Stores run out of ‘vuvu-stopper’ earplugs

CAPE TOWN – The vuvuzela trumpet might be synonymous with South African fans, but not everyone can stand the din and Cape Town shops report they are running out of ‘vuvu-stopper’ earplugs.

Vuvuzelas can record noise levels of up to 130 decibels, compared to the 100 produced by a chainsaw, and it seems many people need some peace.
‘I could have sold 300 pairs of earplugs yesterday if I’d had the stock, and the same today, but I’ve only got 200 pairs and that’s just about finished,’ one local shopkeeper told the Weekend Argus newspaper.
‘We can’t keep up,’ said the owner, who has ordered 1 000 more.
The earplugs, marketed as the ‘Vuvu-Stop’, have a label on the back of the packet which reads: ‘Highly effective noise reduction. Uses include soccer, rugby, or for couch potatoes to block out your wife’s moaning.’
They claim to have a noise-reduction rating of 31 decibels. The vuvuzelas are also making a big noise outside of South Africa with German municipal authorities banning them from the giant-screen venues where fans gather to watch the live broadcasts.
German television producers have also expressed concern that the din could drown out the commentaries of their reporters covering the games and even cause health problems for viewers.
‘You are getting on our nerves!’ headlined Bild newspaper on Saturday.
There was little sympathy for sufferers though from World Cup organisers who insisted that the vuvuzelas were a potent symbol of the tournament, the first time the World Cup has been held on African soil.
‘Everybody loves vuvuzelas. People like vuvuzuelas. They are the symbol of the tournament. We have received no complaints about the vuvuzuelas,’ said Rich Mkhondo, spokesman for the local organising committee.
Fifa spokesman Nicolas Maingot said that they had asked fans to respect the ceremonies, speeches and anthems before the game and that there had been no problem with that. – Nampa AFP