Bodyguards in demand for 2010 visitors

I thought our police were supposed to protect us?

There is an intersting article, titled "The New Face of The World Cup" that was published recently in "The International Journal of Sports Conspiracy", which indicates a strange and disturbing trend amongst footballers. According to the article, many footballers are afraid to come to the world cup and FACE kidnappings, or murder at the hands of South Africa's dangerous criminals, so they are resorting to the recruitment of doubles, who undergo reconstructive facial surgery. These doubles will then be sent to the world cup, while the footballers remain safely at home. The unnamed source claims that many of the worlds top footballers are amongst those involved in this scheme. Top plastic surgeon Wilhelm von Strubig has had numerous requests, but refused to name these prospective clients. The good news for South Africa is that the doubles are not nearly as accomplished in terms of their footballing skills as their employers, and this means Bafana Bafana might be able to pull through to the semi-finals, or even the finals, unless they pick up a nasty cocaine addiction while in Brazil.

Pasta Bag, I sense your fear and its understandable.

Is un-#$%@-believable, how some of our very own newspapers are this creating hysteria by planting the seeds of fear into local and international fans. We are one of the only countries in the history of world cup that are actively sabotaging our OWN event!!!

Bodyguards for the rich and famous are quite normal in all major events around the world. However, some in our media seem to be fixated on creating hysteria. Any of these security companies can make any ludicrous claim they want - who knows if its the truth? Its really up to the editors and owners of these newspapers to be held accountable for acting responsibly. Journalistic standards among some of our newspapers are gone to the dogs.

ha! that's some funny stuff right there. Plastic surgery? Wow, what next.

@dave, amazing hey? what do you think is the cause that SA is one of the only countries that is actively sabotaging their own event? Maybe because everybody feels like they actually belong to the country, that the ANC is truely a party for all south africans? Or just a few?

South Africans think they're some God-given species, very different from the rest of Africa. Well, evidence to the contrary speaks book volumes, and that is what foreigners relate to, regardless of what we think. So my advice, please take your heads out of the sand.

@dave, and I suppose that local government even has their own private security organisations is also normal everywhere else? Crisis? what crisis?

At least we have another source of revenue, that's now to say those guards will bother reporting their income to SARS. Ooops, another little task for SARS to do. Hello, Nigeria, here we come.

Hey, the more equal we are, the more unequal we become. This certainly makes sense in the most schizophrenic society on earth.

And guess, who is gonna make a killing on this? Not Colourerds, nor Indians, nor Thswanas, nor Xhosas, nor Sothos. Nope, just one unique group.

there is nothing but trash do we really have to critise our won country like these

@Dave Harris: You're in denial.

@Carla Bauer & white trash
I'm "in denial" over what exactly?
We all know we crime has been an issue in our country for the last decade, so why has crime suddenly becoming a big issue among some South Africans who really seek to sabotage the WC. This never happened during the rugby and cricket international events did it?

South Africa is a fantastic country, love it to bits BUT - its not heaven. No smoke without fire, whatever the reasons for the demand in personal protection or bodyguard services, it is based on reports and others experiences. It may be exaggerated in the west BUT then again, you have to compare other countries threshold for violence and what violence and crime may seem normal in South Africa might be quite severe to someone from another part of the world. The other issue is people also take a cue from what the locals say, and truth be told, looking from the outside, it appears a divided country where whites come across as feeling unsafe, unprotected and expecting the worst. Whether it is sabotage or truth, it has quite some impact.

@dave, the difference between rugby and cricket and the WC is the same as crime in switzerland and south africa, soccer is a world sport. About 20 countries in the whole world play rugby and cricket. The audience for cricket and rugby are also quite different to the football masses. Comparing it to the concaf os also delusional, nobody seriously cares who wins the concaf.

Sounds like the Malema bunch

My personal wealth - what million, what tenders, what fancu cars, what Johnnie Walker, what Moet?

WASN'T ME

Thats right, 82 muders a day - there is no problem

Moa - What group again? Please be more spesific...I don't like playing the 'assume'game.