Special units, courts for 2010

Cape Town - Special investigative teams and courts that will deal only with cases linked to the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament are being planned for 2010.

The idea is to investigate and hear cases related to the World Cup as quickly as possible.

This will prevent foreign visitors who may be involved in cases from having to be brought back to South Africa later at great cost, said Senior Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo of the South African Police Service.

At a conference of the 2010 National Communication Partnership, Naidoo said that the police had already started putting together temporary, special investigation teams and are now looking at the implementation of the 2010 courts.

The special investigative teams and courts form part of a carefully devised security plan that has already been set up for 2010 and in which several other southern African states are involved.

55 000 extra police officials

Naidoo pointed out that R645m would be spent on adding 55 000 officials to the police service by 2010. The last 11 000 would be trained in 2009.

An additional R665m has also been set aside for more police equipment. The officials and equipment will still be used by police after the 2010 event.

Naidoo said one of the biggest roles that the collective security structure for 2010, called JOINTS, will fulfil is ensuring security clearance and accreditation of thousands of media representatives.

It is estimated that about 28 500 journalists from around the world will gather in the country.

At least 55 heads of state and heads of government are also expected to attend the opening and closing ceremonies, and this will require extraordinary security measures.

The Confederation Cup Soccer Championship from June 17 to 24 2009 will be a big test to see how well-prepared organisers are. After that will come the final preparation phase for the 2010 World Cup, which takes place between June 11 and July 11 2010.

Terrorism to ordinary crime

The contingency plans, which have been set out in detail, include preparations for anything from terrorism to ordinary crime and street thuggery. Naidoo said South Africa was not currently threatened by terrorism but that one or two countries from the participating 36 nations, could be targets.

Thought would be given to matters like violence in the transport industry and labour unrest, "because one must expect that there will be those who want to use big events like the World Cup to bring their grievances to the attention of the world".

Theuns van der Westhuizen, Die Burger

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