SA asks for National Intelligence Agency`s assistance

Johannesburg: The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) has asked for the

assistance of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to ensure the safety of its squad during the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. The chef de mission of the South African team, Patience Shikwambana, told the Afrikaans daily Beeld that Sascoc is waiting for a report from NIA. "We are waiting for a report from NIA, in which it will make certain recommendations. Our team will also be accompanied to India by four security officials who have been appointed by the NIA," she said. Shikwambana said the South African team would depart for India on Sunday amid concerns that their living quarters would not be ready on time following the reports that only 18 out of 34 apartment blocks for participants have been completed till now. Shikwambana, after visiting the proposed residential quarters for the South Africans a fortnight ago, had said, "It is definitely not safe for athletes at the moment. There are electric cables hanging and the water pressure on the first two floors is also a big problem. "As the construction work is still continuing, anything could happen." Shikwambana also said she would ask the organisers to move the South African team to other quarters if the facilities were not ready by the time they arrive on Monday. "Fortunately, we are not taking a large team as we usually do, so, we can all stay in one apartment block." PTI