Police get expanded role as strike spreads

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This article was published 17/06/2010 (5952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The South African police will handle security at four major stadiums for the rest of the World Cup because of an ongoing labour dispute.

Privately hired security stewards are on strike over wages, and police had already taken over their duties on an interim basis. The new announcement made clear that authorities no longer expect a settlement, and the police takeover will last through the final on July 11.

The decision, made after a meeting between police officials and the local organizing committee, affects two Johannesburg stadiums — Soccer City and Ellis Park, and stadiums at Durban and Cape Town. Even before the labour dispute, police had been handling most security duties at a fifth stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Five other stadiums have not been affected by the protest. Soccer City — the largest of the World Cup venues — will host its first match under police-staffed security when Argentina plays South Korea on Thursday.

“Our priority is the safety of the tournament and the country as a whole,” said the national police commissioner, Gen. Bheki Cele. “We will perform our responsibilities with diligence and pride.”

The protests began Sunday night when police used tear gas and fired rubber bullets to disperse stewards in Durban who were angry about their wages and refused to leave Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The dispute spread to Johannesburg on Tuesday. South African police deployed 1,000 officers to screen more than 54,000 fans arriving for Brazil’s 2-1 victory over North Korea at Ellis Park after employees from security contractor Stallion walked out hours before the evening kickoff.

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union, which represents many security workers, said it had asked the Labor Department to investigate whether laws were broken during the recruitment of the security stewards.

According to the union, most of the security workers hired for the World Cup did not have written contracts, were paid less than promised, received inadequate training and were forced to work in substandard conditions.

— The Associated Press