Lol. I probably still would've gone if it was just me...but I wouldn't want to put other family members in danger by taking them.

Edited by Joffa: 13/6/2010 12:45:18 AM

Better not let Australia get the World Cup then.

How will Cityrail, Connex/Metro cope. :o

Yeah, there are 50 murders a day...but it's the Babboons you should be worried about.

GFC and pricing were factors for me but the level crime swung my decision.

Few turn up for Greece, Korea game
12/06/2010 14:13

Saturday's match between Greece and the Korea Republic presented a spectacle that Fifa officials were hoping not to see: Huge blocks of the stadium's red seats remained unoccupied.

Observers said the poor attendance at the 45,000 capacity Nelson Mandela Bay stadium reflected several factors, not least the economic crisis in Greece, which made it too expensive for many fans to make the long journey.

"There is a global economic crisis but in Greece we have our own special crisis so its very hard for people to come," said Greek fan Antonios Kokiantonis, who estimated that just 2,000 supporters had flown in to South Africa to support the national team. He said the average cost for making the trip was probably around €4,000

Korea supporter Ace Chun said the recession and the huge distance of his country from South Africa had also severely reduced is country's travelling contingent. "There were many more fans in Germany because it's easier to get to and there are many more Korean immigrants there," the Seoul resident said.

The emptiest sections in the stadium were the swanky seats reserved for corporate customers. Many of these were paid for in advance by corporate sponsors who use them as marketing gifts for their customers who apparently weren't that eager to attend the game - even for free.

South African supporters also appeared reticent to part with their hard earned cash to watch the unfancied teams. "I can only afford to go to one game," said one taxi driver. "I'm saving it to watch Germany."

The half-empty stadium will probably not be the last one of the tournament. Organisers have revised down the estimated number of fans expected to attend the month-long tournament from some 450,000 to around 350,000 to 375,000.

http://www.supersport.com/football/2010-world-cup/news/100612/Few_turn_up_for_Greece_Korea_game

SA tackles crime, hooligans fears
12/06/2010 15:46

South African police on Saturday rolled into action years of security planning to prevent crime and ward off hooligans at the World Cup, as England and Argentina take to the field.

Argentina plays Nigeria in Ellis Park in central Johannesburg, surrounded by neighbourhoods best known for gangsterism and drug violence.

Ellis Park was the venue for South Africa's 1995 rugby World Cup triumph when Nelson Mandela handed the trophy to Springbok skipper Francois Pienaar, in a gesture of racial reconciliation captured in Clint Eastwood's movie "Invictus".

But with many Nigerian and other African migrants now living near the stadium, police will be on the watch for unruly local fans as well as for hooligans on the Argentine side.

South Africa has already deported 11 Argentine hooligans who were among 800 blacklisted by their country. But Argentine media said about 30 others made it into the country flying with the team, while more than 200 have vowed to make the trip.

Police spokeswoman Sally de Beer said police from each country playing would be at the stadiums to help identify potential troublemakers, whole local police have received specialised training in crowd control from French gendarmes.

"We have police officials from 27 of the selected countries based here. They will work side by side with our police officials, outside and inside the stadiums," she said.

"They will obviously know their own hooligans and will be able to point them out and prevent them from entering the stadium." Each stadium has holding cells to lock up any unruly fans, she added.

Security was also tight in northwestern Rustenburg, where England plays the United States late Saturday, near the Vegas-style casino resort of Sun City.

British authorities say they're working to prevent hooligans from leaving the country, with six reportedly arrested so far for violating the their "bans", which requires them to surrender their passports before England plays overseas.

A group of British hooligans were also turned away last month after trying to enter South Africa via Dubai, according to police.

The opener Friday went off without major incident, with the biggest complaints over traffic jams and delayed trains as 85,000 fans headed into Soccer City to see the hosts play Mexico.

World Cup spokesman Rich Mkhondo said new transport schemes would be unveiled tomorrow, but urged fans in Johannesburg to take public transport to games.

"You need only 15 minutes by bus from the city centre, and 12 minutes on the way back. It's easier and quicker to access the city," he told reporters. South Africa's 1-1 draw with Mexico was enough to win the adoration of local newspapers, who declared the opening day "Fantastic".

"Respect! That's what we earned yesterday," The Star newspaper said on its front page.

"Defying the prophets of gloom and doom, South Africa pulled off a stunning World Cup opening ceremony, and Bafana Bafana followed that up with a heart-stopping draw against Mexico," it said.

South Africa has fended off worries about its readiness for the tournament ever since it was named the host six years ago.

All the stadiums and major projects like new highways and rail lines have been completed on time, although crime is still a worry.

Journalists and fans have been robbed at gunpoint and thieves have even stolen cash from the rooms of the Greek team.

The wave of national pride at hosting the World Cup largely swept over the grief for 91-year-old Mandela, who skipped the opener after his great-granddaughter was killed in a car accident hours the night before.

The family of the 91-year-old Nobel laureate, still the conscience of the nation two decades after his release from an apartheid prison, pleaded for privacy as they mourned the death.

http://www.supersport.com/football/2010-world-cup/news/100612/SA_tackles_crime_hooligans_fears

Why would you give a world cup to a country that doesn't have a world class public transport network?


a world class public transport network in itself would've been a decent legacy.

Edited by Joffa: 12/6/2010 10:39:08 PM

South Africa clamp down on illegal tickets
Reuters - Wednesday 09 June 2010, 08:25

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's government has issued a stern warning over unruly behaviour during the World Cup and promised a clampdown on illegal ticket sales.

A stampede by fans during a warm-up match between Nigeria and North Korea on Sunday left 15 people injured.

"The government will not tolerate any unruly, disruptive and unsafe behaviour that impacts negatively on those attending public events," government spokesman Themba Maseko said in a statement on Wednesday.

Maseko urged fans not to enter stadiums during the World Cup without valid tickets.

"Those found in possession of illegal tickets will be prosecuted," he said.

The South African government has taken pains to assure foreign visitors that they will be safe during the month-long tournament, which starts on Friday.

Security has been one of the biggest issues ahead of the World Cup because of South Africa's high rate of violent crime - with 50 murders a day, almost the same rate as the United States which has six times the population.

The country's crime rate is among factors blamed for lower-than-expected foreign bookings to attend the World Cup.

The government and local organisers have insisted fans will be protected by a $174 million security plan including more than 40,000 specially deployed police.

Meanwhile, South Africa's Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has warned local government authorities and state-owned companies not to use state funds to buy World Cup tickets for officials.

In a written reply to a question in parliament, Gordhan said the National Treasury issued a circular after it received information that certain local governments planned to buy tickets and T-shirts for councillors and officials ahead of the month-long sports event which starts on Friday.

Gordhan said in the reply such spending falls under "irregular ... and fruitless and wasteful expenditure".

South Africa's budget deficit stood at 6.7 percent of GDP in the 2009/10 financial year and the government plans to cut it to around 4 percent by 2012/13.

http://fourfourtwo.com/news/worldcup2010/55965/default.aspx

TRANSPORT TROUBLE CAUSES CONCERN
Posted 12/06/10 13:16

Jamie Redknapp's Red Hot Tips. Click here to bet.

FIFA and local organisers of the World Cup have launched an investigation into some minor glitches experienced during the first day of competition.

The 2010 edition of the finals began in Johannesburgonm Saturday with hosts South Africa and Mexico playing to a 1-1 draw, but there were several empty seats during the opening ceremony at Soccer City, while traffic problems around the stadium were also evident.

Both were unsurprisingly linked - the issue of transportation leaving the stadium just over half-full by the time South African Air Force fighter jets flew over the stadium to mark the start of proceedings.

"We are very happy with how things went on day one with the first two matches," said Local Organising Committee (LOC) chief communications officer Rich Mkhondo.

"There were some challenges when it came to transportation. We are aware of those challenges and are working on them with our partners in the city."

But Mkhondo felt that part of the problem came from the public's lack of trust in the country's transport system.

South Africa has never had a proper functioning transportation network, meaning most spectators coming to the stadium in their own vehicles.

And the LOC has made a plea to change that attitude.

Mkhondo added: "The transportation challenges are caused by people.

"I would like to say the change of people's willingness to use public transportation will help us a great deal."

In response to a question about the empty seats in the stadium, FIFA spokesperson Nicolas Maingot, said: "I think to be fair, there were not many empty seats, there was an attendance of 84,000 people.

"There was one block, which looked empty. Our people in charge of ticketing are looking into it."

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6202766,00.html

Yeah thought so :d Just thought you should be shocked for yourself haha!

Yeah I'm watching...I'm not saying that figure is correct, but it is the figure FIFA quoted.

FIFA looks at opening match empty seats


JOHANNESBURG (AP) -FIFA is investigating why a section of seats at Soccer City was unoccupied during the World Cup opening match between South Africa and Mexico.

The upper tier section of around 200 seats was filled by tournament volunteers later in Friday's match, which ended 1-1.

FIFA said 84,490 people attended at Soccer City, a record for one of its matches in Africa.

"There was one block that looked empty and our people in ticketing are looking into it,'' FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Saturday.

All tickets have been sold for Saturday's matches between England and the United States at the 45,000-capacity Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg, and at 62,500-capacity Ellis Park in Johannesburg, where Argentina faced Nigeria, FIFA said.

Around 3,000 tickets were still available to see South Korea face Greece at the 46,000-capacity Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/wires/06/12/2050.ap.soc.wcup.empty.seats.0276/index.html#ixzz0qde19MnA

FIFA looks at why opening match seats were empty


JOHANNESBURG (AP) -FIFA is investigating why a section of seats in the Soccer City stadium was unoccupied during the World Cup opening match between South Africa and Mexico.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Saturday that "there was one block that looked empty and our people in ticketing are looking into it.''

The upper tier section was filled by tournament volunteers later in Friday's match, which ended 1-1.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/wires/06/12/2050.ap.soc.wcup.empty.seats.0198/index.html