Fresh protests on sombre day at World Cup
Fresh protests by stadium workers erupted Thursday, adding to a
sombre tone at the World Cup as Nelson Mandela mourned his
great-granddaughter and the host reeled from a stunning defeat.
Hundreds of mourners joined the Mandela family at the funeral for
13-year-old Zenani Mandela, who died in a car accident on the eve of the
World Cup after a concert in Soweto.
Heart-broken, 91-year-old Mandela pulled out of the the World Cup
opener. The funeral was his first public appearance since February, when
he went to parliament to mark the 20th anniversary of his release from
an apartheid prison.
The service at a private school in Johannesburg was filled with song,
tears and sometimes laughter at memories of the young girl, who beamed
with delight at meeting Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo on her
birthday two days before her death. But across the country in Cape Town,
frustrations again boiled over among stadium security guards who clashed
with police for the second time this week in a dispute over their pay.
Police fired a stun grenade and rubber bullets to break up the
protest by 200 security guards outside the office of Stallion Security,
according to the company contracted to provide stewards at four World
Cup stadiums.
“They were warned that it’s an illegal gathering. They were given
time to disperse and they didn’t. After several attempts we used a stun
grenade and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd,” said police spokesman
Andre Traut. “A number of security guards were then arrested for illegal
gathering.”
Police were forced to take over security at four World Cup stadiums
after wildcat strikes by stewards.
“If anybody else disrupts any other stadium we are ready, in the
shortest possible time, to take over that stadium,” police chief Bheki
Cele said.
“There shall be no disruption of 2010 FIFA World Cup matches here in
South Africa.”
World Cup boss Danny Jordaan said he was satisfied that the strike
disturbances were under control, as police had quickly stepped in. “I
think they’ve done an incredible job. In Cape town within three hours,
everything was in place and the game started on time,” he said.
“We just had another meeting with police yesterday and we’re
satisfied everything is in place.” After winning its World Cup bid six
years ago, South Africa has fended off accusations about its ability to
host the tournament with problems mounting after a triumphant opening.
Bus drivers also staged a brief wildcat strike Monday, while
protesters marched Wednesday in Durban against government spending on
the tournament.
Stallion Security’s security contracts were cancelled after the
steward strikes spread, but the company said the local organising
committee had played a role in setting wages.
JOHANNESBURG, AFP
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