The Transport Department on Tuesday said it had been purposely secretive regarding airport security ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The department's director for Civil Aviation, Anwar Abdul Gani, addressed delegates at an International Aviation Conference in Cape Town on Tuesday.

He warned the public should not misinterpret government's silence to mean that the country was ill-prepared for the soccer showcase.

Gani added it was normal protocol in any country to hold back on making public pronouncements about security planning and its measures, and that the information was restricted as to whom had to be informed ahead of the time.