Danny Jordaan, the head of South Africa's 2010 World Cup organizing committee defended the safety record in a country whose officials statistics cite 50 murders a day. "Any team you mention who has been to South Africa, they will tell you they were safe," Jordaan said Monday. "We have had 141 major sports events and we have not failed any of them in terms of safety." Jordaan said South Africa had recruited more than 140,000 extra police, with 100,000 more in reserve, for next year's World Cup.

"Societal crime isn't my responsibility and no event in the world can accept such responsibility," Jordaan said. "It happens in socially deprived areas. Security for the event is my responsibility and we have not failed anyone since the start in 1994 - 15 years without a major incident. I think South Africa's safety record is second to none."

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