Sharjah24 – AFP: "Welcome back," speakers blasted from the entrance of South Africa's main sports stadium in Soweto as excited football fans, vaccination cards in hand, arrived for the first time in 18 months.
"Please make sure you sanitise your hands," the metallic voice reminded the 2,000 spectators lucky enough to get their hands on the first tickets sold since coronavirus hit.
The match, a World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Ethiopia, sold out in two hours.
South Africa eased coronavirus restrictions this month, allowing fans back into stadiums.
Stadiums opened just days after the rollout of electronic Covid-19 vaccine certificates, although most people still only had paper proof.
The country, grappling with vaccine hesitancy, particularly among men, hopes the requirement will spur more people to get jabbed.
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