Can Soccer Stop the Violence?
The Boston Celtics have adopted the South African word ubuntu as a team slogan this season. It means unity, interconnectedness and literally, "we are who we are through others." There is a terrible irony that ubuntu is currently being embraced in Boston while South Africa has recently seen a viral spread of ethnic violence--the utter negation of ubuntu. Black South Africans, living in terrible poverty, have killed nearly sixty people and driven tens of thousands from their homes for simply being foreigners.
If you were born in Mozambique or Zimbabwe, you live in danger of rape, robbery or murder. The roots of the violence lie in the country's crushing poverty and a dynamic all too familiar to Westerners, the scapegoating of immigrants. Time reports: "In November last year, the South African Institute of Race Relations estimated 4.2 million South Africans were living on $1 a day in 2005, up from 1.9 million in 1996, two years after the end of apartheid. Globalization was supposed to be the tide to lift all boats, but the evidence in South Africa suggests that millions of boats are not merely missing the tide, they're in an entirely different ocean."
Criticism has been widespread about the lack of response by South African, not to mention Western, leaders. But there is an important, overlooked and--we can only pray--decisive tide of condemnation coming from that most global of sports, soccer. Soccer players in the African leagues often move from country to country in search of new challenges and better salaries. They are heroes on the continent, and many aren't willing to be silent.
Gilbert Mushangazike, a star striker from Zimbabwe who plays for South Africa's Orlando Pirates, said recently, "We are heroes when we score goals but we are people's enemies on the streets. Although I'm here legally, I'm so scared that I'm even afraid to walk on the streets or go visit my friends. This whole thing has affected me and many of my teammates. We are simply not taking this whole thing very well. We are all human beings and people must treat [us] with respect and dignity. There are many white foreigners out there but they are not attacked. It's a good thing that I'm flying out to Zimbabwe for national team duty because I don't know how I would survive, because I'm even scared to go shopping."
Forty-two-year-old South African football legend John "Shoes" Moshoeu, was born in Soweto, where much of the violence has taken place. He still plays midfield for AmZulu. "Our African brothers and sisters should be living in this country freely without being attacked," he said. "We should note that some of the illegal immigrants are in the country because of some corrupt officials at the Department of Home Affairs. Some of the police at the border gates are also corrupt and they let in these guys in exchange for money. The government should look at this issue holistically."
Musa Otieno, a Kenyan-born player for Santos Cape Town, cannot believe the devolution that surrounds him. "I have been in this country for eleven years and I have never seen such acts on foreigners. My family is in South Africa and I pray that this does not affect my children at school. What has been happening has painted a disturbing picture about South Africa. When we should be embracing each other as African brothers and sisters we are killing each other."
Despite the unquestionable cultural capital soccer players possess, there is a question over whether their message may fall on deaf ears. That's because there is a greater concern that links these worlds of global soccer and provincial violence: the 2010 World Cup, for the first time staged on the African Continent and taking place in...you guessed it, South Africa.
Cities such as Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg will be the nexus for thousands of foreign fans and dignitaries. Meanwhile, the building of five new mega-stadiums would, according to some South African politicians, "clear the slums by 2010." Le Monde Diplomatique wrote in May about the World Cup preparations: "Construction--and corruption--is booming. But almost none of the building or the money can be accessed by the poor who live in shantytowns without proper water, sanitation or electricity." Housing prices in the twenty-first century have gone up 92 percent, while wages have risen a mere 8 percent. As slums are cleared, tensions will surely rise.
Phil "Chippa" Masinga, former Bafana Bafana forward and 2010 World Cup ambassador, has expressed the fear that the violence may scuttle the World Cup altogether. "Our action could come back to haunt us in 2009 and 2010 when we host the Confederation Cup and the World Cup. People from outside the country will not want to come and attend these tournaments to avoid possible attacks on them." Says former Bafana Bafana linkman Teboho "Tebza Ngwana" Moloi: "It is not good for us as Africans. We black South Africans were taught about the spirit of ubuntu when we grew up. The African brothers and sisters should be accommodative to each other."
Masinga may be correct, and the soccer stars are without question courageous in raising their voice against the senseless violence. But it sounds somewhat superficial to ask ubuntu from the poor, when the only ubuntu they see exists among South Africa's post-apartheid elite. It's an elite that demands they silently accept the demolition of their communities for the good of both the country as well as the World Cup.
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I am still considering a trip to South Africa for the World Cup in 2010. If, however, the business, governmental and other elites of South Africa cannot extend the financial benefits of World Cup preparations to beyond their own insular cliques, violence will continue, I and millions of other potential tourists will not attend even if the games are held, and South Africa will be all the more worse off.
Infrastructure, education and jobs will drive the reaction of the people. Anyone assuming that these can be dealt with AFTER the World Cup is simply delusional. South Africa must re-earn the trust of her people through real and visible solutions to the historic exploitation and continuing neglect of the poor. If that doesn't happen, I will not in any way risk the safety of my family.
Another example of the historical vestiges of colonialism. Sad.
I think Dave you could have touched upon some more of the historical antecedents' effect what's going on today in South Africa...
Good story, tho.
While I don't condone nor excuse the violence being committed, I take exception to Dave's use of the phrase "senseless violence". As FreedomNow wrote, some historical perspective would explain why powerless, oppressed people turn to violence as a form of expression. Generally, I applaude Dave's willingness to take on the issues he raises, but his view on this issue lacks depth and perspective. "Black-on-black crime" is the odious residue of this country's long history of apartheid and economic oppression.
I think your piece does an excellent job of pointing out some of the key issues that have been ignored concerning the upcoming World Cup. Reading this piece reminded me of Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine, in which she detailed the economic problems in post-Apartheid South Africa. The ANC, through both Mandela and Mbeki, has been unable to live up to its call for democratic socialism as described in the Freedom Charter because of debt. In order just to keep the government solvent, a variety of liberalization measures were taken that lead directly to a decrease in state capacity and an increase in poverty. Still, South Africa has been much better off the much of the rest of Africa, which has seen a great deal of warfare and epidemics that have lead to mass migrations. Its sad that the Somali immigrants who have come to South Africa in search of a better life have jumped out of one unbearable situation only to have entered into another. Alas, ubuntu is no longer the norm...
Dave is one out of thousands in his field that consistantly deals with the important issues. It is right for Freedomnow to bring up more points - but it should be 'adding' to the article, not framed as a failing of Dave or a criticism of the article.
There is a parallel here with the N.O. Superdome or the Olympics in Beijing. The curent world order's way to 'fix' things by hosting large events or building stadiums etc.
Thanks Andy. I agree it is profoundly over simplistic to just call it "senseless violence" but it is violence that advances no one's interests except that of people that want to keep the poor divided and powerless. It would require an entirely different piece to explain how we can make sense of the tragic and senseless.
Its disappointing that the WORLD CUP, a major promoter of world peace can be held in a place where PEACE doesn't exist. FIFA is somewhat at fault here; they allowed this massive social gathering to be in an area that people fear to venture into. I'm sure there were many safer options that would have brought more people together.
P.S. Isn't that the best part of soccer? bringing a world full of hate together for one game. Uniting countries and the world... all through one sport.
I thought the article addressed "Can Soccer Stop The Violence?". The subtle implication of this article is that people should be able to endure severe economic and social hardships without resorting to violence. History suggests that just doesn't happen.
Can soccer end poverty? Can soccer end social alienation? Can soccer end oppression? The way to stop the violence is to end the conditions that lead to violence. Sports can be an opium that temporarily distracts people but can never fundamentally change socio-economic conditions (except to make the rich richer). Do soccer athletes speak out against the oppressive conditions Dave detailed, in effect critcizing the power structure? Apparently not. That, advances the interests of those who want to keep the poor divided and powerless.
I respect Dave's work (heck, I'm a regular reader and contributor to his column) but trying to discuss the violence without clearly relating the violence to the economic conditions is misleading.
Dave,
Interesting article. I have to admit to being a bit ignorant of what has been happening in South Africa. I will certainly read up on it since I read your piece. I cant comment on the politics around the violence in South Africa, but rest assured, there will be a ton of brute force used against poor and Black people in South Africa in the build up to and during the World Cup.
Having lived through (and worked against/demonstrated against) the Olympics in 1996 as a college student, I am sure that South Africa will be worse,with regards to poor people displaced from their homes, exploited for their labor, and locked up for raising an inkling of criticism against FIFA, the World Cup or those in power in South Africa who are monetarily benefiting from this large event.
I love soccer. I watch it incessantly, debate with friends about it, and play on a team. But the fact is that the World Cup in South Africa will probably follow the path of every other large sports event, where the "problems" are swept under the rug and poor people and poor people of color will get the short end of the stick.
the 2014 World Cup is being held in Brazil. Its essentially the same process all over again.
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Dave Zirin is the author of the book: "Welcome to the Terrordome: The Pain, Politics and Promise of Sports" (Haymarket). You can receive his column Edge of Sports, every week by
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