South Africa: Human rights concerns in South Africa during the World Cup

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MEDIA BRIEFING 4 June 2010 AI Index: AFR 53/007/2010 Human rights concerns in South Africa during the World Cup Human rights violations in the run up to the World Cup There has been an increase in police harassment of informal traders (hawkers), homeless South Africans, and refugees and migrants who are living in shelters or high density inner city accommodation. [...] Elsewhere tense confrontations have occurred between police and street traders, over seizures of street traders’ goods, in the name of cleaning up the streets for the World Cup. [...] However xenophobic attitudes also fuel the violence and appear to underlie the local police failure to respond swiftly or, in a few cases, to connive with the perpetrators of the violence. [...] Violent crime and policing The security forces have made plans to ensure the protection of football stadiums and other areas where fans and visitors are expected to gather. [...] First, that the enormous resources which have had to be deployed for the World Cup, largely as part of requirements set by FIFA, will have consequences for the safety and security of South Africans, particularly those living in poorer neighbourhoods where effective policing and crime prevention is already a serious challenge.