JOHANNESBURG (AP) — More than just a worldwide party, the World Cup can be a tempting distraction for many workers in the host country.
In South Africa, many employers have been rather lenient, allowing their workers to watch and attend football matches in the first World Cup to be staged in Africa.
"Where possible, employers tried, especially when the South African team was still playing, to allow workers to leave earlier if they could," said Gert van Deventer, a spokesman for the Federated Employers Organization of South Africa. "Some employers even said that they set up television screens and would arrange that employees should come together on one afternoon and make something of it."
The World Cup opened on June 11 at Soccer City in Johannesburg and games have been played daily since. Wednesday will be the first of six non-game days until the final on July 11, also to be played at Soccer City.
Although hosting the World Cup does not mean that local employees are entitled to time off, South Africa’s biggest trade union federation, COSATU, has been hoping that employers understand that staff want to watch football matches.
"We have appealed to employers to be reasonable and I think they probably have," COSATU spokesman Patrick Craven said, adding that even if production levels were to decrease, it would be worth it to host the World Cup.
"It would not concern us too much as we know this is such a big national event, we have been encouraging people to attend matches," Craven said. "We believe any marginal effect on the production is completely outweighed by the enormous positive effect that this event has had on the country as a whole."
The local organizing committee, however, wanted to stay away from the subject altogether.
"It’s the employer’s right to determine whether or not employees are allowed to take sick leave," local organizing committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo said. "It is not a concern for us. We do not get involved."
Even though South Africa was eliminated after the first round, some employers are still allowing their charges to watch matches on television while they are working.
"It forms part of our work environment and we want our staff to be part of the excitement of the World Cup," said Mxolisihla Tshwayo, the manager of the "Lido Lounge" restaurant in the township of Soweto.
Big events can often lead to decreased productivity, but Litsani Ligudu, who works for Statistics South Africa, said that it is still too early to tell.
Some local fans may be able to provide an idea of what the numbers could soon show, however.
"I had to leave work earlier to make it in time for the match," said Riaan Lourens, a 29-year-old IT employee from Pretoria. "I don’t think my boss even knows about it."
Janelle van Heerden, a personal assistant at Macmillan Publishers in Johannesburg, agreed that fans had to find their own means of watching football matches.
"Staff members are slipping out to go to the fan park close to us to watch the matches," Van Heerden said. "But they come back after the match."
Whether or not fans are leaving work to watch some football, there have been few objections from employers so far.
"We have not received any specific comment from employers that things with the workers are getting out of hand," Van Deventer said Tuesday.
In the Western Cape, it appears to be the same.
"It is certainly not a major problem," said Laurien Platzky, the World Cup coordinator from the Department of the Premier in the Western Cape. "And if it were, then we would have had complaints."
