‘Residents up in arms over Aussie invasion’, read the headline in yesterday’s Sunday Times.
Apparently the good people of Durban (well at least one of them, maybe two) are concerned that an invasion of sorts is on the cards.
Apparently an enterprising bunch have talked a school in an ‘upmarket’ suburb of Durban (Northlands Primary School) to let them use their sports fields as a camp site for the duration of the Word Cup, guess who’s there on 13th June? Australia v Germany.
“We want to stop our suburb being overrun and possibly destroyed,” said resident Shirley Williams. “I do not want to have 3 000 drunk Aussies in my face for two months.”
It appears that the Mrs Williams has some pre-conceived ideas about the football supporting Australian. The local town councillor described the possible users of the facility as “low-income, heavy-drinking football hooligans”.
The guys responsible for the furore have plans for similar sites in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Here in the UK we call them NIMBYs.
Not In My Back Yard.
I thought it was the English football supporters who were greatly to be feared, Soutie.
Half the bars in London would have to close if the Aussie bar staff left. If the SA bar staff left as well, drinking would cease to exist in the capital! They are both a much needed resource.
Nothing to do with this blog I know, I just thought I would throw it in. 🙂
We have been through all this before here in the UK, why it was only last year when I blogged saying how unfair it was that all these South Africans were coming here nicking all our Australians jobs!
Looks a lovely option to me, camping instead of expensive hotel fees.
They will have to think up many more ways of accommodating the fans when they descend on NZ for the Rugby World Cup.
Can’t say I blame the woman!
Every time you get these sporting events, there are riots, extra traffic, ghastly people emoting on TV, every channel seemingly, then to have your own patch beset by them is too much!
Why can’t they devote an island to it away from everyone else?
Put all the sport there and bloody well keep it there, they can kill each other and do the rest of the world a favour!
Currently endless money is wasted building facilites that are not wanted etc etc when the money could be put to far better uses.
Time for land mines and loading for bear and call a decent fencing company, a high voltage one.
Australia vs Germany, eh? If I owned land adjoining Northlands Primary School I would be very nervous – not because of drunken Aussies, but because of the instinctive desire for lebensraum on the part of the opposition. Lock up your sunbeds too, particularly at night lest large German towels appear on them in the morning.
OZ
After 25 years with the Colours, I know all about camping. You have to do it in nachur, right? Very nice, except that everything else in nature is trying to suck your blood, or bite you or sting you just because they can and you’re available, or else they just slime you … give me a 4 star hotel, a civilised and tamed swimming pool and a nice young man or lady who will bring me something cold and alcoholic if I ask them politely.
Camping: Going somewhere to do exactly the same things you do at home at greta and frustrating personal inconvenience.
Caravanning: See camping plus driving every road user who’s not towing a shack on wheels to distraction.
Buggrit! ‘great’
Ha ha 🙂
Did you notice the timing of the post?
Made pretty sure that our ‘ozzie mates’ were all tucked up in bed!
We have England playing here on 23 June, I look forward to it. I am disappointed that our rugby rivals (Oz and NZ) weren’t drawn here for a match, would have been good fun.
Our small town has been a host city for the ’95 Rugby World Cup, the 2003 cricket world cup, plenty of cricket and rugby tours (last years Lions)
I think that Mrs. Williams should perhaps rather plan an extended holiday during June/July!
CO, what an excellent idea. Buy an island and put all international football matches on it for ever. St Helena or somewhere equally remote would be ideal. No boutiques for the WAGS, no nightclubs for the players, and no booze for the fans.
I’m afraid football is the only sport I would exile. I’m enjoying the views of Canada and the Winter Olympics and it would be boring to have only one F1 circuit.
Talking about the Winter Olympics, I see that the Irish Luge Team have refused to compete until the course is gritted.
tocino—-Gold Star!
This is not only rude but a damned insult to all Australians, how dare they offer Australians accommodation next to a school. What’s wrong with letting them camp inside a Pub’s toilets. Surely this would be better since it’s closer to the beer.
Soutie, “The guys responsible for the furore have plans for similar sites in Cape Town and Johannesburg.” Rather them than me. The idea of camping in Cape Town in July is not something that I would readily contemplate. Howling winds and cold rain do not make for a happy experience. This is not called the Cape of Storms for nothing.
Ha ha Indy, indeed, your suggestion would probably make most ‘feel at home!’ 🙂
Sipu, I lived in Cape Town for 2 years I agree it can get miserable. I also lived up in Jhb for a lot longer, the cold at that time of the year is literally bone chilling. More than once my water pipes froze.
Even during the day, beautiful clear skies but the wind chill!