Andre Pruis, the deputy national commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), tells a funny story about the Fifa official who landed at Johannesburg International Airport and asked: "So, where's the tube?"
"What tube? A bicycle tube?" incredulous South Africans responded to the soccer official's "strange" question.
At any major European city, a tube, or rail transport system from the airport to the centre of town, is commonplace, but in South Africa, a "tube" at an airport would be regarded as some sort of space-age futuristic phenomenon.
Not surprising then that transport is seen as South Africa 2010 World Cup's biggest Achilles heel over the next four years.
Pruis and the SAPS, however, have an even bigger responsibility - guaranteeing the safety of the hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors who will descend on the country for the event in four years' time.
South Africa, with one horrific murder after the other, can hardly mask its status as one of the world's crime capitals.
In Germany, other than the occasional fisticuffs between English and German fans, violent crime has been virtually non-existent at the World Cup.
Still, with not a hint of hesitation, Pruis said in Berlin last week that the SAPS would be up to the security challenge in South Africa in 2010.
"The World Cup is big, but I've got no doubt from a safety point of view that we can handle it. There won't be any problems," Pruis said without flinching.
His confidence stems from South Africa's excellent security record at the major international and sporting events it has hosted previously.
"With all the big events we've held, we can teach the world a few things. The security blueprint we employed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development is now employed at all United Nations events, and South Africa is beginning to play a leading security role in the world. Commissioner Jackie Selebi is even the chief of Interpol.
"I've been on patrol in the streets with the German police and learnt a lot, but I've also pointed out a few things to them that we employ back home. They have acknowledged that these are things they could have implemented here," said Pruis.
As part of a South African observer group looking at Germany 2006 with a view to South Africa 2010, Selebi's number two has picked up - and imparted - some useful police intelligence.
"The interesting thing at the World Cup has been the role of the police and that of private security companies. At the games I was at in Nuremberg, Cologne and Munich, the outer perimeter of the stadium is the police's responsibility. But inside the stadium it is the security companies that check the tickets, search fans and do bodychecks. About 160 to 170 security officials are employed at a game, on the pitch and inside the stadium.
"The England games, however, are high risk and the police are more visible inside and outside the stadium than they would be for other games," said Pruis.
While there's always the chance of conflict when large numbers of England's drunken Barmy Army converge, Pruis found them reasonably good-natured.
"The guys drink a bit too much and there is always the chance of conflict. I've probably seen the most drunkards in my life at one place here, but most of the guys are just having fun.
"The cops have been low key and haven't stopped the fans from partying and enjoying themselves. But when there have been punch-ups, police have been on the scene quickly and handled it well," said Pruis.
Interestingly, English "bobbies on the beat" have been working with the German police at the World Cup.
"The reason is that England fans know them, and when they see them, they are more calm. They feel at home seeing familiar faces, and when England fans walk past, they greet the police by name and the police do the same," Pruis said.
Also, the English police have good information about hooligans in Britain, which they can pass on to the Germans.
"We would definitely consider having the bobbies in South Africa in 2010 and even go broader than that and use police from other countries as well."
Pruis said the SAPS had already budgeted for state-of-the-art mobile command vehicles and helicopters which would transmit video footage to police commanders on the ground, enabling them to monitor the huge crowds expected here.