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Cape Town - Vuvuzelas are entitled to a fair hearing, but not in court, a magistrate in one of Cape Town's special World Cup courts decided on Wednesday.
The bleating of the plastic horns in the street outside proved a little too intrusive for regional magistrate Deon Oosthuysen.
He was presiding over an appearance by soccer fan Norman Khanyile, 36, charged with making a bomb threat on Tuesday night at the Fan Fest on the city's Grand Parade.
As prosecutor Karin Barnard explained that Khanyile had secured the services of an advocate who would be in court on Friday, her words were repeatedly drowned out by blasts from vuvuzelas.
The court is only two blocks from the Fan Fest.
Oosthuysen asked the court orderlies to shut the windows to keep out the drone of the vuvuzelas.
"They have a rightful place, but not in court," he said.
He agreed with Barnard that Khanyile, a shop manager who lives in the Cape Town suburb of Goodwood, could be released on warning, and postponed the case to July 9.
Police said earlier that Khanyile - who they did not name - had refused to be searched by security personnel at the Buitekant Street entrance to the Fan Fest.
"The suspect mentioned to the security guard that he has a bomb in his possession," the police said in a statement.
"The allegation made was investigated and proved to be not true."
