SA World cup records first death


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A South African man who spent a greater part of early Thursday in a World Cup ticket sale queue died from a suspected heart attack in Cape Town.

Media reports say the unidentified man was in a queue with scores of soccer fans when he collapsed and died before paramedics arrived at the scene.

This week the world soccer governing body FIFA agreed to allow over-the-counter sale instead of the cumbersome online application.

Tickets went on sale at 9am at eleven centers countywide.

Television footage from news channels show people sleeping on pavements with some holding coffee mugs to warm themselves.

Reports say several fanatical fans started gathering from as early as close of business Wednesday to take advantage of the first-come first-served rule.

This is the first time fans can buy tickets over the counter in cash — the preferred method of purchasing for South African football fans, many of who are low income earners.

Fans only need to bring their national identification card and a credit card or cash when applying at the Ticketing Centres.

A maximum of 10 tickets per person per match can be purchased at this stage.

“I have no access to the internet so I felt cheated by FIFA. With over
the counter sale, I had to spend half the night in the queue, who will
want to miss the world cup” Mthabisi Nxumalo is quoted saying.

Various media reports quote people saying they had to take a day off
from work but some had to claim sick days as their bosses had denied
them official absence.

Some soccer fanatics said the long queues are a reminder of the country’s first ever democratic elections in 1994, which was won by Nelson Mandela in a landslide victory.

2010 World Cup  South Africa's preparation to host the games on African soil for the first time but also individual African countries' determination to take part in the historic event. Five African countries - Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa and Ghana - are selected to join twenty seven teams from around the world to battle it out on the football pitch for the gold trophy. One by one, the African teams are eliminated, but Africans will not be bogged down as they rally behind their compatriots on the wings of the vuvuzela, a far cry from the near diplomatic row between Algeria and Egypt during the qualifiers. Ghana are the last team to leave but not before African unity becomes reality...
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