R640m for cops in 2010

2008-11-22 22:32

Johannesburg - Nothing will be left to chance concerning security issues in the Fifa Confederations Cup in 2009 and the Soccer World Cup in 2010, Deputy Safety and Security Minister Susan Shabangu said on Saturday.

Speaking at the media briefing at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg Shabangu was joined by CEO of the 2010 Local Organising Committee Danny Jordaan and Deputy Commissioner of SA Police Services Andre Pruis.

"We have seen immense progress concerning security and in the coming two years we will see even better progress," Shabangu said.

Concerning both the confederations cup and the world cup, she said that resources would be beefed up to ensure that police expertise could be maximised.

According to Pruis, R640m would be spent on the deployment of 41 000 officers specifically for the 2010 event.

This will include 31 000 permanent members of the police force and 10 000 police reservists.

He said that recruitment and specific training for the event was also underway.

About R665m would be spent on procuring crowd control equipment, police trailers, body armour, unmanned aircrafts used for surveillance and 300 mobile cameras.

SAPS would also invest in ten mobile command centres at a cost of R6m each. These centres would mostly be based at match venues and would be able to receive live footage from aircrafts and other cameras.

Pruis said various categories of people would also be protected, including Very Important Person's and Very Very Important Person's

He said that 20 policemen from the respective team's country would also escort each team.

"We are also working with Interpol and extended officers who would be able to assist in sharing information," Pruis said.

He said that security would also be beefed up at the various ports of entry and border posts.

Pruis said terrorism would be the police's biggest problem during the events. "A terrorism operation project has been put into place, should this situation arise."

Police would use bomb disposal technology such as a mechanical robot which is able to dispose of a bomb.

"South Africa's Metro Police are also part and parcel of our security plan...this would be in terms of traffic policing, enforced by-laws, and crime prevention...we will function as one operational unit."

Speaking about general crime, he said that in the past few years, there had been a consistent decline.

This included, contact crime, house robberies, heists, hijackings, an brutal crimes.

Stop and searches would also be conducted during the world cup.

"This would be done by the South African National Defence Force," he said.

Jordaan said the events were particularly important for tourism.

"We want the expected 10 million tourists to return...Our track record is equal to anywhere in the world. We take our safety seriously," Jordaan said.

He said that in previous events which saw international teams visiting the country, not a single criminal incident was recorded.

"That is our track record."

- SAPA