Pasco's Managing Director for Africa, Dr Mark Welman, attended a security briefing at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium in December last year. During discussion time, one of the first questions asked by a local contractor was “who was Moses Mabhida – anybody important?”. For the record, Moses Mabhida was a veteran of the liberation struggle and played a key role in forming and developing Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress during the Apartheid era. Having been born in Pietermaritzburg, approximately 80km inland from Durban, he was also responsible for developing the ANC's executive political structures in KwaZulu-Natal and it is in this light fitting that one of Durban's most significant investments in a post-Apartheid South Africa is named after him.

The stadium itself is an architectural delight and is designed to be the centerpiece of the City's King's Park precinct, which also comprises the existing rugby stadium, swimming pools and other facilities. More than just a stadium, Moses Mabhida is intended to augment existing tourist attractions along the beachfront area. Nowhere is this more evident than in the 'adventure walk' which allows persons to climb to the top of the arch that spans the distance from one side of the stadium to the other. For the less energetic, there is also a funicular to get to the viewing point. For the adventurous, a bungee swing is being installed.

Unfortunately for all of the innovative design aspects that have gone into the stadium there are a number of risks that, if not resolved in the very near future, could see it all end in tears during the World Cup. We believe that the security tender, which was meant to be awarded some months ago, is still being debated.  A storm of controversy has also erupted over the tender for World Cup events management, with several bidders claiming that the City has left it so late to award the project that it is “almost impossible” to have the gala events planned rolled out in time. This includes a beachfront fan park that is meant to connect directly to the stadium. With Durban being nominated as the host city for the official 100-day countdown to the 11 June kick-off of the World Cup, the clock is literally ticking for the eThekwini municipal authorities and the Local Organising Committee.

Assuming that Durban manages to resolve these problems in time for the World Cup, the key risks so far as visitors are concerned will, as in other host cities around the country, shift to issues of public safety and security. EThekwini authorities have drafted in additional metropolitan police force members to supplement the South African Police Services, with their primary objective being to secure areas likely to be frequented by World Cup fans and tourists. For the most part, this is likely to be the beachfront/Marine Parade area, where the bulk of the City's popular hotels are located. The City is however engaged in a makeover of the entire beachfront area that encompasses, moving in a southerly direction from the stadium along Marine Parade, North Beach, Dairy Beach, Wedge Beach, South Beach, UShaka Marine World and Addington. One should expect that this 4-5 km long stretch of real estate will be a hive of activity during the World Cup, especially on days when there is either a match at Moses Mabhida, or a key match being televised on the big screens at the fan park.

The threat of a terrorist attack against targets in this area, including the stadium, is low. Crime, on the other hand, is a realistic danger and if one is tempted to walk along Marine Parade on one's own at night it is strongly advised to keep to busy areas. That may raise the risk of pickpocketing but it should reduce the risk of falling victim to a more aggressive form of crime. Particular caution should be exercised when moving in a westerly direction from the beachfront, into the City CBD. The south-west part of town, including Smith, West and Pine Streets, should be avoided at night. The area around the Durban International Convention Centre (next to the Durban Hilton Hotel between Walnut Road and Stanger Street) is generally safer but caution should still be exercised.

Moving back to the Marine Parade/Moses Mabhida parts of town, we anticipate that traffic and crowd control could pose significant challenges. Peak tourism days – especially New Years Day – have for the past several years been associated with traffic logjams and overcrowded beaches that have caused serious safety concerns. One of the reasons for the re-development of the beachfront area is that it is hoped that when completed it will allow for a natural distribution of visitors across the various venues and beaches, thereby relieving the pressure on North and South Beach. Time will tell how effective these measures are. The Brazil – Portugal clash on 25 June and the semi-final on 7 July could be the litmus test.