By Tony Wright
It is just five days until the Fifa World Cup kicks off in South Africa.
Fresh security concerns have been raised after 15 people were injured outside a friendly match in Johannesburg.
It is also feared street protests in some townships could escalate during the tournament, as impoverished residents vent their discontent.
Just as the All Whites were arriving in Johannesburg for their World Cup campaign, across town a stampede of people rushing for tickets will be making tournament organisers very nervous.
Thousands of people had gathered outside the Makhulong Stadium in hopes of receiving a free ticket to the friendly between North Korea and Nigeria.
But when stadium gates opened a mad-rush ensued. Fifteen people were injured, including a policeman who was seriously hurt.
Fifa were quick to absolve themselves of blame, pointing out that they had nothing to do with ticketing or security, and that the stadium was not hosting any actual World Cup games.
Throughout the Republic, general discontent among the poor is threatening to boil over and taint the tournament.
There have been several protests this week in townships surrounding World Cup stadia.
In Dieplsloot, just 50 kilometres from "Soccer City”, residents are protesting against their squalid living conditions with no electricity or clean water.
“We are very much embarrassed because we have got foreigners coming from overseas. They find us here, we are suffering. We don't have toilets, we have potholes,” says Diepsloot resident Evens Motale.
In the big cities such as Cape Town, thousands of homeless people have already descended in search of work during the tournament, and many will be openly begging from cashed-up football fans on the street.
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