South Africa have just lost to Uruguay 3-0 in the group stages of the World Cup @ 3:30am Korean time on 16 June 2010! And probably hence my frustration, dissapointment and motive for writing this blog entry.
Going to sleep in my Bafana Bafana shirt, I woke up 5 hours later to turn on the tele and watch our BOYS put on a show in Pretoria! Loftus has never seemed so vibrant and the bellowing of the national anthem gave me goosebumps. I felt a great sense of PRIDE knowing that the situation has come such a long way since 16 June 1976 with the Soweto uprising. The iconic picture of Hector Pieterson being carried by a fellow student with his sister running alongside springs to mind. From a day where thousands of marching students filled with hope for something better, a sense of empowerment and control in their lives and a fighting spirit fuelled by the gathering. However, it quickly turned into something catastrophic, as police opened fire on the crowd. A few hundred were killed and many more injured. The hope shattered, the sense of empowerment robbed and an internal locus of control destroyed. Yet, the courageous and fighting spirit of those students (dead, injured and alive) laid the foundations of the anti-apartheid movement. And a future 18 years later in 1994 which was filled with freedom for all humankind was as a result of such individuals who had this tremendous attitude. Our contry has certainly come along way after 16 years of democracy. And I think not only hosting, but bedazzling the world with such an impressive feat as this World Cup is another badge we should wear proudly on our bafana bafana jerseys.
However, as I watched until the sun came up, I realised that we need to be reminded of those students 34 years ago, if we as a nation want to improve even more. I feel life should be a continous struggle for improving oneself and collectively growing as a family, developing as communities and on a larger scale bettering a nation. And South Africa is a prime candidate for that-we still have problems-poverty, unemployment, poor education, insufficent healthcare, AIDS, exorbitantly high levels of crime, and shocking rates of violence are seen on or outside every doorstep.
Somehow, the soccer match against Uruguay last night was the perfect metaphor for our current situation. As the players kicked the ball around in the beginning, it seemed almost half-heartedly without courage or intent. Just as citizens seem complacent with everyday life-the crime, the poor education, the awful queues at home affairs, the high accident rates, the rape statistics, the xenophobia attacks. Where is that struggle against injustice that Hector and his friends showed? Sure, we are not fighting against a common or named enemy such as the apartheid regime but should we still not be fighting for social causes that often have not changed or even have gotten worse since 1994?
There seemed to be no urgency or voomah in the team! But even more frustrating were the completely missed goals on target from free kicks and basic slip ups, such as sloppy passing and poor defending. Should we as South Africa not focus on the basics in order to rebuild and boost our country-in my opinion that means Education, Health and Employment. It is about the basics, just as the students had in mind when they marched to demand for better education.
An external locus of control seemed the flavour of the day in the match-the ref was blamed for shocking calls and the Uruguayian players were awarded free kicks left, right and centre for Oscar winning dives and Khune was given an unjust red card . Similarly, apartheid's brutal legislation was never fair or just or deserved. Did that stop the activists? No ways-it inspired them. Although somehow, the players and supporters will justify our loss using the reasons as mentioned above. BUT, in reality we played BADLY (fullstop). Players and citizens alike need to take ownership in our lives and take responsibility for our actions. White males need to work harder to deserve jobs, people can no longer expect things to land on their laps, males need to step up and be supportive fathers, young people need to be sexually responsible and wear condoms to prevent AIDS, alcohol should be controlled to prevent road accidents and racism should be contested at all levels. We can and should no longer blame the government (old or new) or any other factor for our failures. If we want change, we should take charge of the situation and wave it as a flag for everyone to see-just as the students did in 1976! If we as South Africans don't change and take responsibility for our lives, neither will the country.
And lastly, the thing that made me the saddest while watching the match was when supporters donned in yellow started filtering out of the stadium 10-15 minutes before the end. I could see it was cold, but if we were winning no-one would have even thought about leaving! What is it about South Africans- we are such avid supporters of our national teams (rugby and cricket included) when we are WINNING! But as soon as life seems tough or we're down a goal or a wicket or a try, it is so easy to criticize and belittle the very team we hold so high when winning! And the same holds true for our nation. How does every social event or gathering involve conversation about crime? Or why are our newspaper headlines littered with news that is all but encouraging? Or why do we educate intelligent minds for them to emigrate overseas as "South Africa is lacking opportunities"? Or how can chants such as "Kill the boer" not be condemned by all of the nation? If we want to call ourselves a nation, a proud rainbow nation, we must all stand together, even in the disappointing and bad times in the dying minutes. The students came from far and wide, without telling their parents in case their plan may be interrupted. We need that comeraderie, that spirit of togetherness, so that when the police fire at us-we grab stones and throw them back together as a united body!
After all, soccer is just a game. When the glitzy trophy has been won (probably by some South American team), the broadcasting teams have packed away their cameras, fans around the world have taken off their soccer shirts and gear until 2014 and Messi's astounding footwork is displayed on another turf in another land, all we will have left will be us-the RAINBOW NATION! I believe it is a nation full of life, vibrance, energy, opportunity and hope. But in the same breath, such a nation can be hampered by our complacency, a low standard of basic living, an external locus of control and lack of responsibility, no fighting spirit and no togetherness or support! If we truly want to be a GREAT RAINBOW NATION we need to change our attitudes-just as the brave students did in Soweto on that memorable day!
VUKA SOUTH AFRICA, VUKA!!!
JO
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