World Cup dress rehearsal gets off to trumpeting start (News Feature)

By Clare Byrne Jun 14, 2009, 14:53 GMT

Johannesburg - The dress rehearsal for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa kicked off in Johannesburg Sunday, with the deafening roar of thousands of plastic trumpets capping a colourful Africa- themed opening ceremony.

The African village provided the inspiration for the 30-minute spectacle of song and dance that prefaced the opening game in the eight-nations Group A Confederations Cup between South Africa and Iraq in Johannesburg's Ellis Park stadium.

Dancers clad in traditional wrap skirts, saris, or billowing gowns with veils or turbans representing various cultures on the continent twirled around a thatched hut as a group of schoolchildren dribbled a ball between two goals made of tree branches.

Despite the game being nearly sold out, the 61,000-seat stadium was only about one-third full for the ceremony as the coaches ferrying the fans to the game after a planned new bus system was put on ice wound their way slowly through clogged city streets.

The show, which culminated with the schoolkids taking brushes and painting themselves in the colours of the South African flag, was designed by South African producer Lebo M and Jack Morton, producer of the opening ceremony at the Beijing and Athens Olympics.

Renowned jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela and local pop star Yvonne Chaka Chaka headlined the performing artists.

The dancers rendition of the 2010 World Cup 'diski' (as soccer is known in South African townships) dance - a macarena-style dance composed of a series of football moves - drew wild cheers from the sea of mostly South African supporters clad in yellow and green.

A small islet of Iraq supporters trooping their country's red, white and black flag tried in vain, to drown out the vuvuzelas - deafening plastic trumpets blown by South African soccer fans - with a tabla.

Opening the game, President Jacob Zuma, wearing a black-and-gold tunic called the event 'a great day for Africa, for South Africa.'

Former president Nelson Mandela, 90, told Zuma he would be watching the game from the comfort of his home, Zuma told Bafana Bafana on the eve of the match.

Hours before the opening fans from all over South Africa converged on the stadium.

Wearing a makarapa, the Viking-style decorated miners hats worn by soccer fans, Machaka Masilo made his way to the venue on foot from his nearby home with two friends.

Masilo, 29, who wore a yellow Bafana jersey and whose makarapa featured a miniature pop-up Bafana player, said he was a die-hard Kaizer Chiefs who had come to support the national team.

The Confederations Cup, held every four years in the World Cup host nation a year before the big event, is seen as a yardstick of country's preparedness.

Besides South Africa and Iraq, Spain, Italy, Brazil, the United States, Egypt and New Zealand are participating in the so-called Championship of Champions.

With South Africa's high crime rates continuing to cause concern thousands of police and private security guards have been deployed around the four host cities in the tournament - Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rustenburg and Bloemfontein - to beef up security.

A group of around 40 security guards stood in protest outside the stadium before the game. The guards were demanding their daily pay of 200 rands (24.80 dollars) be doubled for the Confederations Cup.

But their numbers were too few to pose a threat to the event's security.

In a by now familiar mantra, the president of football's controlling body FIFA Joseph Blatter, who pushed for the World Cup to be brought to Africa, assured: 'We are convinced, that's why we are committed, FIFA, is committed to Africa.'