This year’s Vodacom Challenge has been dubbed "the healing process"

following stadium disasters in SA and Ghana, which left scores of supporters

dead and for this reason, organisers doubled up the security manpower.

Lack of proper planning and inadequate security were attributed to the

recent soccer disasters. But football administrators seem to have learnt some

painful lessons from that experience.

Supporters started filling up from as early at 8:00. Waiting supporters were

treated to a feast of local music before the third place play-off between local

side Orlando Pirates and African champions Hearts of Oak, scheduled for 12:05.

The security, clearly visible with their orange tops, was also on guard and

the only thing, which kept them on their feet, was the football supporters. The

soccer security have in the past been accused of keeping their eyes on the ball

and not the supporters.

A total of 480 SA police and the metro police, others on horse back, have

been deployed in and around the stadium. An additional 600 security personnel

will also be keeping an eye on the proceedings.

Thirty medical personnel with medical equipment will be on stand-by to

attend to supporters in case of emergency.

Tickets were pre-sold at Ticketweb outlets countrywide and those without

tickets were advised to stay at home. By 10:00 only 4 000 tickets were left.

The 2001 Vodacom Challenge will be memorable in that it pitted SA clubs

against Ghanaian sides for the first time in the history of the two countries.

There will be a big television screen at the training grounds outside the

stadium for supporters who might not make it into Absa

Park.