Day two and despite all optimism, I think my disappointment has been maxed. I have never had to wait for transport for more than four hours while having five people on the job just trying to sort the matter out. This, after I supposedly knocked off my shift. two hours later because of yet another delay thanks to inefficiency
South Africans, forget disappointment, you shocked me in a place where I thought I had become a numb and cynical enough to cancel out any possibility of surprise. Dudes, today was a low day for all those involved. And, that's not even the height of the incident.
There are obvious problems brewing in CT's volunteer centre, not to mention those bad vibes between the volunteer and media centre.
Media volunteers started orienting with our duties on June 1. Since then there have been big and small hiccups which largely everyone has been most patient and mum about, but today marked a turning point.
In the chaos that dictates how volunteers get paid and nourished to complete their duties and extol humble efforts, these five days have seen the change of this method about three times, with the decision changing on the day as well.
Now, most people volunteered not expecting anything. Surprisingly, and thankfully, we were all notified of a little stipend of R100 to be paid to each person for the daily costs. Additionally, during training we were told about a meal that would have been provided to each volunteer on the day of work. This changed when we returned to duty on June 1 to a meal stipend to be paid to us before the start of each day.
Low and behold the powers that be ordered for this to be changed back early yesterday morning due to a pending strike by volunteers in Johannesburg who realised that they were being taxed on the meal allowance of R120 leaving us with just R90 to replenish. Do bear in mind that this replenishment, due to its happening during one's shift period, requires volunteers to then purchase items on the stadia premises. That means that each volunteer would have to spend up to R30 for a Hot Dog and R15 for cold drinks and stand in a queue just to be able to boost up and finish of a shift.
Of course the uproar then, but yesterday's attempt to revert to a voucher system was no better. Thanks to much too little foresight on the part of the powers that be, the poor titi who got the catering contract this morning landed a big disaster. For however much she was getting paid she had up until 3pm to arrange hundreds of meal packs and get them to the stadium and through security. Dude, it was impossible before it was even imagined... And that's where the chaos began.
Lunch arrived at about 5pm when the first shift of workers had long left the stadium. If they didn't leave, they were still around, hungry and livid.
The second shift of volunteers start at 2pm though. Well, of course this was overlooked too. While dinner was being prepared as well, most second shift volunteers opted to have a lunch pack as well as dinner which was to arrive at 7pm only, one hour after the second shift ends. Dinner did arrive, still another hour later, and by this time it was nightfall outside and pissing rain.
Shuttles had to be arranged for various volunteers, and media was to be one of the main users. Expecting a delay in the food delivery a shuttle was arranged for 8.30pm. At 9pm my colleagues and myself become a little bit more than perturbed that the driver who was to be at the entrance of our media department was just not there. We called the volunteer centre and were told that they would follow it up and call us back.
At 9.30pm when we still had not heard word we called the media centre back again. This time there was no answer on the phone so we called the cell of one employee up there.
With us on hold for more than 10 minutes she attempted to sort out the problem while obviously forgetting that we were online at all. We hung up and called back only to be told that our driver was on his way.
This time we called our manager. Luckily he was outside. The driver arrived almost half an hour later with a car full of people and no space for us.
Now soaking wet after waiting in the rain, our manager arranged that we get collected at a more central venue. This time we only had to wait 15 minutes but, low and behold, our driver arrived with no accreditation and no visible identity to verify that we were in safe hands.
We called the transport support once again and after yet another fifteen minutes of trying to explain the problem to the transport manager, this problem was sorted out. All settled into a car and ready to head off, Murphy recognised his passengers and struck again. This time the battery of the driver's car was dead and we could not move.
It took another half an hour to forty-five minutes for this to get sorted out and another shuttle to arrive.
Soaked, and tired and absolutely shocked by the ridiculousness of the situation we get another call from the transport manager. This time he tries to explain again what he think should happen. Keeping me on the phone for yet another fifteen minutes this guy explains everything from the volunteer to the transport to the media centre and his problems. Why, why, why I do not know, even after I explained to him again that I am a mere volunteer.
*Sigh* I hate to even say it, but this wasn't even frustrating, it was simply so disgusting how stupid and ridiculous this grown mans behaviour was.
Nonetheless, I hope this is sorted out before we really are to depend on such facilities.
Talking about which, here is some info about the media centre and activities...
The media department at Greenpoint/Cape Town Stadium is said to be the most well organised and one of the best in the country for this major event.
I started my first proper shift of work as a Media Volunteer a day ago when the Stadium Media Centre opened.
The media centre is essentially a large white tent with many little partitions, a very noisy yet closely monitored air-conditioning system, plenty of rows of long white desks with plug points, internet connections and telephone lines... And therein lies the lifeblood of us journalists - a ceaseless source through which to get our fixes and feed our incessant vampiric thirst of all things happening at every fleeting second...
Well, not quite. Studying the little love letters on left each table for our news making friends, you will note a discreet little line denying all media from video streaming and video uploads.
Blue man big shot, Thabo tells me this is because video streaming (including skype video chat) is actually illegal in South Africa. Hmmm... I've heard that before too, but really, one needs to wonder who fell asleep in the last century file and got stuck there. Still, moving on, here's just a little something else to ponder. Is it just me or aren't you just a little bit concerned about the fact that everywhere else in the world media, and people in general are used to working over live streaming feeds instead of actually being at the heart of the action.
My experiences working internationally are testament to this, but of course, we will have to wait to see how this plays out with the generally irate and already frustrated media. OUCH!!!
Before I let go of the men in blue, let me just tell you a little bit more about that sneaky love note that these dudes prepared. Scroll down and somewhere between a free email address and passwords you will find the not-so-free international and cell-phone charges that the dudes will be sizing out it's money bags with. You know, I really want to meet the dude who'll be fattening up thanks to these two neatly inserted lines.
Of course, I may just be delusional about the lengths we should go to to satisfy news makers, but indeed, I would be most irate should I have to contend with such a deal.
Moving on though, there are three other areas aside from pitch side which will become the home of media volunteers and the rest of the media in this time. They include the commentator box - except this is a very, very odd thing for a box. Called the Media Tribune, this make-shift (and I'm not joking, it rests on scaffolding) supposed box is actually a huge steep incline which will seat up to about 800 journos during the semi-finals.
So good is the omnifocal view even the quality of that mat green carpet of a pitch that's been raved about about Cape Town stadium is crystal clear from up there.
I, however, worry that I may becoming despicably excited during a match and fall down the stairs taking every other volunteer with me. Very likely if you know me so watch this space ;)
