Police plan to beef up security at the World Cup final in Johannesburg because of the high number of prominent people attending, senior officials said Tuesday, DPA reported.
A special committee has been formed to coordinate arrangements for the July 11 final at Soccer City, said the nation's police chief, General Bheki Cele.
"This is beyond a football match because of the various personalities we're expecting. So far, we have been informed that at least 23 heads of state and 18 eminent persons, including the secretary general of the United Nations (Ban Ki-moon) will attend the final," disclosed General Cele.
General Cele also announced that the cost of extra policing following the withdrawal of private security firms at the various World Cup stadiums has yet to be compiled.
"We deployed 4,000 extra personnel, mainly student constables, after the withdrawal of the security. There is of course a cost that goes with this. It is not 100 million rand as the media has reported, but whatever the cost, we will share it with the local organising committee," he said.
South Africa has deployed 44,000 policemen for Africa's first-ever World Cup.
Football's governing body FIFA expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements so far.
"We are happy with the things so far," FIFA spokesman Wolfgang Eichler told a press conference in Johannesburg, when asked about security.