World Cup Fan Parks: An Inside View

By Nosipho Twala

This is a report of three fans parks I visited in the last two weeks. I went to the parks  for all three Bafana Bafana games as well as when other clubs were playing. The fan parks visited are Soul Tsotesi, Orange Farm and Cape Town Grand Parade, The report is based on interviews from the public, discussions at the fan park and my own observations as a researcher and volunteer at the park. 

I targeted these games as it was speculated that trafficking would be very high during these games as the whole nation would be glued to the screens and traffickers would have an opportunity to lure young girls and women.

It was very hard for service providers and volunteers to trust me, as they went to numerous workshops before the world cup, which taught them not to answer any questions from strangers as they were caring FIFA’s Mandate. All groups had designated individuals who could speak to researchers and to the media. It took two days of explaining before they could trust me. All volunteers and officials requested not to be named in the report out of fear of intimidation and threat of not getting the job in future.

Different Fan Parks

Not all fan parks look the same. The Soul Tsotestsi fan park was well resourced as compared to Orange Farm because it is a sport Center. The park has four big gates which were all used for entrance and exit. Security was very tight at the gate. Police officials search all people entering for weapons. No drinks were allowed into the park. People had to buy drinks in the park here was also enough space around the fan Park for parking. There are three big tents that can be used for shelter in case it rains. There were enough toilets as well as hired easy loo to cater for a big crow. 

There was a very high presence of police officers, Community Police Forum Volunteers and traffic cops in and around the park. The park also had one big tent that was shared by Health and Social development and Emergency Medical Services. There were also enough chairs and grass for people to sit. This park attracted about 3000 people for big games. There was a lot of promotional material and freebees in the park.

Orange Fan Park was not adequately resourced. The park only one small camp tent that was used by Health and Social department, Emergency Medical Services, City Power and Human Development. There are also experienced a lot of load shading and power failure due to overloading. It helped to have officials from City Power as they could log a call and power was restored quickly. The park also had numerous entrances and exits. There was also a high police, community police forum volunteers and traffic cops presence in and outside the parks gates. Parking was not enough. Officials had to park their cars in the clinic close to the park. 

 There were only six toilets. These were not enough as the queues were always long. However the toilets were very clean and well maintained. The park had few chairs and many rocks that could be used as chairs. The park did not have a shelter which could be in case it rained. The park attracted 6000 people for big games. I also noticed that most people preferred to stand and those who wanted to sit brought their own camp chairs. None of the viewers complained about standing.

Cape Town was spectacular. It had two big screens and more seating areas than the other two parks. There was a tight security at the gates. Food and beverages were not allowed into the park. You also had a tent where you could tag your children in case they get lost. There were many toilets and they were cleaned and disinfected after every use. There are lots and lots of promotional material and people could also win match tickets.

All media and local radio station have slots everyday and adverts that make the public aware of human trafficking. Parents are also alerted to monitor their children at all times. Children and women are encouraged to walk in groups when they go to the shop and not to trust anyone who promises them a green pastures anywhere in the world.

In an interview with two young women, who work as casuals at the Emerald Hotel. "I worry about my child because she goes to the daycare until 17h00. My younger sister fetches her from the day care center every day. My younger sister loves hanging out with her friends. They are attracted to the fan park because it has just been renovated. This park now has swings and many games, which is a new thing to Orange Farm. I heard from my neighbour that, she stops at the park to play, every day after fetching my daughter from the daycare. I worry all the time about their safety but I cannot be always here to monitor her as I now work extended hours because of the World Cup”.

Children and Danger

I see the play grounds in the fan park as exposing children to danger. Children play the games without any adult supervision. They can get hurt or hurt others. Pedophiles can listen to children playing, hear their names and pretend to know them. South Africa has planned for everything but failed to plan programmes that could keep children safe during the whole month that they will spend at home. Not all parents could take leave or pay a child minder. Older siblings cannot be expected to look after young siblings all the time. Special activities should have been planned for children linked to the world cup.

Children playing unattended in a fan park in Orange Farm, while parents are glued to the screen

Children in township fan parks should have been tagged. The tag would have the child name and parents contact details and name. Few children got lost in the well resourced fan Parks. In Orange Farm about five children got lost but were found by the police and handed to the social workers in the stadium. Tags could have made tracing children much easier. Childcare workers should have also been asked to volunteer their services.

Weapons, Food, Alcohol

In Orange Farm police were only searching people for weapons. All beverages and food was allowed in the fan park irrespective of the fact that there were people who were selling food. So people could come in and picnic and enjoy the soccer.

Generally speaking all people were excited about the world cup. The fan park is always full to capacity for big games. On the 16th June 2010 the National team was playing and it was also a youth day celebration. It was very cold and freezing in Johannesburg but people came in their numbers to come and watch the game. Most people were in Bafana Bafana full gear. The sounds of Vuvuzelas electrified the park. The crowed was chanting revolutionary songs before the game in memory and salute of the youth of 1976. Some came with their blankets but were determined to support the national team on this special and historic day.

Most young women said they have heard a lot about June 16 from their parents, as most of them were born post 94. There were a lot of young women in Orange Farm than in many of the fan Parks. One of the social workers confirmed that the majority of the population in Orange Farm is youth.

What Does Youth Day Mean To You?

• Nokwanda Mja – youth day marks the beginning of freedom of expression and claiming our rights in the public space.
• Kedibone Mokoena -  means freedom and youth power. We have a challenge as the youth of today to leave up to the standard.
• Lebo Mosala -  I feel grateful, humbled by the price the youth has paid for us to enjoy this freedom.
• Mzwakhe Nkambako - Means working together and struggling together for a better South Africa. We must try to move away from the individualism that looks glamorous.
• Bontle - It means rights, awareness and choices including choosing to terminate a pregnancy.

Police

Police said they feel motivated and are working hard because they know that all world cup cases would be resolved and decided by the courts almost immediately. “It is gratifying to us to have this accelerated process as it will restore our dignity and earn us respect from the community”. The justice system has made us look bad in the community”.

If special courts could be set, specifically for the world cup. What is stopping us from setting sexual offenses courts that would ensure that cases are investigated and resolved in reasonable time? The courts have overtime officials who must preside over all world cup related cases. One of the target offenses is Human Trafficking.

Police officials also receive a food voucher and they would be paid R700 a day for working during the world cup.

Young Women 

All young women interviewed were excited about being in the fan clubs. They love the fan park because it allows them the opportunity to watch a live game,” like the privileged fewer who can afford to watch a live game in the stadium”. They described the fan park as:

“I come to the fan club as it is closer to my home and get a chance to socialize”.(Mmogo)

 “Its hot and sizzling and you get a chance of enjoying the game with fellow South Africans” (Puleng)

“The park is so Ayoba! I can hang out with my friends, blow my Vuvuzela, bring my children and go wild” (Innocent)

“I can share a drink with friends; feel the excitement with other because it is hear” (Thobeka)

The fan Park did not only attract young women who could not afford to buy a ticket. I also interviewed a group of five young women who came with their own cars to the park. This is what they had to say about the fan Park:

“I came here because I knew that it would be exciting, I love the freedom and the spirit of the people hear. I know that it might not be safe to park my car hear but the excitement is more important than the risk”

“I came here because I can hook up with my friends, family and share the experience of the first world cup in Africa. What I feel here would be very different from what I can feel in the stadium”

“I ran away from my colleagues at work, we were watching the match while drinking wine, courtesy of the company. This was too formal and boring. It was as if were listening to a sermon. I’m here to dance, scream and shout if there is a need. I came here because I can be myself in this crowd. At work I have to be someone else, shoo!! That is exhausting”

“We were very lucky to host this event; this also allowed us to be patriotic. I never had a flag before, now I have more than one. I have it in my car, house, and desk and in my purse. For the first time in my life, tears run down my face when I sing the national anthem. This is the best place to celebrate and embrace what we have achieved as a country.  I knew it will feel  good to celebrate with your fellow countryman”

“I’m here to break the rules and have fun. I’m here to jol and scream at the top of my voice. How liberating? Haaaaaaa”.

“Well, I’m here because I want to experience the world cup euphoria in unison with others” 

“ I see this as an excellent opportunity of walking my baby in the park together with friends”.

Community Policing

I interviewed four community policing forum volunteers who are assisting police with security. This group is not CPF (community policing forum), they have been specifically recruited to help in the fan park. Most of the volunteers are women with few men who are youth. A majority of the women are above 35 with few young women who are below 25 years.

They start working from 12h30every day untill 24h00 because all volunteers must remain in the fan park two hours after the final game. No transport is provided for this group because they reside in the in the area. They are paid a flat rate. Three of the young women were telling me how unsafe it is going back home because people are usually drunk after the game. Their biggest fear is people they might have reprimanded in the fan park. Everyone entering the fan park is searched because knives, scissors and any sharp objects are not allowed. Even Vuvuzela’s are checked as they must comply with FIFA standards. Most people in the communities have designed their own vuvuzela’s which are in most cases not compliant to FIFA standards. On the 16th June a man who had a horn vuvuzela was denied entry because a horn is sharp. All vuvuzela’s have to be made out of plastic.

Trying to get how much this group is paid was difficult. They were warned by officials not to speak to the media and anyone asking them the questions I was asking. They only started speaking to me on the 3rd day because they were seeing me in the park every day. They however did not want to be named. Their supervisor told me that they were told not to disclose this confidential information due to the security strike that was going on. If they do, they will not be considered for any work in the future.

As a safety precaution they walk home as a group. They all have whistles, which each person blow if he/she is in danger. The person blowing the first whistle will be indicating to the group that she is in danger. The whole group will blow to alert the community that someone is in danger. The group members will then phone each other to check if they are all safe and well. There whistle blow is sometimes a false alarm as some children steal it and blow it in the street for no reason. But the group attends to every blow as an emergency.

Volunteers

There other volunteers in the fan parks are EMS (emergency medical services) who provides medical assistance. This group of volunteers gets a stipend and transport is provided for them. They are paid per hour. They work a twelve hour shift. They also leave at twelve midnight after the last game. Due to high police visibility and volunteer securities there have been minimal to no people requiring medical attention. This group was given food vouchers and would be paid for overtime.

The third group of volunteers was officials from the Department of health and social development. This group comprises of social workers, social auxiliary workers and admin staff. They have two shifts; they start work two hours before each game and leave two hours after each game. They assist with children who will get lost and all persons requiring placement. Their main focus is human trafficking. They work closely with the police and everyone suspecting that a particular person is in danger. This group will be paid only for overtime as some of the work happens during working hours. None of them knew how much they will be paid. They were told that they will all be paid a flat rate. The department agreed to pay them after they threatened that they will not work if they are not paid. Police are highly cooperative and very helpful.

This group decided to continue working even though they do not know how much they would be paid because of the fear of women and children trafficking. Large sporting events are known to increase levels of sex trafficking of women and girls and, from research conducted, it is believed that this year's World Cup will have similar results. There is also a rumor that this group might not be paid as the request for overtime has not been signed by the HOD.

In Orange Farm after every popular game the team finds about five lost children who are then reunited with their family. No child is handed to a stranger. Anyone coming to the designated area to claim a child must describe the child, tell what the child was wearing, when the child disappeared. The team then deliverers the child to a parent at home who must submit proof that he/she is the parent of the child. 

The difficult placements are children not staying in the area who are visiting because its school holidays. The team have handled children from Mpumalanga and Limpopo who are visiting relatives.

In the park there are pictures of people suspected of being traffickers and the public is warned. When children are united with their families, the family is educated about trafficking and child abuse. This education was also done in all schools and churches before the world cup

How Kids Get Lost

• Most children are drawn to the fan park by the sound of the Vuvuzelas , big screen or the excitement of the crowed.
• Some follow their sisters or brothers and struggle to find them in the park.
• Some come with neighbours who forget them when they go home.
• Some come with their friends and struggle to find their way back home.