race elections in 1994.

The institute, however, said the South African public still believed crime was worsening.

South Africa's top cop on World Cup
Independent Online
February 23, 2010

Air Safety Officials to Fight Terrorism, Unauthorized Ads

In order to protect against terrorist acts and the unauthorized flying of advertising messages over World Cup stadia, aviation officials are going to keep a tight watch over South African air traffic during the World Cup. To get ready, they are holding a test sessoin in April to make sure they can react and respond to any potentially unsafe situation in the airspace above the country.

Top priorities include preventing terrorist attacks and protecting Fifa from brands trying to advertise without the football association's blessing.

Fifa and South African authorities are strictly protecting the association from "ambush marketers" - brands trying to piggyback on the World Cup without officially sponsoring Fifa.

The exercise is to take place between April 23 and 26. Scheduled flights are exempt from flight restrictions during the exercise and the World Cup.

'Make-or-break exercise' for World Cup safety
Cape Times
February 16, 2010

Interpol and neighbors to Work With South African Police

South African police will be neigboring countries and Interpol to ensure security during the World Cup.

The SAPS commissioner, Bheki Cele, met senior officers from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, Lesotho, DR Congo, Swaziland, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Mauritius to improve border management ahead of the finals. Interpol will offer assistance through the use of mobile passport control units at ports of entry, team training camps and stadiums.

The move comes after a terrorist attack on the Togo team bus prior to the Africa Cup of Nations in the Angolan province of Cabinda last month, which left three people dead.

South African police work with Interpol on World Cup security
Guardian
February 10, 2010

'Stab-Proof' Vest Angers Local Officials

A private company is offering what it calls "stab-proof" vests to tourists and spectators at the World Cup. The company claims the idea is to improve safety, but locals have blasted the product as hyping security fears in the name of profit.

Football fan Sascha Cutura, the founder of Protektorvest, says he hit on the idea after reading a story about how the German team's World Cup team security consultants had advised players and support staff to wear bullet proof vests when they ventured out of their hotel.

"This got me thinking, and I came up with a solution for people who feel they need extra protection," Cutura said in an email interview.

South Africa: Stab Proof Vests for World Cup Fans
West Cape News
January 19, 2010

LOC Accuses Tourism Competitors of Souring SA's Image

Local Organizing Committee Chairman Irvin Khoza is accusing tourism competitors of spreading harsh rumors about safety concerns in South Africa.

"South Africans must consistently and insistently communicate the message with confidence, because we are sure about what we are doing."

He claimed the debate was being fuelled by countries who had a large share of the tourism market.

'Competitor's' questioning SA's 2010 safety
Independent Online
January 19, 2010

Crafty Baboons a New World Cup Concern

Roving bands of mischievous baboons are being cited as a new concern for city officials when tourists descend on South Africa for the World Cup.

Officials in Cape Town, the country's top tourist destination, are trying to control the increasingly aggressive animals. On Tuesday 29 baboons raided four cars outside Simon's Town, a coastal neighbourhood. A baboon dubbed Fred, the leader of the group, opened unlocked doors and jumped through a window to search for food. He ransacked a bag in one car as a couple panicked over their passports. Others climbed on to car roofs looking for ways inside. Many people who stopped to watch had their own cars broken into by baboons.

"We spend the whole day basically rescuing tourists," said Mark Duffels, a volunteer who monitors the animals.

South Africa's marauding baboons add to World Cup worries
Guardian
November 25, 2009