World Cup watchSecurity staff at England's next match walk out over wages
Security staff at the stadium where England is due to play Algeria on Friday have walked out in a row over wages; the South African security company, contracted to provide stadium security, hired security staff and promised to pay them £130 per shift; when the employees received their first wage packets, they found they had been paid as little as £17 per shift; 300 staged a sit-in at the Durban stadium, and South African riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them
Stewards at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town left their posts ahead of Monday evening’s game between Italy and Paraguay. The walk out has prompted fears over the security for England’s match on Friday against Algeria, which more than 15,000 fans from the United Kingdom are expected to attend.
The Telegraph’s Martin Evans writes that the South African Police Service has taken over responsibility for security services, which includes screening those entering the ground for offensive weapons and other banned objects.
The move follows a demonstration by staff at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban Sunday night which ended in armed police firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.
The dispute is among stewards hired by security firm, Stallion Security Consortium Pty (Ltd), who have complained they have not been paid the wages they were originally promised.
In Durban more than 300 staff staged a sit in at the ground following the match between Germany and Australia. The workers claimed they had been promised £130 per shift but when they had received their wage packets some had earned as little as £17.
Riot police moved in after the protesters refused to disperse and at least one woman was injured after being hit by a rubber bullet.
The World Cup Organizing Committee has confirmed that the South African Police Service has now taken over security at both the stadiums in Durban and Cape Town.
Officers manned the turnstiles at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town ahead of the match between Italy and Paraguay and officials insisted security was not compromised.
The organizing committee CEO Danny Jordaan said: “This is an employer, employee wage dispute. Although we have respect for worker’s rights, we find it unacceptable for them to disrupt match day proceedings and will not hesitate to take action in such instances.”
Thousands of extra security guards and police have been employed in order to clamp down on criminals targeting World Cup fans and also to ensure there are no outbreaks of violence between rival sets of supporters.
More than 10,000 England fans who attended the team’s opening game against the United States in Rustenburg on Saturday were praised for their good behavior by the South African police.
With more British supporters expected to attend Friday’s match against Algeria, concern is mounting that the security operation will not be at full strength.
