South Africa Security Briefing – 2010 FIFA World Cup

March 22, 2010 - PRLog -- The FIFA World Cup, soccer’s premier event, is taking place in South Africa from June 11th to July 11th. This is the first time that the event has been held in the African continent and is a huge source of pride to both the host nation and the other 5 other African nations taking part. International teams include the US, England, Australia, France, and Germany. Games will take place in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Nelspruit, and Rustenburg.

South Africa has experience hosting major world sporting events. However, despite huge efforts by the South African government and local metropolitan authorities, there remain considerable concerns about security and problems with infrastructure. For many African participants, the memory of the attack on the Togo team during this year’s Africa Cup of Nations will be of considerable concern.

While many visitors to the World Cup will be using tour groups with their own logistical support and security, we are updating our clients about key practical issues that may affect employees, families and travelers visiting South Africa during this period.

AIR TRAVEL WITHIN SOUTH AFRICA
Air travel within South Africa is a safe and efficient means of travel. However, the following problems are predicted:

· Changes to tickets over this period will be extremely difficult and very expensive. Domestic air tickets are already inflated (particularly on the popular Johannesburg

- Cape Town route). Night flights are reportedly being scheduled to leave after games due to accommodation problems for fans in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban, and Bloemfontein.

· Travelers are advised to take flights during the times when the games are being played. Games start at 1.30 p.m.

· Flights are planned to operate 24/7. There will be almost continuous traffic around airports, and on highways linking airports.

· Allow a minimum of 2 hours to get to the airport in Cape Town and possibly 3 hours for Johannesburg. The congestion on the roads both to and from the airports has been subject to considerable delay for the last year due to road building projects. While these projects are ostensibly finished, police expect a surge in traffic volume on already crowded roads. In addition, police warn of the use of local, poorly maintained buses for South African fans, with a reputation for breaking down and blocking major roads.

· There will not be parking available at airports. Arrange drop-offs at the airports – unlike US and European airports, with tight local security, the arrangements for dropping off/picking up passengers is more casual but with the potential for becoming chaotic at peak times.

· There has been a reported upsurge in unlicensed/unregulated transfer companies offering transport to/from airports. Kivu Consulting can recommend vetted local transportation providers.

ROAD TRAVEL
· There is already a scarcity of rental vehicles, as most fleets are already booked out by groups and travel agencies. Some operators are arranging for visitors to purchase vehicles and then sell them after the event! Nevertheless, secure road transportation is still available, although rapidly growing more expensive.

· If Johannesburg/Pretoria is used as the base of the visit, then travel by road is possible to all event stadiums, except for Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

· Driving alone (or driving yourself you’re not a South African resident) is NOT recommended. Road conditions, the driving habits of some local drivers, and the mixed usage of cars/pedestrians/livestock can be lethal. In the event of accidents, help can be extremely slow in arriving and a non-South African driver can be the target for extortion from “victims.”

· Criminal activities on South Africa’s roads, particularly in urban areas, are notorious. If unused to driving in the area, there is no credible alternative to a vetted driver with a knowledge of local trouble spots, and preferably skilled in evasive driving techniques.

· While games are due to start at 1.30 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8.30 p.m., local traffic on the day of games in general is expected to increase by 45%. Note also the existence of “Fan Parks.” Used successfully by Germany in the last World Cup, Fan Parks offer soccer fans a free venue to watch games on big screens and enjoy other entertainment. Each city will be responsible for hosting its own Fan Parks (some are planning multiple Fan Parks). In terms of disruption, these Fan Parks will probably be a greater concern than the stadiums as numbers of attendees will be larger, crowds will be less easy to control or predict (without advance ticket sales), and the final locations for the Fan Parks are still not certain. It is crucial for visitors to determine the locations of nearby Fan Parks which in some situations might make it even more difficult to reach the stadiums themselves.

· 4,800 buses are reported to have been set aside for transportation during the period. Local restrictions will also be enforced on truckers/haulers which are expected to force goods vehicles to use secondary roads outside of normal operating times.

AT THE GAMES
· The most problematic stadiums, according to our assessment, are the seven stadiums reachable by road from Johannesburg/Pretoria, as these areas are considered high-criminal activity zones. These stadiums include Allis Park Stadium, Soccer City, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Free State Stadium, Peter Mokaba Stadium, and Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

· Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban have stadiums situated in relatively lower crime areas. However, each of the stadiums in these areas has their own challenges and security issues.

OTHER INFORMATION
· Despite government assurances, there is a strong possibility of organized protests during the games. Residents of shanty towns have been relocated to make way for infrastructure building projects, particularly in Durban and along the N2 Freeway outside Cape Town. Games in both those locations are particularly susceptible to disruption and extra precautions should be taken in planning transport to/from the stadiums.

· Schools will be closed for almost four weeks during the World Cup. There’s an expected increase in employee absenteeism and customers may experience delays and performance from service industries.

· Visitors should carry a functioning cell phone at all time. These can be rented locally though US residents might find paying for individual SIM cards to be confusing. Note however, cell phone networks may become significantly overloaded during game days. Make emergency plans which take into account losing communications.

· It is widely expected that fresh food produce will become scarce during the period, reflected in higher prices. This will obviously have a greater impact on locals than visitors, but could raise tensions among poorer residents who have already suffered from recent infrastructure building projects.

2010 WORLD CUP KEY DATES

· Media groups arrive April 25th and depart two weeks after final
· Teams arrive around May 3
· Supporters arrive around June 6 until departure after post tours

CONTACT US
With licensed operatives throughout South Africa, Kivu Consulting provides assistance with risk assessment, planning security, and providing vetted transportation. Please contact us by email at rsa@kivuconsulting.com or call Megan Bell at +1.415.524.7327 for questions about our services.

Further details are available at www.kivuconsulting.com.

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Kivu Consulting offers investigative and analysis services to the legal and business community including attorney-expert computer forensics, Kivu Consulting works on-site throughout the world. Kivu staff have carried out cases on the ground in over 30 countries. In addition to the two associate offices in London and Johannesburg, Kivu has established contacts with the best local sources in almost any jurisdiction where business might be carried out.