By Michael Clark
Last weekend I witnessed a middle-aged white Afrikaner “Oom” hailing a black taxi from the side of the road for himself and his family. I witnessed groups of whites trawling the streets at night looking for a pub to have a celebratory drink … in Soweto! I witnessed blue vuvuzelas and black people singing Shosholoza at a Blue Bulls game …
Who would have thought!?
All this was brought about by the weekend’s Super 14 semi-final at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, a crunching match between the Crusaders and Bulls. Unfortunately I missed half the game due to chaotic travel arrangements, but who cares! The game itself was actually a relatively insignificant part of the day (no offence meant to any ardent Bulls supporters) — not because it was a bad or unimportant match (far from it!), just because what was going on around the match was so much more significant. It must be the single biggest, most remarkable example of racial boundary-crossing in South Africa since Mandela’s time.
It was just so marvellous to watch the festive Bulls supporters interact with the local Sowetans — some equally festive, others equally bemused. For many of the Bulls supporters it was their first time in Soweto, the first time they crossed over into the world of the average black South African. And guess what, white people found out that Soweto isn’t so scary and black people found out that Bulls supporters aren’t so scary either (well, most of them anyway).
The thing is, I think we have moved on from the need for racial reconciliation to a simple need for racial integration in this country. We no longer need to forgive each other so much as we need to learn to live together. We need to learn what makes each other tick, how we play, how we celebrate. Afrikaners need to learn that the average black person is not dangerous but very capable at making do with the little they have. Sowetans need to learn that the average Afrikaner is not heartless but great fun and can blow a vuvuzela too!
And that is what Saturday at Orlando was all about … integration. Crossing boundaries erected by centuries of colonialism and 40-odd years of apartheid. It was about getting to know each other.
Until we do this, until we get to know each other, we will never respect each other. And until we respect each other, we will not appreciate each other. And until we appreciate each other, we will not love each other. And until this happens, social segregation will perpetuate, sustaining the unknown. And the unknown breeds misunderstanding. And misunderstanding breeds fear. And it is this fear that is tearing our country apart and is in turn responsible for so many of the problems we have.
You see, there are things that bring us together and things that drive us apart. Thumbs up to the Bulls for choosing to play in Soweto and bringing us together.
Let’s get into each other’s spaces and learn to live together and love each other … we will all be better for it!
Michael Clark is a freelance designer with a passion for story-telling, South Africa and bringing people together. Jozi is his current choice of residence.
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