Zuma: Togo attack opportunistic
2010-01-11 22:17
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Johannesburg - The African heads of state who visited Angola to attend the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) viewed the terrorist attack on the Togolese team as an opportunistic attack, the presidency said.
Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Jacob Zuma, who returned from a working visit to Angola on Monday afternoon, said Zuma had an opportunity to meet with other heads of state during the opening ceremony of the soccer tournament on Sunday.
The tournament was marred by a terrorist attack on the team bus of the Togolese national soccer team, which left three people dead and eight injured in the Cabinda province on Friday.
"They were all feeling it was an opportunistic attack," said Magwenya.
No bearing on World Cup
He reiterated that Zuma felt that what happened in Angola had no bearing on South Africa's preparedness to host a successful and safe Soccer World Cup.
"Our security profiles are not the same and even for Angola, it was an opportunistic attack," he said.
"We don't need to defend ourselves where it comes to the safety of the World Cup."
Magwenya said Zuma was in Angola in its most dangerous times as a freedom fighter and when he revisited Luanda over the weekend, he felt "at ease and relaxed".
"There is no doubt that Angola would host a successful Afcon and there is equally no doubt from anybody that South Africa would host a safe and successful World Cup."
Magwenya said Zuma as the Commander in Chief of the South African security forces received regular security updates from the security services but had not been briefed on any specific threats that related to the World Cup in particular.
Opening ceremony impressive
He said Zuma was impressed with the level of development of Angola and the pace at which it was growing.
He was impressed too with the level of organisation of the opening ceremony and the infrastructure in Luanda.
"(It) proves that Africa can stand with its head held high, confident that Africa can host events that it previously was not able to do," said Magwenya.
He said the visit strengthened relationships between the two countries from a political, social and economic point of view.
- SAPA