South Africa whipped itself into a World Cup frenzy yesterday as tens of thousands of fans cheered the national side through Johannesburg and the holders Italy flew in to defend their crown.
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South African fans whip up World Cup frenzy
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South Africa whipped itself into a World Cup frenzy yesterday as tens of thousands of fans cheered the national side through Johannesburg and the holders Italy flew in to defend their crown.
Some wore clown wigs in national colours, and others had makarapas ufffd hard hats carved and painted into the shape of footballers and flags.
Schoolchildren were dismissed at midday for a special month-long World Cup holiday, bringing many youngsters onto the sidewalk with their parents for the festivities.
"It means a lot to us," Bafana Bafana midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala told reporters. "We just have to get out there and down onto the field and make the nation and ourselves proud."
The noise from the vuvuzelas, set to become one of the main talking points of the tournament, drowned out all conversation ufffd including attempts by television journalists to deliver reports to their studio. Thousands also poured into the streets of Cape Town to answer a call on the radio to blow their vuvuzelas at lunchtime. "It was a national call to have a vuvuzela moment," said Zanele Ntuli.
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