South African police prepare for Mandela ceremony
Johhanesburg: Workers busily constructed a stage on Monday at the Soweto soccer stadium where world leaders will eulogize Nelson Mandela before tens of thousands of mourners, as police promised tight security.Nearly 100 heads of state
It took about three minutes before a security officer asked journalists to leave the stadium's field.
However, reporters could freely roam throughout the stadium, walk the aisles and see the ongoing stage construction.
Officials from the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg also toured the venue Monday, but declined to speak to journalists.
Meanwhile, a private security firm called Sidas Security still was hiring guards for Tuesday's event on Monday, using a small car as an office.
Sidas manager George Mathabe said the company will have 1,500 guards on duty Tuesday.
“I'm doing this from the bottom of my heart, just to thank Tata,” Mathabe said, using the Xhosa word for father as an endearment name for Mandela. “My son is coming tomorrow as a visitor too. He's going to live in a free country. He's going to be able to do whatever he likes thanks to Tata.”
Roads several square kilometers (miles) around the stadium will be closed Tuesday, and people will have to walk or take public transport to the stadium.
Nearby stadiums equipped with viewing screens also will be open to accommodate overflow crowds.
Government Minister Collins Chabane told journalists Monday that officials “can't guess” how many people will attend or will try to enter the stadium.
“Once we see that the numbers are becoming unmanageable ... access will be denied,” Chabane said.