South African based Manchester City fan, Mariner sent us the following.
Countdown to 2010 #14
In the continuing power struggle over control of the South African Football Association the CEO has resigned with only about six months to go to the World Cup. He was a supporter of the failed candidate for MD Irving Khoza and the remainder of the board had been plotting his demise for some time.
Although announced as a resignation I consider this unlikely. Would you resign with the ultimate high point of your career only months away?
The shoot out in Cabinda Province was horrendous and has created some worries here in South Africa regarding safety, but the situation there is very different to here. In Cabinda there is an ongoing armed rebellion that wishes to see oil rich Cabinda (contributes about 80% of Angola’s revenue) self governing and separate. The Province itself is separated from Angola proper by a narrow strip of the Congo, where the Congo River meets the Atlantic – and why on earth the Togo lese team chose to travel by bus when apparently warned not to defies logic. The fact that the attack apparently took place in the presence of armed Angolan Army troops suggests that the rebels have a certain amount of contempt for the Army.
Anyway, no such situation prevails here in SA and the chances of domestic armed strife are low to zero. Crime however is another matter but it is certain that there will be a huge show of force by the Police in attempting to sweep crime off the streets – if only for the duration of the tournament.
There has been a suggestion that prostitution be legalised, again for the duration only, but with HIV rates standing at something like 40%, this would be akin to playing Russian roulette with all chambers loaded.
Another distressing thing about the soccer scene here is the amazing number of people who support either United or Liverpool – you see their shirts and stickers everywhere especially in and around Durban, with numerous letters to the papers extolling either teams virtues. Hopefully, with the continued improvement of the team that started life in West Gorton we may increase our fan base here.
Regards to all from a hot and sunny South Africa.
Marnier