Introduction

While the 32 teams competing in FIFA 2010 fine-tune their plans for World Cup glory, millions of fans around the globe are also making final preparations for what promises to be a great event, if not the greatest sporting event ever. However, the failed terrorist attempt to bring down a civilian airliner en route to the USA on Christmas day, a suicide bombing directed at a village volleyball game in northern Pakistan a few days later, and the closure at the beginning of January of US and British embassies in Yemen as a result of a 'credible threat' have served to reinforce the importance of maintaining a balance between spectator enjoyment and public safety and security.

Beginning with this article, Pasco is providing a series of articles on the nine host cities, focusing on security advice for persons visiting those cities. This article focuses on Johannesburg.

Part One: Johannesburg

“Pulsating with energy and drive...a hub of culture and excitement” is how the official FIFA 2010 website (www.fifa.com/worldcup) introduces Johannesburg as a host city. Certainly true, although the authors of the site fail to mention that Johannesburg, with one of the world's highest urban crime rates, also has an unenviable reputation for being South Africa's most dangerous city. As Johannesburg is the only city that boasts two World Cup stadiums – the newly built Soccer City and the historic Ellis Park – and will also host both the opening and closing ceremonies and matches, many fans will inevitably spend time in or around the city during FIFA2010. Being aware of the risks and opportunities that the city poses to visitors is therefore an important aspect of preparing for the event, whether one is a global security manager responsible for the safety of hundreds of guests, or a lone backpacker seeking adventure.

First off, it is important to understand that Johannesburg is not homogenous in either its social architecture or the risks that may manifest. Strolling around the bustling business and commercial hub of the Sandton CBD, for example, one is at least as safe as a visitor in New York, Miami or London. This is not to say that crime does not occur in Sandton, but statistically one is as safe in Sandton – or put differently, as much at risk – as one would be in almost any major city. Move about twenty kilometers in an easterly direction towards the Hillbrow area, however, and the risk level escalates significantly. Again, it is worth noting that much like any other city Johannesburg has areas that should be designated as 'no go' zones for tourists and visitors. Typically, these are areas where poverty and urban decay have become breeding grounds for crime.

From an historical perspective, the city's so-called 'townships' offer a fascinating and meaningful glimpse into South Africa's past. Established as sprawling residential areas designed to contain South Africa's black labour force in the Apartheid era, when the notorious Group Areas Act (eventually repealed in 1991) prevented persons of colour from taking up residence in areas reserved for white South Africans, many of these townships became focal points for political activism. Soweto (simply an abbreviation of South Western Township) is the most famous of these areas and served as 'ground zero' for the 1976 youth uprising that consientised an entire generation to the brutality of Apartheid. Today, Soweto is a popular destination for foreign visitors, but it is recommended that one make use of an organized tour operator should one wish to visit Soweto.

A number of informal settlements ring Johannesburg. Effectively comprising urban slums, these settlements have become home to tens of thousands of poor people, including refugees from other African countries. Competition for scarce economic resources in these settlements has been one of the key forces behind the periodic bouts of xenophobic violence that has occurred in South Africa. Characterized by inadequate living conditions and sometimes the absence of even the most basic of social services, the informal settlements have also served to fuel violent crime throughout the province. Generally, these areas should be considered as high-risk and it is not advised that visitors enter any of the informal settlements without due planning and coordination.

Visitors also need to be aware of the following key crime-related risks and means of avoiding or combating them:

• The threat of terrorism, which according to Pasco's protective intelligence indicators is currently rated as low country-wide, could change as FIFA2010 approaches. Protective intelligence monitoring is advisable for corporates and groups.
• The threat of vehicle hijacking in and around Johannesburg is currently high. This risk could however show a slight decline during FIFA2010 as a result of intensive visible policing and other crime prevention measures that the City and national authorities will put in place.
• Johannesburg is a cosmopolitan and culturally diverse city and it is unlikely that persons will be attacked as a result of social background (language, ethnicity, religion, etc). Caution should however be exercised around stadiums and other areas where fans congregate because clashes between rival spectators, or between groups of spectators and local police, have occurred sporadically at previous World Cup and Euro football events. Abuse of alcohol is often a contributing factor in these disturbances and it is advisable to avoid areas where groups of people are obviously intoxicated.
• Persons traveling alone or outside of organised groups are advised to check on the security status of destinations in and around the City. This includes areas in which there may be nightclubs, restaurants and other attractions.
• If driving, ensure that you keep to major arterial routes and freeways where possible. Plan journeys ahead and make use of a GPS system to assist in navigation.
• By national standards, Johannesburg drivers have a reputation for being aggressive on the road. It is advisable to keep to the left and allow faster moving traffic to pass on the right.
• As previously noted, visitors should avoid entering so-called informal settlement areas without advance planning and support, as crime rates are particularly high in these areas (especially over weekends).
• Visits to established townships, such as Soweto, are generally safe but it is advisable to make use of organized tours.
• Johannesburg's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which is intended to transfer spectators between major hotels and the city's two football stadiums, has been delayed and exposed to security risks as a result of a dispute with local taxi operators. Visitors should obtain an update on BRT status prior to arrival.
• Visitors who are planning to rent a house for accommodation are advised to check on both the crime statistics for the area in which the house is located and specific security measures in place to protect the house. Residential robberies pose a significant crime problem in and around Johannesburg, with statistics indicating a significant rise in residential robberies throughout the Gauteng Province (refer to the feature article 'South Africa's Crime Statistics: What it Means for 2010' elsewhere on this site).

Johannesburg Fact File

• Capital of Gauteng Province
• Commonly referred to as 'Jozi' or 'Egoli' (City of Gold)
• The population of greater Johannesburg is in excess of 7 million persons
• One of the 40 largest cities in the world
• Over 300 heritage sites and more than 30 major musuems
• Weather in June/July is cold by South African standards, averaging 16 degrees Celcius (61F) but there is very little rain during these months

In the next feature article, we profile the host city of Cape Town.