Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, also the head of Interpol, says security forces from around the world will be deployed in South Africa during the 2010 Fifa World Cup, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) news reported on Tuesday.
Selebi told delegates at the Interpol Symposium in Kempton Park that South Africa is willing to draw experience from countries that have hosted events of the World Cup’s magnitude.
He said Germany used outside police forces to help it maintain security during the 2006 World Cup.
Interpol is expected to coordinate the deployment and presence of police forces from other countries for the 2010 World Cup.
Meanwhile, not all South African cities and towns will benefit from the World Cup in 2010, the SABC reported. Areas situated far away from the main venues will be disadvantaged.
This emerged at the technical workshop of the 2010 World Cup African Legacy Programme in Tshwane. The 2010 World Cup is dubbed Africa’s World Cup and is intended to benefit the entire continent.
Eddy Maloka, the head of the local organising committee’s (LOC) legacy programme, said communities that are located far from match venues are a bit disadvantaged compared with those within the precinct of the venues.
Similarly, countries closer to South Africa are in a much better position to benefit from the tournament.
African Union commissioner Biences Gawana said all 53 member states are fully behind the successful hosting of the World Cup.
Gawana said the AU believes this is an important event that is being hosted in Africa, and therefore it is not just South Africa hosting it, but Africans also need to support it and feel part of the process.
Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile said the government has mobilised not only the support of governments and states of the African continent, but also football associations, economic communities and the organs of civil society of the continent.
A sports indaba for African sports ministers will be held before July to start implementing some of the plans, the SABC reported. — Sapa