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South Africa has risen to the occasion

Peter Roebuck

Supporters from both England and Australia proved to be popular and sporting guests
But the merriment needs to be tempered by the realisation that a lot of work remains undone

South Africa has staged a superb soccer World Cup. Afro-pessimists predicted slayings and muggings and robberies and advised all and sundry to watch the games from the safety of their sofas. Snarled traffic, broken down buses, exhausted trains, inept policemen and confused airports were added to the toll. Instead the country and continent have risen to the occasion and on Sunday the tournament reaches its climax with a final to be played between two deserving sides.

Of course the host repeatedly pointed out that the grim-faced harbingers of doubt were overstating the problems and underestimating the capacity and intentions of the organisers in the most patronising manner. But that was whistling in the wind.

Happily events have proved them right. English tabloids, especially, ought to be choking on their expense accounts. But the Australians were not much better. Fortunately supporters from both countries came anyhow, and proved to be popular and sporting guests.

Smiles all around

Far from feeling unwelcome, most supporters have rejoiced in the atmosphere. Some have visited Soweto and Robben Island, opportunities the England team itself stupidly declined. Many others have merely mingled in the stands and otherwise browsed the streets. Of course, security forces have been on high alert but bad elements seem to have withdrawn into the shadows. It has been smiles all around.

Objections have been minor — some dislike the deafening sound of the Vuvuzelas. A few small robberies have taken place and several planeloads of supporters missed the semifinal in Durban because their planes could not land at overworked airports. Anyhow, South Africa has been the place to be these last few weeks.

Work to be done

But the merriment needs to be tempered by the realisation that a lot of work remains undone. The pessimists were not entirely foolish. Many have been scarred by painful memories of car-jacking, killings and corruption. The figures speak for themselves. Hostility is not always motivated by malice. Often it's more instructive to examine the case than the advocate.

Still, Indians will recognise the host nation's frustration at the international pessimism that dogged the preparations and reduced the arrivals at the Soccer World Cup. After all they are familiar with the experience. Few thought the 1987 cricket World Cup had a snowball in an oven's chance of flourishing. In fact, it was the happiest CWC I have covered (misplaced youth was still in progress during the '75 edition).

Some locals recoil at every slight and it is not necessary because this country long ago stepped with head held high into the world of give and take. It commands respect. Doubtless the hundreds of years of suppression lie behind the sensitivity. But it ought not to deter an open and forthright examination of weak points. Acknowledgement is the first step on the path to improvement.

Plain wrong

And there is one issue on which India, the BCCI and the weight of the current coverage is just plain wrong.

Intellectuals and others convinced that abhorrent apartheid has been the only tyranny encountered by the cricket world in the last fifty years do justice a disservice.

Those arguing along these lines are invited to come to Africa to be introduced to victims of the torture camps, former soldiers shocked by the rapes and murders they were forced to commit, political candidates whose houses were burnt down with their children inside, and many other victims of the evil operating in Zimbabwe.

By all means let us celebrate our long-delayed successes but let us not betray the still languishing by joining some post colonial confederacy of dunces.

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