The lead up to the World Cup in South Africa has been an interesting one. Many have wondered whether or not it was a good idea to have such a massive event in Africa, but the skeptics were silenced by those who said it could be a major boon for the region. There have been many problems thus far mostly revolving around the sale of counterfeit tickets and hotels. Brits have been warned not to order tickets through any website that is not authorized by FIFA. One of the main concerns for the event is how to keep people safe as they are traveling to and from the venues. With the kickoff less than five months away South Africa has announced some of its plans to keep the tournament secure.
The Police Minister of South Africa Nathi Mthethwa recently made an announcement that he hoped would quell the fears that many have regarding the security of the 2010 World Cup. He claimed that South Africa was preparing itself for any type of crime, from major conspiracies down to petty crimes. He said that the country has hired and trained an additional forty one thousand police for the event. South Africa already has more policemen per capita than any other country in the world, even though it is still known as one of the most dangerous countries when it comes to crime.
Worries still abound as South Africa has the highest murder rate in the world at fifty murders per day, which is even higher than the U.S. which has nearly five times the population.
