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11/07/2008 09:52
Tumo Mokone
The discourse around the 2010 Soccer World Cup is beginning to sound more and more ominous by the day, with Fifa president Sepp Blatter increasing the tempo on his pronouncements about alternative plans for hosting rights.
South Africa won the hosting rights four years ago. Billions of rands have already been spent on building the facilities and the infrastructure, while the private sector and individual business people have borrowed and spent money preparing for the showpiece. Therefore, it is only fair that SA retains its status as the host, right?
Naturally yes, but Blatter and his executive have the final say. As much as we continue to push forward with the preparations, we can also expect the worst from Zurich. Fifa is not a charity organisation, and it will dare both heaven and the devil to protect its most prized asset - the Soccer World Cup.
A lot has changed about the country since that momentous day when Blatter triumphantly announced that South Africa would become the first African country to host the tournament. The political leadership was solid and the economy just right. But the impasse created by two centres of power has since ushered in a period of uncertainty over security. The personal safety of South Africans in their own country is progressively deteriorating to new lows.
Shocking stories
The recent murderous attacks on African immigrants pointed to a breakdown in security. The mobs gathered and marched, and yet police could not prevent the attacks. The intelligence services said they couldn't see it coming. The political thuggery characterised by fights within the ruling party and the daily bombing of ATMs has also attracted new notoriety for SA.
Crime is not unique to SA. It is its form and thrust that make South Africans tell shocking stories about personal experiences, which include the killing of loved ones in their homes. The statistics indicate this horror, but even more disturbing is that the stats are hiding something more sinister: the real level of lawlessness. Many acts of anti-social behaviour border on criminality and yet these have become excusable, and therefore go unreported and unpunished.
The South African society today demands a higher level of policing, but it is impossible to have a police officer to guard every corner of public space. The minibus taxis regularly skip red robots or drive in opposite lanes, city streets are not safe, and with women being victims of all sorts of harassment. The law says no trading or begging at stop streets or around traffic lights, but it is habitually ignored and many motorists have heart-rending stories about surprise attacks on them.
Fifa is watching all these with keen interest. Soccer fans from all over the world must walk these streets and use the same taxis in the cities where World Cup matches would be taking place. It sounds unfair that the country must come under such scrutiny from Fifa, when the Cricket and Rugby World Cups where played here in the past. But the truth is there is a huge difference - the Fifa Soccer World Cup is a bigger deal than the other two tournaments combined.
Dangerous character
While the talk about Plan B gains momentum, Fifa's secretary general Jerome Valcke visited the country this week. He said he was impressed with the progress, especially with the flagship stadium, Soccer City, at Nasrec. Of course the stadium is impressive, but Valcke's compliment could mean anything. The onus is on the local organising committee to communicate their progress; it will help lift the sagging morale.
As for Blatter it is anybody's guess what he is thinking right now. For my part I don't really trust the eccentric and yet cunning little man. But somewhere between his eccentricity and cunningness lies a very dangerous character trait that can make or break South Africa's hope.
But if we lose hosting rights then we must be ready to share the blame. We have allowed the noble factors that won us the hosting rights to crumble right in our own hands.
Tumo writes exclusively for Sport24.
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