The man behind the controversial Vuvuzela is now manufacturing earplugs for fans who cannot stand the constant drone.
By Martin Evans, Cape Town
The man behind the Vuvuzela, Neil van Schalkwyk, with his creations.
Neil van Schalkwyk, who was the first person to mass produce the plastic horns for use at football matches, hit upon the idea after lots of fans complained the noise was ruining their enjoyment of the tournament.
Vuvuzelas can produce a din in excess of 140 decibels, equivalent to a jet taking off, and there has been concern that it could lead to permanent hearing damage.
But Mr Schalkwyk’s firm Masincedane Sport has now developed a way of cashing in on the growing row.
The company is selling hearing protection called Vuvuzela Unplugged which block out the annoying blast of the horns. He explained: “We have adapted the Vuvuzela to make it a little quieter but there are still those who don’t like the noise so we wanted to offer them some form of protection. “The earplugs will block out the noise and will also prevent the wearer suffering hearing damage.” Vuvuzela horns have become the abiding sound of the 2010 World Cup with thousands of supporters inside and outside the ground blowing them during games.
But not everyone appreciates the noise and even some players have complained that it leaves them unable to communicate with one another during the match. Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal have both said the noise has distracted them whilst they are on the pitch.
The company is selling hearing protection called Vuvuzela Unplugged which block out the annoying blast of the horns. He explained: “We have adapted the Vuvuzela to make it a little quieter but there are still those who don’t like the noise so we wanted to offer them some form of protection. “The earplugs will block out the noise and will also prevent the wearer suffering hearing damage.” Vuvuzela horns have become the abiding sound of the 2010 World Cup with thousands of supporters inside and outside the ground blowing them during games.
But not everyone appreciates the noise and even some players have complained that it leaves them unable to communicate with one another during the match. Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal have both said the noise has distracted them whilst they are on the pitch.
Mr van Schalkwyk, a former plastics factory worker began manufacturing the Vuvuzelas in 2002 after seeing fans at football matches blowing crude tin versions of the traditional horns. His business has grown steadily over the last decade but has soared since South Africa was awarded the rights to host the World Cup.
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