By Dave Harris
An ancient Chinese proverb states that “even the gods cannot help those who do not seize opportunities”.
The 2010 Fifa World Cup has ushered in a window of opportunity for all South Africans to seize with both hands! To put our best foot forward towards healing the old wounds of our tragic past. To reach out across the racial divide. To show our gratitude to the world for this gift of hosting the World Cup which cements our inclusion into the world of nations and has enormous potential to create buoyant economic conditions here in SA amidst a sea of recession that tightens its grip across the rest of the world.
It’s a chance to recapture that Madiba spirit which constantly threatens to dissipate like the morning mist over Table Mountain as we come to grips with the damage wreaked by apartheid on our social fabric. Another chance, in spite of our strained history, to warm up to each other like that balmy breeze over the Indian Ocean. A golden opportunity to establish SA as a world-class tourist destination to tourists who would otherwise not view South Africa as a holiday destination or to business investors who may not be aware of the upward mobility of a burgeoning middle class previously shut out of our economic system.
In the past few decades most held their breath and from afar cautiously observed SA as a Petri dish of human experimentation coming to grips with their false belief system of racial superiority. This caution turned to amazement through our ability to transcend past injustices, non-violently, through the power of forgiveness. Much of this was made possible by Madiba’s vision, which embodied the nobility of our human species.
However, recent developments in the media surrounding the World Cup revealed the divisive antics and harsh tones reminiscent of the old apartheid days of media manipulation, which leaves one truly perplexed of the role of our media in an emerging democracy like ours. A recent spate of media reports, all within the span of a single week, simply served to further whip up fear and hysteria surrounding the biggest international sporting event in the history of Africa! At the risk of seeing the wheels fall off, even Fifa had to step in to implement stricter controls to keep renegade journalists on a short leash in an attempt to quash the hysteria which had the potential to spread like a veldfire. The most stunning aspect of this fiasco is that most of these journalists and media organisations are South African! International journalists seem to be much more responsible in using freedom of speech responsibly compared to our own journalists who see nothing wrong in screaming “FIRE!” in a crowded theatre or berating Fifa’s judicious media controls as too draconian.
Where does this macabre form of premature schadenfreude — revelling in the misfortunes of others — come from? What makes Mandela and the majority of black South Africans embrace the Rugby World Cup as portrayed in the movie Invictus while on the other hand many white South Africans spurn the 2010 World Cup and some even go as far as jinx this once-in-a-lifetime event with their outlandish negativity?
During apartheid, all media was strictly monitored and controlled in ways that would make the Chinese government blush. In order to lengthen the shelf-life of that poison called apartheid, the seed of fear had to be implanted into the limbic system of the white populace. Today we see some in the media employing similar dirty tricks, craftily engineered to instil a sense of fear in potential tourists. Sensationalised stories — like the “stab-proof vests” by an imaginary UK-based company — bordered on internet hoaxes and made headlines.
Another recent example of this hype designed to spread fear is the “controversy” surrounding the vuvuzela, a uniquely South African creation. Suddenly the vuvuzela is now depicted as an “instrument of war” and “scientific” studies, subsequently refuted by established scientific organisations, claim that the vuvuzela damages one’s hearing irreparably. Unscrupulous entrepreneurs, akin to pond scum, are capitalising on this using fear-based marketing to peddle costly ear-plug devices that promise to prevent “irreversible ear damage”. Firstly, what’s wrong with simple, disposable ear-plugs bought for a few cents and secondly why don’t these con-artists market these costly ear-plug devices at rock concerts — notorious for their ultra-fat speakers which cause tinnitus.
Yet another damper was the surge in air tickets and accommodation prices. Sometimes free enterprise needs to be reined in for the greater good of our society, for example, this is why ticket scalping is outlawed at venues in most countries and the watchful eye of consumer organisations serve to keep order in a free enterprise system that could so quickly go awry with unscrupulous businesses that seem to be rife in our nascent democracy.
We all know that rampant violent crime is a festering problem and has been for the last decade under the misguided leadership of the autocratic Mbeki regime. It’s also understandable that some in our society want to leverage the World Cup to get the government to take firmer action against crime but one wonders why crime has become this gargantuan, sensationalised issue during this World Cup and not other international sporting events like rugby or cricket also hosted in SA in the past decade. Also, in spite of Herculean efforts in completing the facilities and transportation systems in time, some bloggers continue to predict doom and gloom for the World Cup and come up with even more creative ways to abuse our free speech by spreading misinformation and fear about our World Cup — a once-in-a-lifetime event. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Football is perhaps the most international of all sports, with a thread that binds our world in the spirit of our common humanity and love of the game. Fortunately, these positive forces dwarf the ill-will that lurks in the hearts of some our very own citizens. As Gandhi wisely reminded us to “be the change” — it’s up to each one of us to make it happen.
Just like parents who lovingly support their kids’ sporting activities, so to, should our own citizens support the event by making some positive contribution:
I’m sure there are many better suggestions out there, so don’t be shy folks!
As South Africans, haven’t we learned enough from the tragic lessons of this win-lose mindset of the architects of apartheid? So let’s try playing a WIN-WIN game for a change!
Imagine the benefits of the exposure SA obtains as sports lovers all over the world direct their attention to the games for an entire month. Giving tourists a close-up glimpse of the striking beauty of the African countryside, its majestic wildlife and warm, gracious people is a marketing dream for most country’s tourist boards and we should capitalise on this serendipity.
So regardless of how the World Cup turns out for our team Bafana Bafana, the one sure thing is that this is a turning point in our history where we are finally offered a seat at the table of the world of nations — a truly remarkable achievement for a young country still finding its feet after centuries of darkness. Remember, in the long run, a successful World Cup guarantees that everyone wins in some way and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most South Africans, will either be missed by short-sightedness or seized on by people with the foresight to create positive change in our broader community and the world around us. At last, a chance for us to show the world what that famous “southern hospitality” is all about!
Hooray, can I hold your hand. What a unrealistic, ass-licking article. I’ll start getting excited about sport when I’m done coming to terms with the flagrant abuse being meted out on our currently disadvantaged nation. I don’t know what to do about it, but it sure as hell occupies more of my time then soccer.
huh? did you just cut and paste from all your snivelling comments over the last few months on the various news sites.
you seem to know little about whats happening in the real world, absolutely nothing about china, but most scary you seem to think this WC is like the magic spray on the sports field – one spray and the pain is gone?
slightly deluded there harris
Usual crap. Who the hell are you trying to impress? Why can’t you take this world cup story and run positively with it. In nearly every paragraph you refer to apartheid and it’s evils. It’s been covered, and covered, and fgknuci covered, especially by you with every response you write in these forums. Get over yourself and move forward for goodness sake.
Amazing! I think you will do well in the mainstream fantasy field. Keep believing those sentiments and, who knows, perhaps the lion will lie down with the springbok and Tom Jones will come back and sing “It’s not unusual…”
A word of caution though, race relationships are not helped by constantly referring to colour or doing salaams in front of those of different colour. It irritates most people. Why not just take a friend to a game, that is if you are one of the favored few that made it past the rejection process and are able to buy a ticket and earn the requisite gravy to afford to. I’d suggest forking out on a bullet proof vest as well.
You know, if you don’t think about colour so constantly you eventually forget what colour your friends are and can then concentrate on their other features like creative thinking ability or sense of humour. The only skills, in my opinion, that allows one to survive the current South Africa with one’s concience intact.
@dave harris, Nice to know that you are behind the WC. Pleased to see you did noit priase the ANC directly.
However the chickens have not yet come home to roost. Realisation that the ANC’s grand plan for party glorification will burden the people after the games have ended will not make for a happy country. Sofar the real cost have been cleverly swept under the carpet in the name of national unity.
Money spent on the glorification of black rule has resulted in the lack of basic services and in violent protest. Had the billions not been spent on making the ANC look good we would have had a far happier nation.
I am with Dave on this one. Lets enjoy the cup for what it is, the stadiums did get built, my neighborhood is beginning to look better. (close to Ellis Park) We have to learn to live with each other. Tolerance is a two way street.
How did TL come to give this eggplant a platform.
Mr Harris, to use your words, the world cup will “dissipate like the morning mist over Table Mountain”. Then the hangover will set in while you are still drinking in the parking lot.
You typically want to revel in the party, with typically no regard to the cost of this world cup event. This country may seem to have unlimited funds, but if that were the case, should we not first be spending on housing, health, education, job creation and social services for the downtrodden and rural poor.
Your thinking is noble, but your reality is warped.
Go Bafana, go.
Remove all the sugary adjectives from the blog and there ef all of substance left.
The only point I agreed with was the reference to the “autocratic” Mbeki regime!
Mr. Harris, glad to see you’ve stepped up to the plate. Nice one. The world cup is going to be awesome. It can’t be anything else. Yup, there will some crime and this and that but overall it will be success. A few vocal haters won’t be able to change that.
This is so poetic it should be set to music:
“In the past few decades most held their breath and from afar cautiously observed SA as a Petri dish of human experimentation coming to grips with their false belief system of racial superiority. This caution turned to amazement through our ability to transcend past injustices, non-violently, through the power of forgiveness.”
Not.
Dave, too many “official” based generalities. I am an old white male rugby supporter and move mostly in white circles and not one, repeat not once ever has anyone close to me expressed any wish for the world cup to be a failure. There is worry expressed about crime and mostly bad transport but never failure. So your statement of many whites wishing the world cup harm is pure government propaganda rubbish.
Also crime is worse now than in 1995 rugby world cup, 1996 African cup and the 2003 cricket world cup. Incidently in 1996 when we won the African Cup of Nations driving the streets of Durben the whole Rainbow Nation was out celebrating (in some areas there were white majorities doing the celebrating) proving that when our fellow Blacks achieve we whities are also very proud – something that our current Government and lackys like you simply ignore.
Disagree 100% regarding the media, one of Apartheids few positives was the brave and realtively free media (comparing it to China is just a joke taken out of the SACP’s propaganda brochure) In fact the media was just as much dumped upon by the ANC/SACP thugs as the Aparthed Government. Prominent Black journalist admit they were intiminated into reporting only what the SACP/ANC said they could.
Lastly on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being good how much has your article improved race relations in SA – my rating is 2.
Brent
I think what Dave is saying:
We have potential but the potential is fading
because we tend to blame other nations for our woes
instead of looking at ourselves and making a positive change.
Our atitude is as result of upbringing(schooling,
socialization,parenting) and legislation.
However in my experience the majority has not made
this change in the voting booth as its based on
the colour of a person’s skin.
@ian
“did you just cut and paste from all your snivelling comments over the last few months on the various news sites.”
Actually, I kinda did…LOL
@Paul Young
” In nearly every paragraph you refer to apartheid and it’s evils. It’s been covered, and covered, and fgknuci covered,…”
Sorry Paul, but these gentle reminders are becoming increasing necessary…does wonders for maintaining a sense of perspective, especially for the amnesia afflicted
@X Cepting
” if you don’t think about colour so constantly you eventually forget …”
Thanks for that bit of on-the-spot online therapy
@Panchetta
“Your thinking is noble, but your reality is warped.”
So lemme throw you a curved ball here Panchetta, hmmm, I wonder if thinking and reality are related in some way? Nah…
@David J Smith
Hey bro, glad to contribute, even if it freaks out the haters out there.
I can’t wait for the biggest frigging sporting event in the world!
I actually threw up a little in my mouth when I read the “Take a friend from a different race …” line.
The 2010 World Cup is nothing more than an enormous mass-mugging of South Africa. It is for the country a national disaster, but succeeded in its primary aim of making a few well-connected comrades very, very wealthy. All that’s left now is for the rest of South Africa to pay.
The tournament itself? Who cares.
And, Mr Harris, please try to cut back on the ANC toady drivel. It fools nobody.
Dave Harris
Well put! A great, PRACTICAL, article advocating a blend of generosity of spirit with carpe diem to build a new future.
The attacks from stephen browne, ian and hugh robinson are typical of the mean-spirited, dog in the manger, white nimbyism that drives me and others mad, who remember the social holocaust that apartheid created. The black generosity of spirit gave us the miracle of the 1995 RWC. Now it is time for the whites to reciprocate.
Sadly, I know you won’t; your shrivelled souls won’t let you even feel the sunshine.
i think panchetta said it best.
“your thinking is noble, but your reality is warped.”
you know, the only country to come out financially ahead in a world cup in recent years was the united states in 1994, and that’s because of the nature of the tax structure there.
i honestly believe you should have let king hassan spend his own money for stadium financing, etc. and morocco *would* have gotten all of the visitors that south africa thought it was going to get, despite fears of terrorist attacks. the reason? location.
and the location thing is what is going to shoot south africa in the foot.
but, hey, let the party happen. have a nice time. but just don’t be upset when things don’t go well during the cup. [i cannot believe that almost NO union got a multi-year wage and benefit deal last year. what kind of silliness is that?]
i too believe that it’s going to do big things for the people of this country, and i can’t wait. not going to any matches though because i like my couch. but please, please, for god’s sake can we stop talking about race, politics and apartheid and the world cup together in the same article? sick of it already.
Dear Mr Harris
It started off well enough, but you lost me at the first “apartheid” in paragraph 3, and by “racial superiority” in paragraph 4 I was totally gone. Exactly 250 words into the piece.
So, if you had kept to the positive event rather than toeing the Malema line – and to 250 words – you could have done it. Instead,
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Ps. Viva Bafana Bafana.
How bad do you think the service-delivery protests can get in 100 more days?
How bad do you think the student ‘me free’ protests can get in 100 more days?
How much worse do you think neglected corruption can 100 more days?
How many 100 more school pupils will fail this year due to extended holidays?
How many more strikes will there be in the next 100 days?
Especially since this 100 days is all about soccer, not about South Africa and the people who suffer, but can’t even afford to watch the games?
Did you have to go insult Mbeki? He was very far from an Autocrat and a leader of note!
Who in your mind had the vision to go bid for the World Cup in the first place? Or do you think we would be close to ready had the work not been done under his tutelage? Believe you me it has taken more than a year to build all those stads.
Dont be so easily flattered, Davey boy, that some of us have bothered to comment on your post. Most all of us here prefer our own opinion to yours, and we acknowledge you only because your mentality is so outrageous. This may serve to encourage you to be increasingly controversial in order to achieve the attention that you seem to crave. You actually damage the cause that you pretend to defend.
And it is considered poor form for a novice to reply to commentary in such a forum.
@John Kalala
Obviously my name gives me away as the blatant racist I am. It is impossible that I actually have an informed opinion – I’m simply reacting because I want to see black people put down. Wanting the best for everyone living in my place of birth is a pipe-dream for blacks and snotty-nosed liberals.
P.S. some of my best friends are black, I’m even taking one of them to watch soccer. He has awesome Ray Bans and he makes good jokes about my culture and I rib him about eating chicken. Here is a picture of me and Sipho hanging out – http://yfrog.com/b5meandsiphoj
haha, well at least you’re honest.
An immense amount of propaganda is pumped out in support of this World Cup. It’s natural for people to feel suspicious of it. Anything uncritically backed by Queen Elizabeth II should be treated with suspicion.
Meanwhile, a lot of money has been spent on the World Cup, most of it on infrastructure and activities which are of scant, or no, long-term benefit to the community and which often profit a small minority. Hence there are justifiable reasons for being distrustful.
Above all, therefore, any comment on the World Cup ought to acknowledge these things. A comment which simply says that everybody who doubts that the World Cup will benefit South Africa is a scoundrel and probably a racist is distinctly dubious.
Now, I’d like to think that the World Cup might not be a complete train-smash. So to that extent I agree with you. But not so much that I can share your conclusions that it’s going to be a howling success. It’s a flipping soccer-match and tourist extravaganza with 90% of South Africans excluded for reasons of poverty. Get that into your head.
Mr Harris, it’s nice to see you putting your tongue somewhere other than President Zuma’s sphincter; however, I am informed that Blatter’s rectum doesn’t taste all that much better.
Seriously, this is a content-free piece of hype and bootlicking, divorced entirely from fact, written only to try and put a positive spin on what is shaping up – due to thoroughly unrealistic expectations – to be a serious disappointment. If this is the best you can offer, I would suggest keeping your opinions to yourself in future rather than bore us all with drivel that could have come from the desk of a first-year marketing intern with a shaky grasp on progressive politics.
@Dave Harris – Anytime. I don’t charge and actively fight colour/race over-sensitivity wherever I find it.
@mundundu – “but just don’t be upset when things don’t go well during the cup.” Don’t worry, everything that does go wrong will be blamed on “the whites” whoever they might be. Just remembered, I’m beige. Phew! What a relieve. I mean, it will really be insult added to injury to have to pay for the stadiums AND be accused of everything that goes wrong.
@mundundu
“…, the only country to come out financially ahead in a world cup in recent years was the united states in 1994″
Also try thinking longterm for a change, I’m sure you will need plenty to help to see the vision of SA being a prime tourist destination in the years to come.
@sly
The facts are that Mbeki was feared in the ANC rank, disconnected from the people and made us the laughing stock of the world on our stance on HIV/AIDS.
@The Creator
Building up our infrastructure is not a good thing?
You see no problem with racists trying to sabotage the WC?
@Michael Liermann
Apart from your fascination with all things sphincter, I’d recommend you brush up on your reading and comprehension skills.
@X Ceptng
” I don’t charge and actively fight colour/race over-sensitivity wherever I find it.”
I can’t believe you can differentiate an insult from a compliment…LOL
Anyway, based on your comments in other blogs, nothing could be further from your claim – your comments propagate the racism we’ve lived with for so many centuries in order to prop up white supremacy.
My reading comprehension is fine, Mr Harris. If I were you, though, I’d try to cultivate the ability to address the issue. Read Azad Essa’s piece for some critiques of the current World Cup fever and surrounding antics that are rooted in a progressive stance (http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/azadessa/2010/03/04/100-days-to-being-screwed-over/), then take off the ideological blinkers that you wear to convince you that all criticisms of your beloved ANC government can only stem from racism and right-wing views, and then have a go at addressing some of the issues Essa writes about…and then you might be worth taking seriously. As it is, this piece is content-free feelgood pseudo-journalism that contributes nothing whatsoever.
One can see at a glance that Michael Lierman has a far greater ability at writing comprehensivly than the author of this blog. LOL.
@Michael Liermann
“As it is, this piece is content-free feelgood pseudo-journalism that contributes nothing whatsoever.”
But isn’t feelin good a useful enough contribution? Since you’re an expert in sphincterology, I daresay you’re full of it.
Try to focus on the arguments presented rather than hurling meaningless insults. Again, if you possessed basic reading and comprehension abilities, you would have noticed my comments in Assad’s blog.
As for you Pancetta, the peanut gallery is the perfect spot for squeal out your your comments. Nice going!
@ Dave Harris Talking about reading comprehension, here is some basic math comprehension.
The 100-days articles approval rating score card:
Dave Harris: 1.69/5 ~ 34% = Grade F- for Fail
Azad Essa: 4.43/5 ~ 89% = Grade A+ for Excellent
Read the writing on the wall, Dave.
Ps. Viva Bafana Bafana.
“Again, if you possessed basic reading and comprehension abilities, you would have noticed my comments in Assad’s blog.”
Noticed them, comprehended them, and mocked them roundly. I also notice that you’re resorting to ad hominems, which is no real surprise, as writing anything with actual content seems above your abilities.
@Michael Liermann & Chris Coconut Ball
“I also notice that you’re resorting to ad hominems”
Your infantile comments are nothing BUT ad hominems. You products of apartheid never cease to amaze me…you da man! LOL
Guys, it is pointless to debate with the immature. Let him have the last word on his own blog.
“You products of apartheid never cease to amaze me…you da man! LOL”
I am vastly amused by your ability to incorrectly recognise political affiliation over the internet, I really am. For your next trick, will you have a stab at predicting the Powerball numbers?
@Dave Harris
You might be able to blame every thing on “You products of apartheid” (whether real or imagined)for a good few more years, possibly even decades. The fact remains that as time passes and that allegation becomes more and more of a scape goat and red herring you will not be able to convincingly use it any more.
For sure there are a times when that allegation is true but the continued default use of it thrown at almost anything ANC apologists don’t like will make it less and less believable and meaningful. In the mean time it clouds our ability to see, root out and resolve post-apartheid problems causing even bigger problems for the future.
How arrogant – a blogger who has to have the last word on everything – and most of his words are crude insults of his readers. Dave must be the greatest ‘product of apartheid’ on these forums – certainly his limited intelligence and aggression can’t be the product of his own personality – some external force must be to blame.