Vuvuzelas are here to stay

"Vuvuzelas are here to stay and will never be banned," said Rich Mkhondo, spokesman for the World Cup organising committee as the world media rushed to town with a story about a likely ban on the plastic trumpet that is equally loved and loathed by football fans.

"Vuvuzelas are a cultural phenomenon for our country and for our football," said Mkhondo yesterday.
Some media were quick to go to town with a story about a likely ban on the vuvuzela after the BBC website ran a report yesterday.

"South Africa's World Cup organising chief Danny Jordaan may ban vuvuzelas from inside stadiums after complaints from broadcasters and supporters. The constant sound of the high-pitched horn-like instrument has so far drowned out much of the atmosphere-generating singing usually associated with games," said the BBC report.

But Mkhondo stressed that Jordaan had never said the vuvuzelas would be banned due to noise.

"To clarify, he said, 'If vuvuzelas were to be used to attack and injure other people or thrown into the field to disrupt matches, we would look at preventing people from bringing them into the stadium'. All in all, vuvuzelas are here to stay," said Mkhondo.

"They will never be banned. We just ask that people use them wisely and keep quiet when asked to do so during the singing of national anthems and the delivery of speeches."

Loew karlo baat!
Germany coach Joachim Loew's pre-game claims that Australia would not come out and play rang true.u00a0 His rival Pim Verbeek did exactly what Loew said.

"Australia can be expected to offer anything but a great spectacle. We want to be able to embarrass opponents with our playing skills," Low had said. How true! A dazzling 4-0 win in Durban has all but squashed the Socceroos' spirit.

Injured captain Michael Ballack's absence was barely felt as Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger pulled the strings from midfield, even as his teammates gave the Australians an object lesson in treasuring possession.

There is a good balance in Low's squad which is shorn of real superstars but boasts a rich array of top club professionals from Europe.Their attacking instinct is razor-sharp and, on this evidence, they should rank among the favourites in South Africa.

THIS is the first winter World Cup since Argentina 1978, the year when a long-haired Mario Kempes dazzled the world as the hosts triumphed.

The city of Durban, on South Africa's sun coast, however provides a welcome respite from the biting cold on the high veld. Hosting its first game on Sunday, the city of hot curries won the hearts of spectators, several of whom had flown down from chilly Johannesburg, where the late evening kick-offs are not really pleasant for football enjoyment in the midst of winter.

Durban prides itself as "the warmest place to be in 2010". There was a buzz all day as Australian and German fans basked in the beautiful weather, drank beers, wandered around the sun-speckled city, then headed to the dazzling Moses Mabhida Stadium. This futuristic stadium offers fans an exciting cable car ride over the top of the ground. Of course, not during the World Cup!