Germans will stay put at ´unsafe´ World Cup base

Team manager Oliver Bierhoff said Saturday the Germany team will continue to use their planned World Cup base in South Africa’s Pretoria despite reported concerns over the building’s safety.

“We are not concerned, we have visited the hotel several times,” Bierhoff told German daily Bild.

“According to our information, there are no security problems.”

South African newspaper The Times reported Friday there are safety fears at the hotel complex because plans for renovation work at the four-star The Velmore Hotel, near Pretoria, were not approved by the relevant authority.

The hotel has reportedly invested 80 million rand (10.8 million US dollars) to meet the standard required by world football’s governing body FIFA.

The Times said that local police, the national intelligence agency and the defence force have urged the German Football Federation (DFB) to switch to another hotel.

But the DFB say they have heard nothing, apart from the report, and there are no plans to change hotels. Joachim Loew’s squad are due to arrive in the Republic on June 7, four days before the tournament starts on June 11.

“We expect the outstanding points to be cleared up as soon as possible and that the German team will use the hotel as planned,” said DFB spokesman Harald Stenger.

Stenger added the DFB are discussing the issue with the South African World Cup organisers and the hotel’s management, who insist the relevant certificate will be issued shortly.

Germany have drawn Australia, Serbia and Ghana in Group D.