Johannesburg - The African National Congress (ANC) says the attack on the Togolese soccer team in Angola has no bearing on South Africa's preparedness to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu was quoted as saying in Johannesburg on Tuesday that his country was more than ready to stage the football showcase and was "confident in the work of our security forces".
Mthembu spoke to the media briefly after he and ANC national executive committee member Winnie Madikizela-Mandela visited Togolese goalkeeper, Kodjovi "Dodji" Obilale, who was recovering after Friday's attack.
Togo's national team was attacked in Cabinda, Angola, on Friday last week. The ambush on the team's bus killed an assistant coach, a team spokesman and the bus driver. Eight others were wounded.
Obilale was shot with a military assault rile and was airlifted to the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, where he underwent surgery on Saturday evening.
He was shot through the lower spine and his injuries extended to the abdominal cavity.
Mthembu said South Africa had always been ready for the spectacle and the country would not publicise its security arrangements.
He was being quizzed by a BBC reporter about the country's preparedness after the attack on Togo's soccer team. Mthembu was asked why the country's response to the attack was "defensive".
He said any notion suggesting they were being defensive was out of place, adding that he did not understand how the correlation between Angola and South Africa was made when geographically the two countries were miles apart.
Mthembu's response echoed comments by 2010 Local Organising Committee chairman Danny Jordaan.
Jordaan told a media briefing on Tuesday it was illogical to question the country's safety standards based on the attack in Angola.
A British Premier League manager reportedly said Friday's shooting threw a "question mark" over South Africa's hosting of the 32-nation tournament.
The South African government moved to dispel fears with President Jacob Zuma on Monday reiterating that what happened in Angola had no bearing on South Africa's preparedness to host a successful and safe World Cup.
