South Africa's authorities have condemned a London-based company which wants to sell stab-vests to visiting football fans during the World Cup. The national police says the company was causing "unnecessary fear". South Africa's football boss Kirsten Nematandani has assured visitors that all safety measures were in place.
South Africa has one of the world's highest rates of violent crimes but the authorities say they will tighten security for the tournament. Protektorvest, the company which is currently selling the vest online, says there is a "high demand" for protective clothing and claim the stab-vests which cost close to $70 are the "#1 personal protection for the World Cup 2010".
Fans can add personal touches to their vest, such a their national flag, or slogans like "Free hugs" or "Ole". Protektorvest owner Sascha Cutura denied that the company was saying South Africa was unsafe. "We fulfill a need from security-conscious people," Cutura said. The company eventually hopes to open a retail location near South Africa's OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg for the duration of the World Cup.
Nematandani chastized the company's owners and called for them to be "condemned by their own country's officials". Other critics of the company say tourists wearing stab-vests at football matches or on sight-seeing trips may attract more attention to themselves - potentially increasing their chances of being attacked. But in response, Cutura pointed out that the vests could also be worn underneath clothes to avoid attracting too much attention.
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