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catman
Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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 Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:06 pm Post subject: World Cup crime: Reality vs. hysteria |
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More than 40,000 police recruits will be on hand throughout the World Cup
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Media-fuelled hysteria about crime in South Africa is scaring some tourists off from attending the World Cup, and prompting others to take unusual measures to ensure their safety.
Of some 350,000 foreign fans expected to attend the 32-team tournament in June and July, those with the money to spend are hiring bodyguards, renting bullet-resistant vehicles, and packing GPS tracking devices in their cars and handbags.
It's part of a continuing boom in South Africa's private security industry.
"I've had endless calls for vehicles," said Grant Anderson of Armormax, which installs bullet-resistant armour and glass in vehicles for companies and individuals.
"For the husband there's always a concern that mom and the kids are safe and sound. From their perspective, it's a small price to pay for the kind of safety they require."
A bullet-resistant rental will cost anywhere up to $2,000 US a day. Some parents hire bodyguards � costing as little as $250 a day � to keep what Stefan Grippa of Stratagem Risk International calls a "watchful eye" on their kids.
Think of them as armed chaperones.
"It works quite well," he said. "Sometimes the kids want a night out, going out to restaurants, or if they're old enough, dance clubs, and their parents would like them to do it but don't want them to be in a strange country without any protection."
And if your family doesn't want large men with mirrored sunglasses lurking about, you can rent a GPS, which sends a signal that locates your loved one.
"Our GPS enables our response team to track an individual's position in real time," said Grippa. "So the exact co-ordinates are transmitted to a control room, and if there's an emergency � whether medical or security related � the control room can then dispatch the service needed."
Business is booming for a reason. South Africa's crime levels are among the highest in the world, with more than 18,000 murders recorded last year � an average of 49 a day. (The U.S. reported 16,272 murders in last year on record; the U.K. 651 and Canada 611).
"Because people are increasingly worried about their security, and are losing confidence in the police, those who can afford it will pay for security," stated Johan Burger, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies.
"This is leading to a huge increase in security and personnel companies. It's becoming a very lucrative industry," he says.
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catman
Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/06/07/2010060701234.html
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Two Korean TV professionals have been mugged in Johannesburg, South Africa, casting further doubt on the crime-ridden country's suitability as host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
MBC on Sunday said a freelance director for a global affairs program was mugged by an unidentified assailant in the restroom of a shopping mall in Johannesburg. He was strangled and lost conscious, and the mugger got away with his money and passport. MBC added the man was not carrying a camera or other equipment.
An SBS TV cultural program director was also attacked in his car in a street in Johannesburg. He was waiting for the light to change when a robber attempted to break the window and rob him, but failed. Nobody was hurt.
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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I really hope South Africa pulls this off without any major incidents.
It could be a huge boost for the whole continent. |
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chellovek
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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| catman wrote: |
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/06/07/2010060701234.html
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Two Korean TV professionals have been mugged in Johannesburg, South Africa, casting further doubt on the crime-ridden country's suitability as host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
MBC on Sunday said a freelance director for a global affairs program was mugged by an unidentified assailant in the restroom of a shopping mall in Johannesburg. He was strangled and lost conscious, and the mugger got away with his money and passport. MBC added the man was not carrying a camera or other equipment.
An SBS TV cultural program director was also attacked in his car in a street in Johannesburg. He was waiting for the light to change when a robber attempted to break the window and rob him, but failed. Nobody was hurt.
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Yeah I also recall reading on the BBC recently of Spanish and Portuguese sports journalists getting robbed too.
South Africa. More like South 'lol'frica. |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="catman"]
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| An SBS TV cultural program director was also attacked in his car in a street in Johannesburg. He was waiting for the light to change when a robber attempted to break the window |
Maybe it was the same SBS director who made all those documentaries criminalising foreigners in Korea for dating Korean women.
Looks like he finally got a much needed reality check as to what real crime actually is. |
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