Should Vuvu Zelas Be Banned?

Vuvuzelas have been in the limelight since the Confederations Cup came to South Africa in 2009. They are noisy (130 decibels), played before, during and after games, and cheap enough for everyone to own. And with the World Cup in full swing, people are blowing them louder than ever. But it seems that football fans seem to be divided into two camps when it comes to vuvuzelas.

1. Those who feel the noise they make is ruining the experience for spectators. The BBC received an alarming 545 complaints about the tournament coverage, saying the commentary is almost inaudible. Since then steps have been taken by the BBC to minimize the vuvuzela noise levels.

2. Those who just wish they had an extra mouth, so they could blast more than one at a time. People on this side of the line argue that the vuvuzela is synonymous with football in South Africa. As long as the World Cup is here, spectators will have to put up with them or put the T.V. on mute.

The hype around vuvuzelas has become almost as big as the matches themselves. There are websites, youtube videos, blogs and even games games dedicated to praising or hating their existence.

To give you an idea of what the general feeling is here in South Africa, we decided to conduct a survey. Fans, local and international, spotted around the CBD in Cape Town were asked the question on everyone's lips: Should the Vuvuzela be banned from games at this year's World Cup?

Even in Cape Town, arguably the most festive part of the world right now, there are haters of the vuvuzela. 30% of the soccer fans we approached were very stern about their views - get rid of them! That said, the 70% majority were happy to let the vuvuzelas play on. FIFA announced on Monday that they would not be banned from the cup, so it looks like earplug sales should be looking up over the next month.