National News
Giant CT Cup vuvuzela muted
2010-06-20 19:25
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Cape Town - Authorities in World Cup host city Cape Town have put a sock into plans to honk a 37-metre-long vuvuzela over fears its sound could trigger traffic chaos, a report said on Sunday.
The monster instrument, located on an unfinished flyover close to the city's Waterfront shopping area, is said to be the world's biggest trumpet and would have to be powered by the horn of a giant truck.
But the Sunday Times reported that officials fear the deafening racket could cause mayhem on the roads below.
"It's extremely loud," said Francois Marais, marketing manager for Hyundai South Africa, makers of the giant vuvuzela, who said his firm was in talks with council chiefs in the hope they may allow it later in the tournament.
"Hopefully, we are going to come to a compromise where we can blow it at special occasions, the final, the semi-finals and perhaps the quarter-finals," added Marais.
Even standard-sized vuvuzelas, which measure less than a metre, are said to generate more decibels than a drum or a chainsaw.
Cape Town's stadium is one of the show-piece arenas for the World Cup and is due to stage one of the semi-finals next month.