SA: German security hails WC preparations

  1. Posted on Thursday 15 April 2010 - 11:55
    Gbentil
    Image of Gbentil
    Glorea Bentil, AfricaNews reporter in Accra, Ghana
    Security preparations ahead of the summer World Cup 2010 in South Africa have been hailed by a German parliamentary security expert. Frank Hofmann, acting chairman of the parliamentary committee on home affairs in Berlin noted after an information-gathering visit to South Africa.
    South africa police
    "We are very impressed by the professionalism of the security forces, especially at the leadership level, as well as by the preparations for the World Cup in general," Hofmann, an MP for the official opposition SPD, told German press agency DPA.

    German football fans who want to visit South Africa should not be put off by "sensational headlines", according to Hofmann, concerning the reported high security threat to visitors, which, in his view, has no factual basis.

    Many of these headlines have come out in the past year with Danny Jordaan asking the media to only report facts, and not rumours which have no basis. The sensational headlines and stories are hurting ticket sales in Europe, coupled with the economic downturn, but unfounded reporting should not be having such a negative effect on the sales, Goal.com reported.

    Hofmann said British tabloids were particularly to blame. The politician was impressed by South Africa's close co-operation with security forces from participating countries, including Germany, and international agencies such as Interpol, on its security arrangements.

    "The South Africans have every reason to be confident, given their World Cup preparations," he said.

    Out of the 2.2 million tickets sold so far, Germans, who are normally among the most enthusiastic supporters, have bought only 32,269 to date. By comparison, fans in the United States, where football is a marginal sport, have bought 118,945. British fans have bought 67,654 tickets, while South Africans have bought nearly one million.

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