ANC chairperson and former deputy president Baleka Mbete has played down South Africa's crime problem and described speculated threats of xenophobic attacks after the world cup as baseless.
She told a group of international and local journalists at an ANC lunch in Joburg on Thursday that media reports about crime in South Africa were exaggerated.
The meeting, where the ANC urged support for the Ghana's Black Stars in their match against Uruguay tonight in Joburg, was also attended by Ghanaian football and diplomatic officials.
"I can't think negative media reports are based on fact," she said.
Mbete also denied that media reports about post-World Cup xenophobic violence - a threat, she said, that had been picked up by South Africa's security agencies a few months ago - had any grounds.
Her denials came as Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa again warned that xenophobic violence against foreigners would not be tolerated.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has also expressed concern about the rumours.
However, Mbete praised local media for their positive reportage of the World Cup.
"We don't think South African journalists have been biased (in favour of the national team, Bafana Bafana), but on average the reporting has been very balanced," she said.
Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi, who is accompanying the Black Stars during the World Cup, had much praise for South Africa's world-class facilities.
Comparing the country to the rest of Africa, he said: "You don't find potholes in South Africa", obviously unaware of the potholes campaign mounted by the opposition DA and members of the public before the World Cup.
The Ghanaians thanked South Africans for their overwhelming - and unexpected - support.
Fearing the Black Stars would be left with no-one to cheer for them, the Ghanaian government chartered planes to bring 1 000 supporters to South Africa. These, however, were promptly returned to their offices in Ghana when the government realised South Africans were coming out in droves to support the team, a Ghanaian diplomat says.
