Stewards at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town left their posts ahead of this evening’s game between Italy and Paraguay.
The walk out has prompted fears over the security for England’s match on Friday against Algeria where more than 15,000 fans are expected to attend from the UK.
The South African Police Service has taken over responsibility for security services, which includes screening those entering the ground for offensive weapons and other banned objects.
The move follows a demonstration by staff at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban last night which ended in armed police firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.
The dispute is among stewards hired by security firm, Stallion Security Consortium Pty (Ltd), who have complained they have not been paid the wages they were originally promised.
In Durban more than 300 staff staged a sit in at the ground following the match between Germany and Australia.
The workers claimed they had been promised £130 per shift but when they had received their wage packets some had earned as little as £17.
Riot police moved in after the protesters refused to disperse and at least one woman was injured after being hit by a rubber bullet.
The World Cup Organising Committee have confirmed that the South African Police Service have now taken over security at both the stadiums in Durban and Cape Town.
Officers manned the turnstiles at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town ahead of the match between Italy and Paraguay and officials insisted security was not compromised.
The organising committee CEO Danny Jordaan said: “This is an employer, employee wage dispute. Although we have respect for worker’s rights, we find it unacceptable for them to disrupt match day proceedings and will not hesitate to take action in such instances.”
Thousands of extra security guards and police have been employed in order to clamp down on criminals targeting World Cup fans and also to ensure there are no outbreaks of violence between rival sets of supporters.
More than 10,000 England fans who attended the team’s opening game against the USA in Rustenburg on Saturday were praised for their good behaviour by the South African police.
No arrests were made and there were no reports of any supporters being targeted by criminals.
But with more supporters expected to attend Friday’s match against Algeria, concern is mounting that the security operation will not be at full strength.
Following a labour dispute involving soccer match stewards, South African police have taken over security duties for World Cup games in Cape Town and .  Security personnel staged a sit-down protest in the Durban stadium on Sunday, and walked off the job before yesterday's match in Cape Town.

The security workers are in a contract dispute with their employer, Stallion Security Consortium Pty (Ltd).  Workers claim they were promised as much as seven times as much pay for a shift than what they are currently receiving.  

Following the 2010 FIFA World Cup match between Germany and Australia on Sunday, workers staged a sit-in on the grounds of the Durban stadium and were attacked by police with tear gas and rubber bullets.  



The 2010 organizing committee claims they are working on resolving this dispute.
  
Some South African unions have threatened to severely disrupt the country during the World Cup if labour demands are not met.  South Africa currently has one of the largest  disparities in the world.