Pretoria, roughly 60km north of Johannesburg, is the administrative capital of South Africa. Far more readily identified as a rugby venue, the city's Loftus Versfeld stadium is scheduled to host four 2010 soccer world cup matches: Serbia and Ghana face off against each other on 13 June; hosts South Africa take on Uruguay on 16 June; Algeria meets the USA on 23 June; and the contest between Spain and Chile concludes Pretoria's role in the Cup on 25 June.

The critical issue of Pretoria's readiness for the World Cup, and the risks associated with that question, needs to be considered on a number of levels.

Firstly, it is relevant to note that the city has hosted its fair share of major events with intensive security requirements, the most pertinent being the 1994 inauguration of President Nelson Mandela, and successive Presidential inaugurations every four years subsequent to that. As a result, co-ordination of intelligence, police, emergency services and military functions is well-rehearsed and in the absence of last-minute attempts to restructure the system it is a tried and tested system that will be rolled out come the World Cup. 'If it ain't broke don't fix it' may be the best advice to the city's authorities.

Secondly, Loftus Versfeld itself has a long and credible record in event security and spectator safety. TravelSafe evaluated the stadium in 2005/6 as part of an international benchmarking exercise and we were suitably impressed with the general security plans, experience and competency of core personnel, and well-rehearsed match-day procedures. Provided that the Local Organising Committee's controversial approach to venue security management – which was widely criticised during last year's Confederations Cup – does not prevent or inhibit the core Loftus team from doing their jobs, we do not anticipate significant problems at the stadium.

Thirdly, we do not expect that Pretoria will be exposed to the same intensity or demand as is expected in the case of Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban. Of the four matches allocated to Loftus, only the South Africa – Uruguay match is likely to attract anything resembling a capacity crowd (unless Spanish fans head for Pretoria en masse to support their team).

Overall, the level of preparedness relative to the level of risk thus appears to be tilted heavily in Pretoria's favor. There are, however, a number of factors that could still spoil the party for the city:

1.Pretoria's eastern suburbs (especially Arcadia, about 4-5km from the city center) must rank high on the list of potential targets at risk of any form of terrorism given the concentration of foreign embassies in the area. Although the overall risk of a significant terrorist incident remains low at this point, an attack directed against a foreign embassy during SWC is a scenario that undoubtedly features in the contingency plans of security authorities.

2.Getting to Pretoria could be challenging for spectators that do not have private transport at their disposal. Gautrain, the high-speed rail link that was meant to connect Pretoria to Johannesburg, Sandton and the OR Tambo International Airport (about 60km from Pretoria) will definitely not be ready in time for SWC and as noted in previous articles other forms of suburban rail transport in South Africa are limited and potentially unsafe. Pretoria has an air force base (Waterkloof) and a number of private airfields in proximity to the city, but no commercial airport.

3.That leaves road transport as the most viable means of commuting to matches. However, at the best of times traffic flow between Johannesburg and Pretoria is slow and congested. On a bad day, where accidents, breakdowns or weather impact on traffic, one could make a substantial dent in Tolstoy's War and Peace during the commute. SWC organizers are likely to promote the use of dedicated coaches for spectators coming from Johannesburg, but many local fans who experienced the at times completely disorganized arrangements put in place for the Confederations Cup will probably opt to use private vehicles. In that case, the best advice may be to leave early and to anticipate that the primary arterial routes between Johannesburg and Pretoria – the N1 highway on the western side and the R21 on the eastern side – will be congested. Pre-plan alternative routes and have them loaded into a GPS in case.

As in any other city in South Africa, personal safety in and around Pretoria is dependent on maintaining situational awareness (put simply, be vigilant and aware of what is happening around you) and compliance with basic safety tips which have been set out in previous feature articles on this site. Among the key requirements are: avoid areas that appear to be deserted or are blatantly dubious; avoid the appearance of being a tourist (complete with expensive accessories); do not carry large amounts of cash; do not venture outside of a determined safety zone on one's own at night; and do not accept assistance with transport from persons that you do not personally know and trust.

Hatfield, less than 2km east of Loftus stadium, is likely to be the epicenter of pre- and post-match festivities. We expect that visible policing at these times will be high, as much to ensure crowd control as to protect fans from the criminal element that has been known to prey on late-night party-goers in the area. Pretoria's metropolitan police units have already intimated that they will be adopting a zero tolerance approach to behaviour that is unruly, disruptive or unsafe.

Travelers staying in hotels or guest houses in the Pretoria city center should note that the Central Business District (CBD) can be dangerous at night, particularly if one is walking on one's own. The area around the Union Buildings/Sheraton Hotel is also somewhat inhospitable after business hours and appropriate caution should be exercised if moving around in this vicinity.

Finally, the suburbs of Pretoria are currently experiencing high rates of armed robbery, housebreaking and vehicle hijacking. Unfortunately the threat of criminal activity is likely to persist into SWC. Visitors who are contemplating renting private accommodation in any of Pretoria's suburbs are advised to inquire as to the extent and quality of security arrangements at the venue prior to confirming the reservation.

All in all, there is a quiet confidence on the part of authorities tasked with ensuring that Pretoria's contribution to SWC is a positive one, and barring the traffic issue mentioned above and the ever-present threat of crime, this confidence seems to be justified.