Expected like few others for being the first World Cup to be held on the African continent, the World Cup South Africa 2010 since its inception was marked by signs of insecurity, global terrorist threats and a local government that did everything possible, to close the world fair with a white balance.
By Michael Negrete Cruz
The initial whistle to kick off the recent World Cup in South Africa had not sounded, when red alert alarms howled in the streets of Johannesburg. The incident ignited the entire balloon like a powder keg, after security employees and construction workers of the stadium where the inauguration of the event would take place, rose up in protest to the authorities in search of respect for the clause of an employment contract.
The revolt quickly turned the globe around. International television showed the world a stadium still in black work, in the midst of hundreds of mutinous workers and wielding shovels, pickaxes and other work utensils, and then formulating the biggest doubt so far. Under these conditions would the World Cup take place?
The cloud of terror also hung over south African skies. Bomb attack threats claimed by the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, were made months before the start of the football party, which led the African country to establish different collaboration agreements on security with countries such as the United States, Israel and the European Union, in an attempt to prevent the world's top sports party from being stained with blood.
PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Perhaps a bigger problem for the city of Johannesburg was its own native population. International records suggest that the crime rate of the African country is one of the highest in international comparisons. In fact, that city boasts itself as the second world capital of murder -only preceded by El Salvador-, averaging 49.6 intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, which was the most serious doubt of FIFA when studying the choice of the country of Nelson Mandela, as organizer of the World Cup.
In an effort to keep the event in its hands, the South African government committed to FIFA to install the highest technology in the various areas of inspection and surveillance, monitoring through closed circuit television, training of police personnel with foreign instructors in modern deterrence techniques, explosive detection, flight inspection, passengers and luggage, as well as in other areas of public scrutiny, where cybersecurity was no exception.
Like most developing countries, the organizing country has levels of law enforcement and delivery of justice, which are far from being at international levels. To deal with this problem, the South African government instructed a justice apparatus that would only have active effects during the days of the sports fair.
In addition to a purge and professionalization of the police, the State ordered the creation of a circuit of judges who would enjoy autonomy to be able to judge offenders in an express manner. Thus, the criminals apprehended in flagrante delicto were immediately referred to the "special" court, and almost instantly they were issued an exemplary sentence of confinement, which had as its goal, to dissuade the thugs "to leave for after the event, their misdeeds"; although as observed, the measures failed to control the desire of "lovers of others" to commit crimes.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
One of the most emblematic cases was cited when the theft of personal belongings of the members of the English football team was detected. After the investigations found the whereabouts of the thieves, it was learned that "even underwear" of the stars of the ball, had been stolen without their consent, which caused more than anger, the appearance of hundreds of "color notes" in the mass media around the world, who commented on the information with the same enthusiasm as the notes that spoke of the "vuvuzelas" and the "bafana-bafana" were edited.
However, the security incident that was most mediatized in the month that lasted the tournament, occurred on June 29, when it was revealed that the FIFA headquarters in South African lands had been the object of the theft of seven replicas of the trophy, said the commissioner general of the South African police, General Bheki Cele, on a dam wheel.
Cele revealed that seven replicas of the World Cup trophy and commemorative shirts had been stolen although he did not specify on what date the event occurred. "We know there has been a robbery there and we are investigating," said Cele, who said police suspect the crime may have been perpetrated by personnel from the same institution.
In a press conference held at the end of the World Cup, Cele said that, since the beginning of the World Cup, on June 11, 406 people were arrested, 307 of them South Africans, and the rest of other nationalities; In addition, he explained that 11 Ethiopians, 9 Algerians, 8 Britons, 6 citizens of Mozambique and as many citizens of Zimbabwe, the US and Pakistan, 5 from Argentina and four from Slovakia were arrested. The police commander laughed at this fact, saying that those who had been arrested constitute the United Nations of crime!
According to the Chief of Police, 90 percent of the arrests have been for robberies and he warned that many of them had been due to the negligence of the people. Most of the stolen items were laptops, mobile phones, bags and suitcases.
The police also opened 29 cases for unauthorized ticket sales, for which 33 people were arrested; 14 of them South Africans and 19 citizens of other countries.
Of course, the insecurity was not for everyone or had an equal cost: And it is that wealthy businessmen, politicians and stars of the show protected their integrity at a higher cost than they usually pay in other latitudes.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Chris Buekes, director of TSU Protection Services, an international executive protection company with operations in Johannesburg, said his staff worked virtually uninterrupted during the World Cup. "The work has exhausted us because every day it is about picking up people at the airport, and then transferring them to their hotel suites. From that point the work is divided between those who request permanent protection or only when they attend the football stadiums to witness the matches of their favorite team. It was truly an exhausting day, but with an uneventful balance, we felt satisfied with our work, Buekes said.
Gavriel Schnider, co-head of Dynamic Alternatives, said the company he commands charged up to $4,000 for bodyguards for 24 hours. "The price could be high for some, but the level of preparation that my guys keep for the care of this type of personality, justifies that and more," said the executive.
SECURITY WINS
According to a global survey by Regus Business Tracker, a leading provider of work solutions, South African companies benefited from the World Cup and in fact, the security firms were apparently the ones that sold the best image and obtained better results.
On the one hand, the survey confirmed a positive view on the part of South African entrepreneurs. Businesses automatically reported that at the start of the championship there was a great boom in trade, lodging services, car rental and sale of the famous souvenirs.
The survey confirmed a positive view on the part of South African entrepreneurs. The large companies operating in the country were the most enthusiastic for this championship. Business reported at the beginning of the championship, immediately, there was a boom in trade, particularly: Security services, and protection, lodging and restaurant, car rental and sale of famous souvenirs.
The survey was answered by 198 business leaders in South Africa, who with their response pointed out that more than 86.5% of respondents considered that the celebration of the World Cup was excellent for their businesses, despite the image prior to before the celebration, this referring particularly to the atmosphere of insecurity known in the country.
Among large companies (those with more than 250 employees) the response was positive with 93.3%, small companies (with less than 50 employees) was 86.3% and medium-sized companies (50 to 249 employees) with 71.4%, perceived a safe environment for business development.
83.5% of the sample considered that the celebration of the Cup improved the global opinion about South Africa as an ideal place to do business. Large companies were the safest on this point (86.7%), followed by small companies (83.2%), followed by medium-sized companies (71.4%).
"The optimistic view of a change in the external perception of South Africa is of particular interest in how this country will perform in the post-World Cup phase," said Joanne Bushell, Regus group vice president for the Middle East and Africa.
However, many think that the biggest challenge is yet to come, which is based on the new image of South Africa as a reliable organizer with streets and tourism that perceives safety when walking around the city, modern infrastructure and an excellent attitude to get things done.
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