World Cup hooligans to face South African special courts

Football hooligans looking to cause trouble at this upcoming World Cup will face a new penalty – South Africa’s Justice Minister has set up 54 special courts to hand out red cards of their own.

Deputy Minister Andries Nel told South African government news service BuaNews that the courts have been set up by the Department of Justice to deal with whatever criminal elements may bring to Africa’s first World Cup.

“The Courts are ready. The slogan goes ‘Feel it. It is here’and the department is certainly feeling it,” the minister warned.

“Any hooligan or criminals who try their luck during the World Cup will feel something – the red card of the law.”

The special courts – 34 at district courtrooms and 20 in regional courts, are expected to open Friday and will hear cases until July 25th, a fortnight after the World Cup final.

The South African Police Service, Legal Aid South Africa and the Judiciary have all been involved in the the newly-unveiled Administration of Justice Plan whch seeks to put “extraordinary measures in place to ensure that cases involving the multitude of soccer fans and participating teams” are “fast tracked,” the department stated.