Despite Violence, Games Officials Promise Safety in Brazil

Games officials in Brazil are trying to clam nerves about safety issues during the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro amid violent attacks in one of the city's most notorious slums.

Brazilian authorities have claimed that recent attacks by drugs gangs are a desperate response at police efforts to take control of their turf in more than a dozen slum areas.

The local organising committee of the Rio Olympics also promised a trouble-free games.

"The Rio 2016 committee has full confidence in the security plans which have been elaborated jointly with the three levels of government (municipal, state and federal) and presented to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)," it said.

Soccer-Brazil says Rio violence will not affect World Cup
Reuters
November 26, 2010

Favela Cleanup Program Spurs Violence in Rio

Violence has erupted in Rio de Janeiro as the state expands on a program to try to clean up the city's crime-riddled favelas. The impact is intended to refresh the city's image ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Rio authorities say the violence is in reaction to a two-year-old policing project, known as the "pacification" program, to root out organized drug-fueled crime by occupying favelas (or shanty towns). The program involves setting up heavy policing units to reclaim slums from gangs, and authorities say it has "pacified" 13 favelas since its inception.

To supporters it has been a one-of-a-kind success. For skeptics it is smoke and mirrors. The answer generally depends on where you live.

Rash of Rio violence rattles even hardened residents in Brazil's World Cup host city
The Christian Science Monitor
November 24, 2010

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

Fears That Xenophobic Attacks Will Pick Back Up After Cup

Officials in Gauteng Province are concerned that life after the World Cup could bring back the xenophobic attacks on foreigners within South Africa that resulted in dozens of deaths and thousands of displacements in 2008.

GCRO [Gauteng City Region Observatory] senior researcher Annsilla Nyar told Sapa she believed the end of the World Cup would leave many people, who had high expectations of material benefits, disappointed.

"Life will pretty much return to normal... The World Cup will end and then we will have local government elections in a few months' time.

"It creates a heightening of tensions... and these kind of tensions can degenerate into xenophobia. It's a real recipe for disaster."

Migrants fear attacks after SWC
News 24
May 27, 2010

Xenophobic Attacks Feared to Rise After World Cup

Migrants from Zimbabwe and other nearby countries who have flooded into South Africa looking for work are being threatened with violence by locals who say the foreigners are stealing their jobs.

This week, two years after the start of the 2008 riots that left scores dead across the country, a consortium of leading migration organisations said it had received reports by foreign nationals that they were being threatened with violence after the tournament.

"These threats are coming from many different people: neighbours, colleagues, taxi drivers, passersby, but also from nurses, social workers and police officers," said Cormsa, whose members include Amnesty International, the South African Red Cross Society, and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation . "Some of those making the threats believe that they have the support of senior political leaders," it said.

Warning of xenophobic violence in South Africa after World Cup
Guardian
May 17, 2010

Taxi Industry Vows to Violently Disrupt Cape Town's Transit Plans

Taxi officials in the Western Cape have vowed to violently disrupt the implementation of Cape Town's Integrated Rapid Transit system. This is despite efforts by officials to bring taxis into the Integrated Rapid Transit system planning. Taxi leaders say those efforts have not been enough.

The Western Cape National Taxi Alliance (WC-NTA) made the threat after the city announced that it had appointed a company to operate the buses, bringing it one step closer to launching the project's first phase.

A report by Mike Marsden, executive director of the major projects department, said the city had signed a contract with TransPeninsula, a company formed by inner-city taxi associations, to provide vehicle operator services until October. This will include transport during the World Cup. According to the report, the agreement is the first in SA to incorporate the taxi industry into the IRT.

Cape taxi body threatens to thwart IRT
Cape Times
May 5, 2010

Violence on Johannesburg's New BRT Routes Puts Some Commuters on Edge

Recent violent attacks on Johannesburg's new Rea Vaya bus rapid transit line has some commuters worried about the safety of the system, and possible further revenge attacks from the taxi industry. Two attacks took place on the first day of new routes through Soweto. One person dies and eight others were injured.

A small group of commuters gathered at a rainy Protea Boulevard to catch a bus that would drive right past the local taxi rank.

"With these taxi people, anything can happen," said Morgan Masango, a Protea Glen resident who was escorting his wife to the city, "but hopefully the police will protect us."

And there was a heavy police presence - each Rea Vaya bus was accompanied by a police vehicle, blue-lights flashing as a warning to would-be attackers.

Some jitters, but commuters board BRT buses
The Star
May 4, 2010

Thanks to Morgan Boyco for the link!

Threats and Violence the Unfortunate Theme at World Cup

Threats of terrorism and the recent ambush of the Togo National team at the African Cup of Nations are testing the will of some nations and players who are expected to play in this year's World Cup. Though FIFA officials and South African locals are trying to dispel rumors of violence and danger, the prevailing feeling is that security is not a guarantee.

Since terror is represented by words as well as bombs or bullets, we can expect more of this crossfire of rhetoric as the global focus on South Africa intensifies.

Adebayor’s withdrawal is no doubt chastened by his stated anger that not only did the security forces fail to protect his team in an area where separatists were known to pose a threat, but the African soccer confederation subsequently barred Togo from the next two African Cup of Nations.

Undercurrents of Violence at the World Cup
The New York Times
April 14, 2010

Supporters of Slain White Supremacist Back Down on Violence Threat

Supporters of slain white supremacist Eugene Terre'Blanche have called off a pledge to exact violent revenge ahead of the World Cup for their leader's death. Security officials in South Africa had been trying to clam international nerves over the prospect of violence during the Cup.

The far-right Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) movement had initially sworn to avenge the killing of its leader, Eugene Terre'Blanche, on Saturday, warning fans to think twice about visiting "a land of murder".

But today, Pieter Steyn, a general in the AWB, said: "Our membership is very, very shocked, angry and horrified. In the heat of the moment, certain statements were made and I would like to retract those statements.

"It is the philosophy of the AWB that no member will engage in any form of violence, intimidation, racial slandering or anything of that matter. It is, however, very difficult to contain our members and keep them calm."

Eugene Terre'Blanche supporters withdraw threat of violence ahead of World Cup
Guardian
April 5, 2010

Expanded Johannesburg BRT Hits Some Roadblocks, But Moves Forward

The first day of expanded BRT service in Johannesburg went ahead relkatively smoothly, despite some related violence and vandalism at bus stops.

Mayoral committee for transport member Rehana Moosajee, said the Rea Vaya system showed it could handle an increased volume of passengers.

"We experienced some initial first-day challenges but, in the broader context, the success of the service demonstrated the need that existed for a rapid bus service to move passengers safely and effectively across our city," Moosajee said in a statement.

...

The service introduced on Monday included a main route between Dobsonville and the Johannesburg city centre and Ellis Park Station, as well as feeder services from Naledi to Thokoza Park Station, from Jabaavu to Lake View Station and from Mofolo to Boomtown Station.

The next phase will be introduced on May 3.

Rea Vaya bus violence condemned
Independent Online
March 15, 2010

Violent Crime 'Not Necessarily Linked' to Poverty in South Africa

A new report from the South African Institute of Race Relations claims that the nation's high incidence of violent crime is not necessarily related to the high rate of poverty.

The report, published in Fast Facts, the institute's newsletter, surveyed 80 indicators for municipalities across the country. Eastern Cape municipalities - with a poverty rate of 62% - had the highest murder rate, at 54 murders per 100 000 people. But Limpopo municipalities, which also recorded a poverty rate of 62%, had the lowest murder rate, at 13,7 per 100 000 residents.

Western Cape municipalities also had a high murder rate, at 51 per 100 000 people, but a low poverty rate, at 26,5%.

Lisa Vetten, senior researcher and policy analyst for the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre, said it was too simplistic to blame poverty for high rates of violent crime.

South Africa: Crime And Poverty 'Not Correlated'
Business Day
February 9, 2010

Violence and High Prices Limiting Visitors to South Africa During Cup

Violence and high-priced packages aimed at tourists hoping to maintain a tightly secured visit to South Africa are making the World Cup less of a boon than many had hoped, according to this post.

The English FA have returned some of their tickets to Fifa and sales in Germany and Holland have also been slow, amid the disconnected though still unhelpful publicity surrounding the attack on the Togo team bus in Angola and doubts raised by influential football figures such as Franz Beckenbauer and Uli Hoeness over cost and security. The last two questions are linked, because apart from the relative scarcity of available aircraft seats and hotel beds that is driving up the price of World Cup packages, fears over visitors' safety mean that most deals are being pitched at wealthy individuals staying in upmarket accommodation rather than independent travellers on a budget.

South Africa's cup is failing to set the world on fire
Guardian
January 31, 2010

Minibus and Taxi Violence in Western Cape Spurs Action

Officials in the Western Cape are on the offensive about recent attacks by taxi and minibus drivers.

[Official Robin Carlisle] was outlining a new policy to deal with the local taxi industry, following recent violence in the Retreat/Steenberg/Vrygrond area. A driver was shot and killed in Retreat. In Steenberg a driver and his passengers were shot and wounded.

Carlisle further vowed to shut down operations in areas where violence took place, or was threatened.

W Cape's Carlisle vows taxi crackdown
Independent Online
January 17, 2010

Angola Attacks Have Little Impact on SA Tourism

Despite the recent attack on the Togo national team when they were in Angola for the Africa Cup of Nations, South African organizers are calming nerves as the country prepares to play international host during the World Cup. Tour operators say that the violence has not affected interest in visiting the country.

International tour operators confirmed however that there is still huge interest in the World Cup.

Juan Carlos, the co-owner of Fifa-accredited Pegazus Sport Tours in Spain, said while there had been some concern after the Angola attack, confidence remained high.

SA passes 2010 test
Independent Online
January 16, 2010

Cape Residents Rather Hitch Than Taxi

Eastern Cape Transit official MEC Ghishima Barry says locals are more likely to hitchhike than take a taxi, mainly due to concerns over driving safety and the violence in which the industry has participated against the country's push for more public transit.

Speaking at a "hitch-hiking indaba" in East London, he said the industry in the province had been losing its clientele base.

Many commuters no longer felt safe travelling in taxis.

The industry needed to review the training taxi drivers received in disciplines like customer care and proper driving skills.

ECape travellers 'prefer hitching to taxis'
Independent Online
October 29, 2009