JOHANNESBURG, May 17 (Reuters) - South African police put on a show of force on Monday to reassure fans about World Cup security, but a local radio station said it had managed to smuggle weapons onto several domestic flights.
Radio 702 said its reporters had managed for three months to get knives, razor blades, screwdrivers and syringes through security at Johannesburg and other tournament host airports.
ACSA, the airports firm that is responsible for security checks, said it was looking into the allegations and would tighten its procedures. It was confident fans would be safe.
Meanwhile, police paraded through the streets of Johannesburg's smart Sandton business district with a convoy of dozens of vehicles and staged mock operations by elite security forces, including a helicopter drop of commandos onto a car hijack and abseiling down the side of a media building.
Officials said in a statement the demonstration was to "reassure millions of soccer fans that South Africa is more than ready to effectively police" the World Cup.
The parade was often more carnival than security demonstration with song and dance acts to blaring music and hundreds of office workers encouraged to wave South African flags as school children pushed a giant soccer ball. The abseiling demonstration was a little less impressive than intended with two members of the police tactical force nervously working their way down the building frontwards rather than using more conventional abseiling technique.