South Africa is having a ball - with World Cup (Comment)

The World Cup 2010, a historic first for Africa, is set to begin in a few days. For host nation South Africa, it is about football and much more. The recent photograph of 91-year-old Nelson Mandela, caressing the 18-carat gold trophy and beaming with joy, said it all. Regardless of who lifts the World Cup, South Africa is already a winner.

South Africans proudly remember Feb 11, 1990, the day Mandela was released from prison after 27 years, and May 10, 1994,when he was inaugurated as the first president after democratic elections. June 11, the day the tournament begins this year, is now being hailed as a similar milestone. President Jacob Zuma has described the occasion as “a defining moment comparable to the end of apartheid”.

In May 2004, South Africa won the right to hold the tournament, defeating the claims of Morocco and Egypt. Immediately its self-confidence and elation touched a new high. The triumph resulted from a brilliantly executed campaign that had received valuable assistance from Nobel laureates Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It was a positive nod to South Africans who had projected 2010 as “Africa’s World Cup”.

But doubts surfaced soon enough. They persisted for long as the media carried stories of glitches and delays in infrastructure development as well as horror stories about crime in major cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria. FIFA’s alleged ‘Plan B’, the possibility of hosting the World Cup in Australia, received some traction until Stepp Blater, FIFA president, categorically dismissed it.

Meanwhile, South Africans managed to get their act together, speeding up construction and restoration work on their roads, hotels, airports and stadiums. Living in Pretoria from December 2006 to December 2009, I witnessed a steady and impressive rise in the tempo of preparations in all relevant domains.

Now, as Barry Moody, a respected columnist, puts it: “After years of doubt, soul-searching and criticism, South Africa stands on the threshold of a unique World Cup that looks likely to confound pessimists.”

Football fever is at its zenith, touching all walks of life. It seems that the entire nation, from cabinet ministers down to schoolchildren, is busy mastering steps of the Diski Dance, a series of rhythmic soccer moves, which showcases the country’s passion for the sport.

It does not mean that all worries have disappeared. Ticket sales were rather slow. They have picked up recently after the authorities took measures to push domestic sales. Anxiety about a terrorist attack remains, with presumably the well-known international outfits being kept under a close scanner. A cartoon of Prophet Mohammed by the controversial cartoonist Zapiro in the prestigious weekly Mail and Guardian and its strong condemnation by the Muslim community posed a potential problem, but it seems to have been overcome. South Africans are hopeful of staging a trouble-free World Cup.

It will be a tournament marked by razzmatazz, African colours, dance and music. Sitting next to President Zuma at the Indian Premier League-II finals in Johannesburg last year, I saw him and tens of thousands of his countrymen watching spellbound the combination of Bollywood tamasha, African rhythm and spectacular fireworks. Festivities relating to the World Cup are certain to surpass anything that preceded them. And, for sure, there will be parties galore.

South Africans are, of course, unhappy to be placed in Group ‘A’ that includes majors like France, Mexico and Uruguay. ‘Bafana Bafana’ (The Boys), as the South African team is known, will need much luck to get through its first match with Mexico. What it will certainly get is massive support from highly charged local fans, each armed with his ‘vuvuzela’. It is a plastic trumpet which emits a noise similar to a swarm of bees or a dying elephant. It has been described as the South African team’s ‘12th man.’ Vuvuzela music is viewed as a nuisance by some Western teams, but South Africa’s head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has appealed to fans: “Make them louder, louder, louder!”

With South Africa now placed at 90 in world rankings, no one is betting on its victory. But their triumph is already assured through their ability to be the first country in Africa to stage it on global standards. Besides, the World Cup is attracting extra tourists, foreign investments and unprecedented publicity. Renewed infrastructure is a major plus. The opportunity to cement national sentiments, bridge the black-white chasm and project a ‘we have arrived’ message is important. There is unspoken regret that African neighbouring nations have not fully accepted the tournament as “Africa’s World Cup.” But, objectively speaking, the tournament is a boost for self-confidence not only of South Africa but Africa as a whole. “We must rise,” said President Zuma, “and tell the story of a continent which is alive with possibilities.”

I phoned a European diplomat in Delhi a few days back with a request for visa assistance to a friend. She had served in Johannesburg until recently and was feeling sad at the prospect of watching the World Cup on television. “I understand and share your anguish.” My words established an immediate connection. The assistance was given in a jiffy.

Friends of South Africa in India sincerely hope the World Cup will pass off peacefully and joyously. Only one regret though: If only our squad had been there, flying the tricolour!

(04.06.2010 - The author is a former high commissioner of India to South Africa. He can be contacted at rajivbhatia@airtelmail.in)