Euphoric World Cup opening tinged with Mandela tragedy

JOHANNESBURG - South African football fans wrapped in the rainbow colours of the national flag streamed to the majestic Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg Friday for the historic opening game in the first World Cup in Africa, but the celebration was tinged with sadness following the death in a car crash of a great grand-daughter of former president Nelson Mandela.

Mandela, who had been expected to attend the game, cancelled his appearance over the tragedy.

Excitement levels in the host country, where kick-off in the opening game between South Africa and Mexico is seen as a victory over the country’s critics, are running at fever pitch.

Ticket holders began converging on the calabash-shaped Soccer City in Soweto township, 25 km from Johannesburg, several hours before the gates opened at 10 a.m. (8 a.m. GMT).

Most companies gave their workers a half-day off to attend the game or watch it at home or with others on giant screens in a fan park or public viewing area.

Traffic around the 94,000-seat venue was chaotic as shuttle buses arriving from park-and-ride points and private cars jostled to pass police checkpoints into car parks.

The buzzing sound of thousands of vuvuzelas - the plastic trumpets beloved by South African football fans - rang out across the city, ricocheting between the gold mine dump that ring the city.

“Make us proud”, the Sowetan daily urged the national side Bafana Bafana in its front-page headline.

“The world in Bafana’s (national team’s) hands,” Johannesburg’s The Star newspaper declared.

A maximum 88,000 tickets have been sold to the game, which is being attended by around 40 heads of state, including Mexican President Felipe Calderon, US Vice President Joe Biden and a slew of African leaders.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has confirmed his attendance. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes, was invited by the government but declined to be present.

The game at 4 p.m. (2 p.m. GMT) will be preceded by an African-themed 30-minute opening ceremony featuring thousands of dancers and musicians.

Mandela, 91, who campaigned vigorously for South Africa to host the World Cup, had been expected to attend part of the game, despite his advanced age.

But the Nelson Mandela Foundation said it “would be inappropriate for him to personally attend the 2010 World Cup opening celebrations” following the death of his great grand-daughter earlier Friday in a car crash while returning from the World Cup kick-off concert in Soweto.

Mandela would be there “in spirit,” the foundation said.