ABSTRACT
As South African cities prepared to host the continent’s first FIFA World Cup, one of the host cities, Durban, constructed plans to revitalize its city image through the media attention that accompanied the tournament. This paper explores the three-pronged strategy for the policing of event-specific public spaces during the tournament – the policing of nuisance behaviours, the restriction of protests by social movements, and the use of volunteer Welcome Ambassadors. These three endeavours significantly impacted the way in which public space in Durban was experienced during the World Cup for tourists and Durbanites alike. I argue that these public spaces give us a glimpse into the vision that city planners have for the city of Durban as an elite sports destination. The World Cup and the media coverage that it brings provides a rich opportunity for Durban to rebrand its image. Yet, the question remains as to how this will ultimately impact the future direction of city revitalization.
