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Polity
Article by: Idasa, an African Democracy Institute Published: 03 Jun 2010
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| Our chance to set aside problems and tell the world our story with honesty | |
| The World Cup will not be a panacea for this country's ills. It will not ‘solve' inequality nor will it bring an end to poverty. The World Cup will not leave a legacy of unbounded economic growth, not in these times of recession. It will also not change the structural impediments to shared wealth which we so desperately need and the billions spent on the World Cup will in all likelihood not be recouped and could well have been used to build houses and generally improve social services. In addition, the country has probably been promised too much by FIFA. So, in that regard the doomsayers are correct but whatever the misgivings amongst some about South Africa winning the bid, the reality is with us- and it is undeniably exciting! For a month and 64 games, South Africa will play host to the world. Whether there are 200 000 visitors or half a million or whether people from across the globe watch in their living rooms, it is a chance to tell our story and ignite the world's interest in our complex, beautiful and resilient country. We have one chance to get this right. One suspects that early challenges will be both transport and security, this country's Achilles heel. It is silly for the President to instruct us to ‘be good' for a month but what one suspects he means is that we bring out our best ‘table manners' and be gracious hosts. It also means though that we all have a responsibility to convey the South African story with honesty. Attempts by cities across the country to remove homeless people or to ‘cover up' poverty are ill-advised and naïve. Part of being honest about South Africa is to understand that airbrushing our story will not work. Poverty and inequality are just as much a part of our history and present story as the new infrastructure and ‘world class' airports are. It is this duality which creates a complexity with which we all grapple on a daily basis. The World Cup cannot wish that away. Equally we cannot wish away some of the worst elements of our political leadership for a month. But, what we can show the world during this month is that we are so much more than the stories of desperation which makes the headlines so easily. We are far more than our President and the crime which leads the news all too often. We can unequivocally show the world that while this World Cup will not be run with German precision (give our, at times, ambivalent relationship with rules and order), people who make the trip South may be happily surprised. They may be happily surprised by our stadia which have been completed on time and by the many volunteers who will assist at airports and fan-parks around the country. They may also be happily surprised by our people, largely generous, hospitable, opinionated and expressive. In obscure parts of Soweto for instance, residents have been lining their streets with flags simply to get into the spirit of the World Cup, even though they may have been denied entry to games either as a result of exorbitant ticket prices or the FIFA/Match ticketing bungle. Soweto of course also played host to the Super 14 rugby final in Orlando stadium this past weekend. As a reader from Johannesburg's suburbs wrote, he simply had a ‘lekker' day. Typically, internet chat-rooms were filled with negativity about the event and criticism of the media for the hype about ‘whites going to Soweto' and criticism of the almost 'all white' crowd. Can these serious humbugs take a break from their pessimistic over-analysing in their attempts to speak on behalf of the people of Soweto who seemed happy enough for the business which came the way of Vilakazi street these past weekends. Two rugby matches and one world cup will not build a nation, the serious humbugs are right, but it must be said that those images sent around the world from Orlando stadium were powerful and in some small way, myths about ‘the other' will have been slain over this weekend. And what is so wrong about that? So, perhaps for this month we can put aside our negativity and show the world that even though this is a complex place to live and be and though we have not yet come to grips with our shared identity, we love nothing better than a good game. Increasingly we are blowing our vuvuzelas and donning our sweaters (inexplicably made in China) and covering our wing mirrors with flags (hoping they will not be nicked). We want to get this right and stage the most exciting, welcoming, spirited World Cup ever. Let the games begin and let us start writing our own script- it's time! Written by: Judith February, head of PIMS at Idasa This article first appeared in the Cape Times, Wednesday, 2nd June 2010 |
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