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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
Over the past couple of years, 14 different government departments have been conducting joint operations in different host cities around the country. A grand plan is coming together to secure the routes, accommodation, and tourist attractions. David Garnett, the Senior Operational Planner for the 2010 World Cup, is responsible for co-ordinating security operations for the tournament. With his team facing its biggest challenge so-far, securing administrators, players and fans during the Confederations Cup, Project 2010 asked him...  In addition to the Confederations Cup, we have the British Lions tour taking place. How significant are these events for your 2010 security preparations? They are very important. It has given us the opportunity to implement a number of operations on the ground. And are your preparations on track? We are very satisfied in terms of our preparations. At the end of the day, we have thousands of dedicated members who are working day and night to produce the goods and to address all the challenges we face. Do we have sufficient equip and manpower? Again, we are on track. The police have procured new equipment. In terms of personnel, 41 000 additional policemen will be deployed. What do you see as the biggest security threat facing SA for 2010? It is difficult to quantify. We have an intelligence co-ordinating committee which constantly analyses all the challenges. So there is no specific threat that stands out. What about terrorism? Is there a danger of South Africa being used as a platform for a terror attack on a visiting country? No, not at all. Given our profile, I would be very surprised if this were to happen. more interviews... |
