World Cup Reaction – A Nation United

The 2010 World Cup has kicked off with little trouble, much fanfare, and many touching moments adding to the South African feeling of interracial togetherness and determination to pull-off a world-class event, giving renewed meaning to the Zulu phrase ‘simunye’ – ‘we are one’.

"It was crowded. It was ear-drummingly achingly loud. But it was MAGIC. Standing shoulder to shoulder with black people, listening to their chants and their songs, their remonstrations with the players and the refs, their knowledge of the game and their total involvement really, really took the vibe to the next level. The interaction and the good humour and camaraderie was what this World Cup is about. And the FLAGS. Everywhere, boosting the landscape in our national colours. And when we scored our first GOAL!!! Against Mexico!! It was a heart stopping moment in time and the roar that went up said to the world and to each other – we are all South Africans.”

This was the description of the opening match of the World Cup, between South Africa (Bafana Bafana) and Mexico, by Johannesburg resident Jill Lieberman in an email to her friend who has left South Africa. Just like many South African expats, this email was forwarded around the world to countries such as the US, Canada, Israel, and the UK, and even those expats thousands of kilometres away felt proud to be South African-born and raised.

As of writing this article, the first weekend of the 2010 World Cup seems to have gone off with little trouble, much fanfare, and many touching moments. The Star, Johannesburg’s daily broadsheet, reported how neighbours encapsulated the true spirit of community by unexpectedly surprising each other with homebaked cakes topped with green and yellow candles and miniature chocolate soccer balls.

In other news, visually impaired South African fans can, for the first time, attend live football matches instead of having to stay at home and listen to the radio – they are assigned special headphones through which commentators provide blow-by-blow descriptions of every detail, including the height and weight of players, as well as speed and direction of play.

As Lieberman describes, the World Cup opening ceremony was a spectacle of colour, design and rhythm; and the only thing marring the festive atmosphere was the news that former President Nelson Mandela would not attend the match in person, following the fatal car crash involving his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani. But those who had come to the stadium to rekindle memories of ‘Madiba magic’ – the term used to describe Mandela’s enchanting presence at the 1995 Rugby World Cup – were only disappointed until South Africa’s scored its first goal - the first goal of the tournament – which was met with resounding cheers and vuvuzela blowing.
 
Bafana goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune, complained that the vuvuzelas were not blown loud enough at that moment, however, certain international players have also complained that the noise is too distracting on the field – sparking rumours that the guttural-sounding instrument may be banned. In an interview with the Cape Times published on June 14, Rich Mkhondo - spokesperson for the Local Organising Committee - clarified that vuvuzelas would never be banned for their noise factor, only if they were used to actively disrupt a match (for example, by being thrown onto the pitch) or used in a violent manner.

South Africa’s crime and violence statistics have been a major talking point in the build up to the World Cup. Certain people may be surprised to note how peacefully South Africa seems to have pulled off the mega-event so far, but many South Africans are not so surprised. In an open letter to foreign media published on South Africa: The Good News, sports journalist Peter Davies reminds international reporters covering the 2010 Football World Cup that South Africa has hosted the most global sporting events in the last 15 years. In addition, countless fans streaming in for these events, including the Rugby and Cricket World Cups, have experienced ‘negligible crime incidents’, if any at all.

Reports from the grounds state that fans have more to fear watching the games in countries where football hooliganism is rife, than at a South African stadium where the sense of interracial togetherness and determination to pull-off a world-class event is giving renewed meaning to the Zulu phrase ‘simunye’ – ‘we are one’.