Another FIFA Disgrace. The Official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is performed, wait for it, by a Columbian pop star who lives in Barbados. And while I think Shakira is both talented and hot, what is she doing singing the Official Song for the first World Cup on African soil? And while many of the World Cup optimists out there will point out that she’s backed by South Africa’s Freshlyground, all I’m saying is that, surely, it should be the other way around?
Now let’s dip into a bit of history. Blackface is that old school theatrical make-up popularised in the US in the late 19th century in theatrical minstrel shows, and came to represent and proliferate racist stereotypes about black people. It was the ultimate appropriation, exploitation and assimilation of African-American culture. It’s also the ultimate diss, that black people can’t even represent themselves.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that despite the marketing position of “the first blah blah on African soil” the FIFA World Cup is really just a pantomime of a celebration of everything African. So we’ve got a Columbian popstar singing the World Cup song and the FIFA PR machine has the audacity to say that, “with its rhythmical African sounds, the song represents the vitality and energy of the host continent.”
FIFA seems to have no real interest in allowing the World Cup to be a showcase for African and South African culture and talent. Rather, it’s more of the same bankable globalised shit. Take a look at the top down approach they took when selecting the artists for the Official FIFA World Cup Kick Off Celebration. Only 3 South African bands representing… And the most credible and representative amongst them, Vusi Mahlasela has apparently pulled out.
Then let’s look at the back story of how Freshlyground snuck onto the Official World Cup song. The way it goes is that FIFA bestowed upon Sony Music the exclusive rights to deliver the Official World Cup song, Sony being a big global sponsor of the soccer showcase. All the Sony artists get to pitch and put forward suggestions and these songs get presented to FIFA, who along with some execs at Sony, choose.
Freshlyground were in New York recording their latest album Radio Africa. They just so happened to be in the same studio complex as Shakira who was recording her attempt for the Official World Cup song… But something was missing, so Shakira’s producer popped downstairs to check out this unknown South African band that was producing some enticing sounds in the basement. So Freshlyground, the only thing that gives this track even a vague whiff of credibility, relevance or connection to the motherland, snuck into the production through an act of universal serendipity. Kismet. Chance.
The irony is not lost that the song’s oft repeated chorus has Shakira singing the words, “this time for Africa” over and again while she is, to paraphrase Bob Dylan “standing in the doorway and blocking up the hall”. Gobbling up the opportunity that should have been given to a deserving African artist.
But wait it gets better. The World Cup song “Waka Waka” is actually a remake of this old number from a band called Trafassi from Surinam in the Caribbean. Even though the FIFA website simply claims that Shakira wrote the song. Apparently, the Trafassi version of Waka Waka was a big hit in Columbia back in the day.
Now dig a little deeper and you’ll see the African connection. The Trafassi hit was a rip on the original version of “Waka Waka”, a song called “Zangalewa” which was an old marching tune from Cameroon made popular by a makossa band called Golden Sounds, who soon changed their name to Zangalewa due to the success of their song. The lyrics are in a Cameroonian dialect called Fang. Apparently the song has quite a pointed political message criticising black military officers who were in league with white colonialists to suppress their own people, and this explains why the band are dressed up like farcical, clownish soldiers.
And much like the old white American smearing his face with burnt chalk or boot polish, it’s pretty obvious that FIFA has no real intention of providing real opportunities for African culture and society through their World Cup. Despite Sepp Blatter’s supposed love affair with the continent, their “this time for Africa” shtick is face paint. Blackface. It’s a powerful analogy for what’s happening right now. There’s a white dude dancing around, appropriating, exploiting and misrepresenting Africa to the world. It’s a partially digested Disney vision of the continent like the Lion King. It’s exactly the same kak Hugh Masekela was commenting on when he titled his first album in exile The Americanisation of Ooga Booga. It’s an old story, really. A global showcase positioned entirely towards the rich and powerful markets of the first world. They just want some exotic shit to dance to. And FIFA and Sony were not about to take the “risk” on untested African artists.
And this is just one instance in a long list of bad decision making. Instances that have positioned this World Cup 2010 as both anti-poor and anti-African. From the 5km exclusion zones around the stadiums, that basically forcefully exclude informal traders from any financial benefit from the games, to the exorbitant liquor license fees for pubs with TV sets, to the internationally tilted line-up for the official kick off event… It’s patently obvious to anyone who wants to look that FIFA is not on our side.
But hopefully there will be enough focussed international interest in what’s happening here, that like Freshlyground, other talented and original African artists can sneak onto the TV and computer screens of the global consciousness, through the backdoor. Because right now, that’s the only way in.
More on ‘Zangalewa’: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2010/03/waka-waka-hey-hey.html
WHAKA DA FUCK – WHAKA DISASTER -
Are you kidding me – this song is garbage, and it’s selection is an insult not only to every musical giant from Azania, but to the gifted kids I remember back in the day free-styling at the Rap Activity Jam at Y. Nice Story Jingo…. Rest Assured, the murmurs of disgust over this are alive and well on the US shore’s as well.
Great article!
Best article I have read on this site. I don’t always agree with comment on Mahala but with this you hit the nail on the head…
I am disgusted. I hope some of your radio stations will start playing the original song rather then Shakira’s. At least the beat is more african.
Did they think no body would notice it??????
Really, South African artist could have produced much betther…
thanks Andy for the vallueable information. Great research.
zaida Pinto
Nice one Andy,very well written-an eye-opener.What do you think of Blkjacks,local band in the FIFA lineup?I like em,hope they get some good exposure.
And here I was was thinking Ferdinand ‘Boesman’ Rabie invented ‘Waka Waka’…. New acts added on Tuesday 4th: Freshlyground, Hugh Masekela, the Mzansi Youth Choir, the Soweto Gospel Choir, and Somailan hip hop artist K’Naan. Vusi Mahlasela is also back in the mix.
Well researched article. This is beautiful stuff man keep it comming.
While I don’t disagree with the blackwash, take into account that world cup songs are never really sung by artists from the host country, Korea’s song was sung by Femi Kuti… past artists include Anastasia and Angelique Kidjo amonst others…
I kept looking for ‘wanka wanka’ in your article. Surely, I thought, you would
find a way to weave this appropriate phrase in …… no such luck.
You must be slowly moving up market. I prefer Mozart anyway.
Reps are shitfacedscared of signing new artists when they dont know if they will pull a crowd.
With FIFA, the ball is the draw card and talent, time and investment is being wasted by putting stale yet recognized artists on a platform that is so ready and so ripe to introduce the hand of our world class African musicians. Man, its a pity FIFA missed the ball.
Great Article!
The reality is that the FIFA machine is in control, check all major fanpark producers, suppliers etc and you will see “painted” FIFA Germans in the mix.
The FIFA media spin on how they empowering and supporting the local economy…yeah right Mr Blatter.
The 007 factor of local culture being used a backdrop to the main commercial activity continues.
It is sad that we allowed this to happen as Africans & South Africans, noting our cultural history (SA & continent) and number of globally respected artists, musicians, producers, designers etc
apologies to Bra Hugh but the FIFA’ization of Ooga Booga is in full effect.
Have a Budweiser and enjoy the soccer.
Didn’t the government spend billions or Rand bringing the World Cup to South Africa to shine a spotlight on South Africa and everything we have to offer? What does it say to the international community that the theme song is colombian / American remake of a Cameroonian track? They could have at least done a cover of a South African track! Knowing Americans, they probably don’t distinguish between different countries in Africa so it’s all the same to them.
What I particularly hate is how easily co-opted we all are. I feel sick every time I hear a journalist defending this shit by claiming that it’s an international event so it’s natural to have an international artist representing us. Some have even gone so far as to say that it’s an ‘honour’ for us to have an artist of Shakira’s stature representing us.
The point of a World Cup theme song is that it doesn’t have the same market pressure as a normal piece of pop – you have a captive audience of billions, you don’t need a ‘big name’.
I’m not sure that I agree with the blackface metaphor, I think this is more an issue of global corporate culture… but great article anyway.
Love it Andy,
and I agree….. what i find funny though is that we always get so pissed when our country becomes globalized, but truthfully from this coffee shop position most mahala readers are sitting in, we don’t really live in Africa do we, do we?
We should have been more pissed that in Shawshank Redemption , I mean Invictus, Morgan got the gig because ahem clearly we have no black actors that can do a better accent.
I also want to point out that It is often the case that the World Cup song is not by an artist from the host country…
Korea 2002’s song was by Grecian, Vangelis. USA 1994 had one by the British group Queen and one by Puerto Rican Ricky Martin. Mexico 1986’s song was by British singer Stephanie Lawrence. In fact since 1986 less than half the tournaments have had official songs by locally born artists. We cannot feel too aggrieved here either particularly as a local artist features on the track.
But my looord what a crap song.
My personal strategy is to ignore the corporate jingle, buy some local beer and watch an illegally screened game in a backyard bar.
I think it’s great having an International superstar collaborating with a band that have proven their popularity locally, although I’m not of the Mango Groove school of sound, I think it will be good…..although fifa has politicized it into thinking that bands from the wild side of music aren’t popular with soccer fans…I think that all these politically correct non distorted sounds are a waste of my time and do nothing to charge up the energy levels in a stadium.
Oh ja and those girls from Freshly Ground could lose a skirt size or four, they look like tea pots!
Right on!!!! Pathetic selfseeking moneygrabbing northerners Hul maak my vies.
And what up with South African only seeing the bad in everything, I mean yes I totally agree with your bad point….how about stating any good in it……I personally think that Freshly Ground are a great act but S.A”s use them as a front to cover the rot in this country, it’s very convenient to show to people overseas…..where Die Antwoord, Zuluboy will show dem exactly how it is, I’m not into pretentious hip hop, but I admire these guys honesty, their music is genuine….. I really wanna see Shakira’s ass.
I think the fact that they lie is not great. But the reality is that Fifa never has to beg for attention. Neither does any European country. Only Africa needs an excuse or some European-given event to have a “chance”. Where the rest of the world does something worthy (and thereby attract attention) Africa sits on its hands, having petty arguments about Malema’s freedom song or Zuma’s harem and why none of this really is wrong.
The fact is that Africa does not want to play the colonialist’s game. Europeans have been called many things (none of which were nice) and even though Zuma is so hung up on kultcha, yet he couldn’t pay enough respect to the Queen because he didn’t know her culture. He is in essence a goat herder. And because of their anti-white attitude the country suffers from problems that would’ve been funny had it not affected your life. (The fact that we can’t afford to make enough electricity and yet we’re giving it away to foreign countries because the man who signs then gets his Marsadeez Banz).
So why then should Fifa or anyone else trust anything African to work. I live here and I don’t. Our international face is made up by the likes of Zuma and Malema which makes it perfectly reasonable why Fifa wouldn’t let us compose a birthday song for one of the players.
The is a book on African politics in which the author sadly stated that Africans sold their country for mirrors and brightly coloured cloth. I’ve heard this being paraphrase more than once and every time the transaction is different. Glass, mirror, shiny steel, clothing, cloth. What remains the same is that Africans sold their country for trivial little things. Like monkeys give up their freedom for an apple, a shallow pleasure of the flesh, so Africans sold an entire continent. The sad fact is that Africa never got smarter. Today the transaction is no longer a mirror and a cloth for your land but rather a Mercedes Benz and a bottle of Johnny Walker for your dignity, respect and the lives of the people on the African continent.
And no one else did this to them. They did it to themselves. So stop blaming Fifa and look at how incompetent we look. This whole thing was done by Africans to Africans.
Great article.
If the taxi drivers don’t get their way, you best believe they are gonna shoot a whole bunch of people.
everyone just ignores this.
worrying about a damn song
Oh,
Its impolite to trump an entire argument, by speaking on another level and dimension all together.
how would you like it If i suddenly said who care’s about taxi drivers shooting people
when HIV is rife…. another level, see what i did there…
A discussion at the bottom of an article, means that you discuss the article.
does shakira also get a free volkswagen?
a world cup with an “african” theme is not exactly an african world cup.
I agree, don’t just put a loose taxi comment out there without pointing out the relevance. Taxi drivers has been a law unto themselves for as long as I can remember. Their idea of free marketeering is shooting the competition. That’s wrong, but possibly irrelevant to the article.
the last sentence in my comment, relates my comment to the article.
but thanks for the lesson…dad
shit, im hungry
I sense another fight over minutia starting up.
Gooooooooooi Roger goooooi!
Waka Waka – Sounds like patronising rubbish. Samba, Soccer, Jazz & English are all European in origin but Africa has made them uniquely African & universal – so the sound & the Musicians are not the issue here – this so-called song is. It’s a tuneless un-South African Euro-American FIFA view of Africa not unlike the 50′s song: Bongo Bongo Bongo I Don’t Want To Leave The Congo? Like the vuvuzela it’s a noise that nobody can sing or will remember after the FIFA gang have colonised South Africa for a few months, stolen our money & dribbled back to Europe.
Fuck a Sean.
And no, I won’t merit your racist argument with intuitive counter-points. That would be above you. Bitchass expat.
loved the article andy
Sean shut the F*$ up, you’ve put you foot in shit now you wanna the rest of us to eat it with you!
He he. Sean is funny. A bit extreme but not entirely untrue.
I don’t like the new Waka waka.
@ Marius: huh?
well done mavis, good read….. the kids dig it regardless, but i spose they dont have the patience to scour the history or the politics
they just singalong
What a joke. Xulani would have smoked Shakira on this one!
Sean , what part of stick to the subject matter don’t you understand? I’m sure you’ll feature when this article gets written about! Moron!
I’m such an idiot, that I don’t know what this article is about, but I’ll just write anything anyway, and oh ja, I’ve got to catch a taxi now cos I’ve got to meet my boyfriend, and then I’ve got to got to Lolly’s memorial.
What makes South Africa so special? Not every World Cup has had the official song sung by local artists. They’ve been sung by people who will get FIFA the necessary exposure and attention. Why should FIFA run around giving South Africa hand outs? Surely we’re past this as a country? By making all these ridiculous demands and complaints, which seem to litter Mahala, you’re essentially saying: “We’re from South Africa, and we’re entitled.” We’re not entitled to anything – FIFA is an international brand, and an international organisation – obviously it’s going to leach where it can and look after themselves before they look after anyone else. But, the point of this whole tournament is to prove to the world what we as a country can or can’t do; to use it as a launching pad for the next however many years. So people will look back and think, “Shit, South Africa’s not half bad, you know?”
What makes this country more special than say France (Ricky Martin sang their song), or Korea (Anastasia), or Germany (Il Divo)? It’s this sense of entitlement that’s fuelling a lot the local World Cup hate, and goes a long way towards the whole “I’m from Africa so give me your money” reputation that is the scourge of the continent.
another use for the paint metaphor: liberal progressive surface, racist structure.
The article uses the example of the song to point out that Africa is being conned out of the limelight. I’m merely saying that the current government (like the other African governments) gave up the limelight. That is sticking to the subject matter. I suppose you’ll argue that poor Africa is once again being done in by the dark forces of the West. But I guess arguing against “poor Africa” on this website is asking for trouble. Sorry. This is after all the rainbow nation and we do deserve all the shiny things the world has to offer.
@ Don’t point your tentacle at me prawn!
Mostly i like your sentiment, but when it comes to figures..
Zolani is not as slim, but she’s a far better singer.
I’m an ostrich with my head stuck in the sand looking for shiny objects, I’m so far a head of my own evolution that I speak out my ass…..I’m feeling hard done by because the farm I’m in used to belong to ET and now I’m getting turned into biltong.
I agree with you on that knutty Molto, It would’ve been nice to have a local singer, but then maybe she takes Fres on her next world tour….been a hit in footie doesn’t necessarily get you cred in the music world….
@ AT
I think a big problem in Africa and particularly South Africa is the sense of entitlement. Blacks say they should have because they never had and whites say they should have because they’ve always had. It creates an economy based on hypothetical competencies while actual competency flies out the window. Now Fifa comes along and they don’t care much about internal politics. They’ll respect it as far as they can afford (financially).
To say that Fifa leeches is a bit rough. I guess it does business in a world where it’s every man for himself on an even playing field. In South Africa we are however so used to the “previously disadvantaged” advantage that it looks weird when we don’t have it and do things the way the rest of the world does it. It’s kinda cold when you open our tender hearts to the blizzard of the international world.
Maybe the World Cup will be a nice wake up call. It’ll show us where the bar is. It’ll remind us that the glory days of the rainbow nation is over, that corruption and hypocrisy is not cool and that we should be much closer to a fully functional democratic system.
Ieman hierdie vokker skiet, vok jou ! Vuil vokker hond!Wies jy? Niks!, Jy’s niks!
[...] The official song for the FIFA World Cup 2010 is Waka Waka by Colombian Shakira. The choice hasn’t pleased everyone – especially those in South Africa who feel the song … [...]
You are like bubblegum , you know the type you step on in summer and just doesn’t come off! I feel sorry for man you are really a dying breed…this hola nation is growing more united every day and it’s becoming less and less about the color of ones skin…
Could you explain Zhao?
I hope you’re unempleyed and your family’s on dry arid land and you mother is a maid for an indian…..I am your enemy!
No disrespect to our asian brothers and sisters out there
guys those with nothing nice or constructive to say should do an ancient retual of shuting their trap because I’m tired of ppl arguing about nonsense when they are issues to discuss that might get us thinking about good things.
Vok jou!
Anyway its good that FIFA is taking advantage of us because we now have beautiful infrastructure, if it weren’t for them we would be slowly developing as a young country. But now this occassion is a test need by Africa and South Africa to show the world what we are made of. What we need to do is stop identifying ourselves as us and them(black, white, indian and coloureds), we are all South Africans
Oh fking come on!!! Its an inevitable pairing…Shakira does commodified Latin for the American market, Freshlyground does commodified pop for the SA market. This song is not meant for the refined listenership of mahala.com, its meant to be converted into a ringtone that the world can download and drive their fellow citizens insane with through tiny built in speakers on their cellphones on public transport, in cinemas or just about anywhere you’d rather not have to hear it.
Play ‘Whenever, wherever’ or ‘Doo Be Doo’ on repeat for long enough and they’ll both drive you to to the point of attempting self oblivion. Both artists marketing is as cynical as the other, its just that Shakira is on a global scale, while Freshly is a localised infection. We have no right to moan, not after how ever many zillion units of Freshlygrounds debut album were bought for restaurants and dentists waiting rooms everywhere. The assimilation into the global pop carcinoma is the next step, so waka waka up people and smell the money.
Nice one Spicing Man, these people would still be complaining about how slowly the infrastructure is being upgraded and now that it’s been excelerated we’re having schools which are being used as training venues for teams getting world class flood lights and change rooms, lazer levelled fields… but these okes they’ve found something new to complain about….vokkit…. you and a few are whats gonna build our nation from a bunch of over critical yahoos into a strong nation that will be a mirror for the sun a true rainbow nation…you are our hope! Thanks man, I’d given up!
@ Marius
“this hola nation is growing more united every day and it’s becoming less and less about the color of ones skin”
The South African Institute of Race Relations won’t agree with you. But it is true that the average middle class South African is still a moderate chap. The problem is that that is a small bunch.
“Firstly, the ANC depends greatly on the tax income paid
by white South Africans to balance South Africa’s books. Secondly, it depends entirely on
the food produced by a small number of white farmers to feed the country. Thirdly, white
South Africans still dominate the skills base of the country. Finally, and most importantly,
much white opinion since the early 1990s has been moderate.” from the Institute of Race Relations. Read within context it doesn’t sell the picture of a rainbow nation.
So no, we’re not so booming anymore. We’re not done yet, but it’s in the post.
Also, go look at World Cup debt. All hosts suffer from it. The nice stadiums were very expensive. If not utilised after the World Cup we’ll have a problem. What will we do in there and will it be enough to pay for them. The roads weren’t free either. Neither was the train. And still we’re the only country in the world which is considering lowering the age for old age subsidies. I was an optimist but I can’t see where the money and skill is coming from.\
And somehow, for some strange reason, the optimists (like Julius Malema) can’t argue, the swear and shout at anyone who disagrees and dismiss them as an ostrich (huh) or bladdy bastard. We don’t have public debate programmed into these African systems of ours.
TJEEEEE…..! And is the color of your skin impotant?
Shakira is from Barranquila, she grow up with this song.
So you don’t have a problem with Traffasi?
Wonder how many South African artist will do this job for free? Trust me, it takes her lot of time , “20 centres in 2010 in Africa” (not only South Africa) is an education program.
She is a great humanitairian , UNICEF ambassador , awarded by the ILO, founder of the Barefoot foundation, co fouder of ALAS and ambassador for the 1goal foundation.
One question Andy…… what do you do, to make this planet a beter place voor kids?
I guess Lee nailed it right up front… 2nd comment “this song is garbage, and its selection is an insult to every musical giant from Azania.”
This WC has been positioned as Africa finally getting it’s spot in the sun. To bask in the glow of the flame bulb (to quote Corne and Twakkie). That’s the expectation that has been created by FIFA’s PR machine. And the reality is globo-schlock chasing the long bucks. At the end of the day the Official World Cup song is just a cheesy FIFA sanctioned pop song… but it’s also a missed opportunity for a little known African artist to showcase their skills to a global audience, in the spirit of FIFA’s positioning. It’s the fundamental dishonesty of the marketing that gets to me. Same old winner, same old loser.
I also think Sean makes some good points and a lot of the people who are attacking him should re-read what he’s posting. Because I think there’s a bit of misunderstanding going down.
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We’re currently going through the legal paper work of setting up the non profit Mahala Foundation that will expand the work of the Mahala Surf Co. that’ll allow us to do more advocacy work and expand into running educational workshops teaching media, journalism, photography and film making skills in disadvantaged communities…
Without turning this into a pissing contest, what is it that you do to make the planet better? Also, I think your anger is misdirected. I stated upfront that I think Shakira is both talented and hot (grrr) it’s not about Shakira. i’d be as bummed if the 2010 WC song was sung by Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, U2, Snoop Dogg or Michael Buble…
What’s really inexplicable is that Sony International is pushing new albums from Nneka and Sade hard right now – why wouldn’t they at least dip into their own stable for credible African artists? Morons.
Great article, Jingo.
I think we should hijack FIFA. Steal back what they stole from us and that sort of thing.
Andy, great article. It’s a real pity because there’s a huge community of talented musicians who feel the brunt of not being popular enough or with the right major or international labels to be picked for such an opportunity. No matter how many gigs we do in Germany,France,Holland,Switzerland end elsewhere EU every year. But this is an old,ongoing corporate scheme, and the corporates are not about to fix something that is not broken,simply because the WC is in Africa. I agree tough that we South Africans tend to feel unequivocally entitled to everything,so maybe this whole saga will teach us to see the wood for the tree and not buy so much into hype,which by the way we’re very good at.
Sean, I take it you are not “African”, or obviously don’t see yourself as part of this country. If that is the case why not pick up your bags and move to somewhere where the political situation is Eutopia? Because for all the worthiness of your argument,it seems that generalising and blaming all Africans for the internal political situation is a real cop-out,and your negativity is not needed.And do keep in mind that not all black people are ANC supporters; we have lives and are not dictated by idiotic Julius Malema’s rhetoric. Also, who is this author you mention? Because I’ve come across a lot of revisionist historians who have no other agenda but to point out their condescending, patronising,and superior views on a continent they know little about let alone are interested in.And before you deem to know so much about “the Queen’s culture”,please take a read at Giles Milton’s Big Chief Elizabeth, one of many good reads to get unapologetic perspective of just how Britain acquired its so- called culture. This article is about FIFA monopolising the “Africa” card and it affects everybody in our country,,black or white or green or purple. So please get off your high horse, shut up and move on.
I’m not so shocked and disgusted, to be honest.
The rest of the world isn’t as on the (re)distribution wagon as South Africans are. Not everyone thinks in terms of uplifting everyone else at the expense of themselves. In most of the developed world jobs are dished out purely on merit, as opposed to taking into account their disadvantaged backgrounds, race, yada yada.
FIFA would be taking more of a risk in terms of how much money they could be making using an African artist rather than riding on the wings of a she’s-so-hot-right-now artist like Shakira. Business is business. Bringing FIFA to SA was a risky bet to start with. If they want to play this bit safe (as well as all other things they are playing safe), I don’t judge them for it.
I’d find it hard to imagine anyone would really believe that FIFA’s decision to have Africa host here is entirely unphilantropical. What does one expect, for them to do one thing after the next diffently just because this is Africa? Come on.
And to those who think (South) Africa isn’t benefiting from FIFA hosting here, I’d just like you to have a look at the roadworks finally happening on the N2 meets M3 and M5 meets N1. Godsend I tell you.
@ African
I read it in a philosophical paper by an African philosopher. African philosophy does not rely on the written word which I would assume means that the idea takes priority over the actual word. And I’m well aware of the nature of Britain’s history. It’s not angelic or free of innocent blood. It’s just that if you claim the cultural high-ground, stick to it. Take it as well as you hand it out. And they gave her a second chess set. They didn’t keep track of old gifts.
And I don’t think all black people are ANC people. I understand the difference between a political group and a race group. But the logic does not flow both ways (at least not intuitively). Not all blacks are ANC, but the ANC is mostly black. And they live to serve that interest.
The problem with Julius is that even thougt not all people follow him you’ll find that a large, not so moderate group does. That is dangerous. What makes it worse is that Jacob is also kinda scared of him. He’s not a member of government and yet he parades around the world as a South African spokes person in the interest of nationalising the mines and then the farms. The line between party and government is virtually gone and party is not a mixed race club.
And as for leaving, well, be careful. The well-leave-then attitude has cost us a lot of skill. And while it can make you sound very smart and quirky by telling people to leave, you might find that they do. They called it the brain-drain. And stopped calling it anything because it might imply that SA actually needs the white skilled folks. I’m in two minds. I’ve built too much here. And my friends are here. But I might. The country does not want white people here and while some other country might not welcome me with open arms, they might tolerate me. Which is more than I can say for my own country.
Youtube a chap called Rendier. He speaks the mind of a lot of white people. He’s having a equality march on 21 March 2011. It calls for equality in SA. No BEE, no affirmative action. Just people living and working and getting along. But that would mean the end of the ANC. And why would they want that.
And another thing. Why attack me? “Get off your high horse”, and “you know so much” and so on. Where do I claim to know so much about the queen’s culture? And I don’t follow your logic where you ask who the writer is because you’ve read another book. Because? If someone likes nailing a continent it doesn’t make them wrong. It means they’ve got it in for the country. They are however right until they’re wrong. And besides, it was written by an African writer in a moment of sadness. I’ll see if I can find it again if you’re really interested. If it’s just for the sake of this argument I’m not opening a book. In addition to that you might find that unapologetic to one is condescending to another. And I cannot state clearly enough that I do not think other cultures have squeaky clean origins.
And other countries are no better in terms of corruption. But at least they try to hide it and make up logical stories and when politicians take cheap shots at each other they make it sound better than “she is sleeping around…” and that’s it.
I would also like to point out that at no point did I take cheap shots at anyone here. Wish I could say the same for the rest of you. I do however expect the likes of Marius Fourie to come back with an insightful “skiet hom die hond” or some such statement or even old African with some weird and irrelevant obvious statement like “black people have lives”. (and just for the record, I know this. And the ANC bit as well). I think what you must do is realise that not all white people are racist and not all racists are white.
I’m not Afrikaans but I’m always amused by how you can speak in an Afrikaans accent, make fun of Afrikaners and totally get away with it. Try that same joke with a black guy and see what happens. You’ll get called a racist (pronounces re-seast). Please note that this is just a thought and not a political mantra. I’m just saying it as a small thing I picked up. Afrikaans people as a sub-group of whites in SA has become a legitimate victim. And that is logically wrong but affirmatively right.
This Mahala page reminds me of The Beach where we can all be liberal and think what we want as long as you think what everyone else is thinking. Because around here everyone is unique, just like everyone else.
don’t believe the hype . . . it’s a sequel!
Sean, what effects did apartheid have on this country and when did it end?
I seriously think its better for everyone if people like you leave this country. You actually undermine Mandela’s leniency, and how he actually went out of his way to make this a home for you, despite everything. All the tension that exists here arises from the black majority castigated during apartheid simply demanding basic human rights. However, the sheer magnitude of the brutality of the apartheid government has made it immensely difficult to rectify the injustices in a space of 16 years. Yes there is corruption, but seeing only that is a cop-out that conveniently covers up the real question: how do we redistribute the wealth? So far, the ANC you hate so much has done well in placating the masses who, at times, feel they should simply take from you. What would you have if it were not somehow at their expence? And for many, if it means sacrificing this facade of first-worldness, then so be it. At least then they will have visibility, agency and basic human dignity. The problem with people like you is that you can never look beyond yourselves. You simply cannot see black people. Thats why you so readily leap on political figureheads and extrapolate, from their antics, the attitudes of the destitute millions who guard your houses, stir your tea, and weed your gardens. I say leave, we will not die without you. Africans are the most resilient people in the world – weve been utterly fucked by the international community you defer to and yet were still standing. In any case, it is only matter of time, now. People are losing they tolerance for the selfish, and the politicians who protect them indirectly by keeping them distracted.
@Doctor L
This country could’ve been a lot more than it is now. I’ve personally been in areas to help build the things that they need and that government fail to provide (all financed with my own apartheid money). I have no issues with any other ordinary man in SA. (And go take a deeper look before you talk about Mandela’s leniency).
I understand the social, political and economic injustices of the previous regime. But it was a while ago now. And in a recent visit to a few rural areas I found that not much has improved. In fact, a few elderly men said they missed the apartheid years, they were prisoners but at least they were fed. Now they are free hungry men. And why do they wear the ANC shirt, well because it’s the only shirt they’ve got.
Wealth redistribution is thinking a bit small. Yes, people need food and shelter (which is the sort of thing I don’t mind helping with) but then we need more schools, better education and higher qualification standards at university. A redistribution of the means to generate real wealth. An equal chance does not mean that everyone’s likelihood of ending at the top is equal, it means that we all get the same opportunity to make the most of life. That is what the ANC will not provide.
And why if they do so well in placating the masses do we kill so many people? At one point we were one death a day behind the Israel-Palastinian war. And that’s a war. We’re supposed to be at peace. So yes if that is their only job, they’re not doing too well.
And then there’s the energy crisis. Corruption is one thing but to actually drop the ball. And how does this massive inefficiency help the poor? Or does it make them feel better that the wealthy are in the dark? And in addition to that they were selling power at a lower that cost proceed to an international group. And I’ll put good money on it that someone walked away with a big car and pat on the back. And the poor is, well, still poor. Only now they are poor with less power.
Then to help the whole thing along the one idiot at Eskom leaves with a golden handshake but not before securing a deal with Hitachi that will land the ANC a good amount of money. The ANC is making money out of government deals. You might (worryingly) say that’s ok but that in fact constitutes a criminal state. Criminal states don’t care much about the masses.
Your argument a marvelous display of what some call the crab-mentality. When you stick all the crabs in a bucket and one starts making his way out, the others grab hiom by his feet and pull him back. No one is then better off and they’re all equal. You are saying that we should not advance the first world section of our country (which will boost services, products, the economy and money going around – meaning more tax money for government handouts). Instead you say, allow the corruption, ignore the middle class and if we all devolve back to a third world state, we’ll all be happy because then we’re all equal. No one has anything so everyone has everything.
If you say the selfish and the politicians it sounds kinda weird. The selfish are the politicians. The community I live in readily distributes anything they’ve got to the ends of dignity, education and sometimes even just fun. And you will not believe this but if you stick you head out the window you’ll find that like many other white middle class folks, a dog guards my house, I stir my own tea and weed my own garden.
Another interesting fact about SA is that many families now turn help down because of your argument up there and because of unions. So yes, people clean their own homes and kids make their own beds and a woman who would otherwise earn a few hundred bucks in a morning is now sitting at home trying to make ends meet. Yes, the situation does get abused but there are two sides to that story.
“Africans are the most resilient people in the world – weve been utterly fucked by the international community you defer to and yet were still standing.” Don’t say things like that, it’s offensive. Firstly Africa has not (yet) been utterly fucked by anyone – but the Chinese government is slowly moving in. And secondly, you can say that for cockroaches, dogs, butterflies, white people, trees, just about anything that’s been in existence since animals started walking on their back legs. There’s nothing particularly resilient it purely out breeding a mortality rate. (And here I’m not saying you or your friends, it’s a statistical fact and looking at all sorts of rates and expectancies). Fact is that if things worked the way they were supposed to there would be more schools, more teachers, more doctors, more money more everything and standard of living would shoot up. That’s my issues with SA. Not the blacks or the coloureds or the whites or the fact that Cape Townians rave about a mountain they did’t even build in the first place. It’s because things could’ve been better. True glory was within reach. And now it’s slipping away.
If all the people with wealth are gone, there is no tax money. There will be no skill to fix it. It’s happened before. And the only thing that is then left is the poor masses and the broken degraded buildings from an era where there were more. Go look at African countries and see what the infrastructure is like. It’s not a better-worse argument. I’m arguing for team work and transparency.
For the last time Sean, I dunno how else to put it to you , I am at my wits end….how in Gods blue earth has your ranting and raving have anything to do with Shakira’s and Freshly Grounds collaboration at the opening ceremony.
I personally agree with the majority views in this article that the song in kak, You have been up your own arse this entire time…what are you suffering from? opinionated regardless of context beyond the point of obsurd dot com moron syndrome…..I have nothing left to say to you….
Nevermind. You have any enemy and youre staying fixed on it. The government, ostensibly, has never done anything towards social development. At least not as much than youve done through charity. You have an extremely narrow view. Youre not using facts to back your claims, and mixing and matching off topic shit to convince me that in our entire history all we have to worry about is the government of the past 16 years? Im not condoning the corruption but thats just bullshit. And furthermore, this society will never be equal through the way you suggest, and the fact that you cant understand that makes me think that we truly live in separate South Africas. But then again why should you bother? You “live here and [you] dont”.
Sean, nevermind. You have any enemy and youre staying fixed on it. The government, ostensibly, has never done anything towards social development. At least not as much youve done through charity. You have an extremely narrow view. Youre not using facts to back your claims re particular government failures, and youre mixing and matching off topic shit to convince me that in our entire history all we have to blame is the government of the past 16 years? Im not condoning the corruption but thats just bullshit. I dont give a fuck how much you weed your own garden. . .how old are you, anyway? Do you even read the rest of this site or do you just scour the net for forums where you can lecture people on how shit the government is, and then back that up with anecdotal evidence about going to rural areas and giving alms? Ill spare us the requisite back and forth. Heres what I think in a nutshell: its a bit more complicated than that, and you, yes you, are not outside of culpability. Best we get back to the topic, now. Its Friday and Im too thirsty for this shit.
@ Marius
It’s relevant because my original point was that SA has not presented themselves as competent which is why we can’t moan when we can’t get to sing the song. Then you said something mind blowing and then a whole bunch of people started shooting down white people and the apartheid regime. And now I’m called mad. That’s odd. Also, you don’t have to read everything you see. I’d hate to see you in public swearing and complimenting every piece of literature on every wall. Normal people look at posts, I’ve they’re interested they post something, if they hate it, well, they move along. You don’t have to say something.
@ Doctor L
“You have an extremely narrow view.” What am I missing here?
“You’re not using facts to back your claims” Please show me where I’m not using fact or first hand experience.
“in our entire history all we have to worry about is the government of the past 16 years”
In the past 2 years we’ve had nothing else to worry about. In our entire history there has been the British, the Afrikaners, Poverty, Xenophobia and the list goes on. In the bigger scheme of things the ANC is the best thing that happened to this country. What you’re doing is like saying it’s ok for you to punch your friend in the face, because Sean shot someone in the stomach the other day. Also, like the NP, the ANC has now outlived its purpose. We don’t need the medicine anymore. SA neede ANC to get well, if we take more ANC now, we’ll get sick again. Like cough syrup.
“this society will never be equal through the way you suggest”
Societies aren’t equal because people are different. Some economic theory rests on it. But the rest of the world utilises this. And that’s why the rest of the world gets to have a Fifa and we don’t even get a song. Your definition of equality can’t make anyone succeed because we must stick to the lowest denominator. Society is then defined by its weakest. I say, let the strong get stronger and lead and finance us. I’m not the strongest, but I’ll be happy to take a backseat to a more competent man (or woman). What do you suggest as a theory (doesn’t even have to be very pragmatic).
Also, I’ve responded to a lot of your points but you just drop them, please finish an argument once you start. And stop chasing people out of the country. it’s very Julius Malema to chase people away when they disagree.
PS: Don’t worry Marius, you can take a break, you’ve really added to this whole thing with that bit with all the “vok” in it and that dog thing. And any man would be at his wits end with such a stellar performance of sheer intellect.
Anonymous is me, sorry.
Doctor L has developed a very nasty habit of hijacking the comment threads on mahala to bait others towards discussing their own racist agenda. Some readers with nobler intentions have fallen for this, but it is now time for the silly charade to end.
I suggest the following: let the good Doctor submit his/her list of demands to mahala for publication as a separate opinion piece. Let’s make it an opportunity for Doctor L to air grievances for once and for all rather than the piecemeal fragments of complaint that we have been getting over the last few weeks. Something like a point-by-point list of things that white South Africans must do in order to justify their continued existence in this land would be useful. Then we can debate the relevance and realism of his/her expectations for once and for all.
Where else can I find Doctor L?
All this Fifa bashing is a little surprising. Fifa is a global organisation that, much like a McDonalds, looks and feels the same wherever you are around the world. Fifa’s prerogative, like all other organisations is towards continuity and the bottom line, all other agendas are secondary. These include showcasing cultural diversity showing off the country etc. Fifa want to make sure that their product, is of a consistent and high quality each and every time. In much the same way as a big Mac tastes the same in Delhi as it does in Denver.
When you bid for a McDonalds franchise you bid for it on the premise that it is an established brand and that alone will bring feet through the door. McDonalds gives you a strict and precise franchisee agreement. You sign it and watch the people stream through the door drawn by the big M. McDonalds might let you get away with repositioning the condiment tray but you’re not going to get away with serving your own recipe for a big Mac.
The same principal applies to bidding for Fifa’s world cup franchise. You bid for the license knowing exactly how rigid Fifa’s rules are and on the promise(real or imagined) of people coming through your borders drawn by the football. I don’t necessarily agree with Fifa’s unashamed commercial objective because I believe that there is real scope for Fifa to make real statements and lasting differences where they operate especially when it is the first time they’ve hosted a wc there. My only surprise is that everyone else is so surprised and cut up. When was Fifa ever different.
My other issue is that the complaints about Shakira fronting the world cup song are very hypocritical coming from South Africans. The South African music market is highly dominated by international sales. 77% International versus 23% local at last check. This number translates into a similar ratio for play on commercial radio stations. I don’t have the number for Shakira’s sales in South Africa but I am pretty certain that she outsells freshly ground and any of her concert co performers in this county. Most years the highest selling artist on the South African market is an international artist. And here Is an interesting thought; last year’s best selling album was Bok van Blerk-Afrikaner Hart. His sales indicate that he’s popular and a good ambassador for SA. Maybe he should be given a shot at the world cup concert.
The look and feel and direction of the world cup was always going to be driven my Fifa. And that is ok. It’s their world cup, they own it and they will live with it after 2010. South Africans’ national identity, culture, music and art is the possession of south Africans. WE own it and it is out responsibility to show it off to the world. We can start by consuming our own music.
Amen Paul.
Paul has it right. Fifa wants to sell and make money. It’s a profit driven organisation, not a charity promoting friendship amongst the peoples of the planet.
And one of their products is the 2010 world cup song. It has to be sung by someone world famous because it’s good publicity. And that’s all there is to it.
excellent article.
@ the entry-level apologists above. stop overthinking it. noone is questioning shakira’s motives. they ARE questioning why an SA artist wasn’t asked to do it.
MANDOZA??!?!?!?
ZOLA?!?!?!?!?
MDU?!?!?!?!?!
BIG NUZ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
hellooo? this one’s for Africa yeah
it’s just total kak. Sony should be fucking ashamed.
@sean – i don’t quite have the time to read all of this, so it may have been answered. i just want to ask about the equality march next year. does it include anything about taking all the white people’s money and assets and dividing them up amongst the poor blacks of the country? if so, then this is a march i would join. if we can have a time frame to try and level the field so that equality is real and not just – the white carry on having it all and then talk (ad nauseum) about the few blacks who have what little wealth is in black hands ( really it’s so boring there are so few of them, let’s talk about something else please) . – i mean the real deal, where the blacks aren’t all cramped in shacks, but sharing houses with the former madams. i am serious – and i say that because i know that most people find the suggestion ridiculous, but i know we would hate it each other far less after sharing some houses for a good five or six years. we are all just people. no one wants to be poor or afraid and all south africans are living in these two extremes.
imagine how strongly white business would get behind the governments (yes incompetent, let’s keep saying it so the whites happy) to build houses. if white business pulled some muscles and ensured the underpaid home affairs dude didn’t end up giving the rdp house to the highest bidder instead. because right now the whites just expects the black govt to solve all those niggly little things and then hold ineffectual marches. what if we lived with our great white saviors the farmers in their houses and they watched as we struggled to put together R10 to buy the mielie meal they continue to over prize by 300%? and if whites had to share their millions in the bank, would the fat cats at tiger brands etc still be inflating prices as they are, continuing to engage in wastage practices, calling for the end of BEE? if the whites are willing to subsidiese equality so that it’s real, let’s go for it. and yes, we’ll make all five rich blacks play nicely with the other children too, okay.
you’re funny sean, you advocate this march for pulling down BEE and affirmative action and then point out how the whites still own and run everything(saving the foolish africans from themselves). i gather in your world this is ok?
sorry, then you are advocating civil war. blacks just will not just sit and let whites be with their fat wallets while we suffer. it’s not a threat, it’s reality that has to be faced. we need that one white hero who is going to make a call to his people to declare their wealth and quite literally, slice up the pie. sorry, but blacks aren’t dumb. we know that white farmers “own” the land but we know that it’s the blacks that work and the farmer just gets rich. that is true of absolutely every industry. we are the labour, you can’t tell us to piss off and leave you alone to be “equal”. yes, we feel entitled to the fruits of our labour which have only made white people rich. look at any building and know that black hands laid the foundation, bricks and mortar. the pair of jeans you are wearing, the polite manners and good health of your children, the anivessary ring your dad gives to your mom to cement their bond further. none would be there without black hands. so yes, we feel entitled because we see that what we do can bring about all these outcomes.
so we don’t accept your insistence that we are sitting on our hands. how dare you! we do not accept your fake equality. it’s a lie. so let’s get away from that ludicrous notion first if we are to engage. my white brethren, do i hear any takers for starting to really share? call the papers, youtube it, make it a global movement. let’s see that white people have really changed and aren’t just here to exploit us.
and as for selling the land for some mirrors and shiny cloth – you are aware that african land was mostly communally owned so couldn’t be sold. i realise that those who wrote about it were whites who couldn’t fathom the idea of people saying you can use the land and milk the cows, since you are willing to share what you have with me. they thought a sale was going on. but really that idea is from 1976 vervoed syllabus std 6 history. please, don’t ever embarrass yourself by bringing it up again.
i would think that a ‘soccer world cup’ would be about soccer….and less about money blah blah blah blah
@ Zamo
Read all the posts. I have answered these questions. You’ll just have to read, I can’t just give this to you.
And government is taking land back because we’re running out of food because like engineering, farming is a science. Double-eish.
“and as for selling the land for some mirrors and shiny cloth – you are aware that african land was mostly communally owned so couldn’t be sold. i realise that those who wrote about it were whites who couldn’t fathom the idea of people saying you can use the land and milk the cows, since you are willing to share what you have with me. they thought a sale was going on. but really that idea is from 1976 vervoed syllabus std 6 history. please, don’t ever embarrass yourself by bringing it up again.” – it was an African poet who said this. I ‘m just quoting. It was more the poetic relevance of such a statement today than it was an argumentative statement. And the way arguments work is that you argue why it’s wrong or right, not by pointing out that the concept of ownership was different in another world, or that it was in a standard 6 syllabus. There’s another book called The Capitalist Nigger which has similar arguments (more in principle). It was written by a black dude so don’t go at white people again. And listen, I’m not anti-black. I’m anti-racism and anti-ANC. They don’t do politics well, they’re more into politicking.
But people like you and your post is exactly why this whole argument fits this article. Africa says whites and Europeans are wrong and stupid and then they cry when Europeans don’t trust them to do things the European way. Our government is an embarrassment to the world. In a jokingly weird way.
And just now looking back at your post, geez. Where do you think the wealth came from? Did the wealthy take it from the poor? Because on the other hand we find that the poor has always been poor. The wealthy created the wealth through hard work.
And I boycott inflated prices. I don’t support those companies. People who inflate food prices are the worst kind of person you’ll find.
It’s not a stock issue that the march is about. It’s about the ability to create wealth. The ANC has now been in charge for a good while and things are getting worse. The country has no real leader and instead of pulling together and making things work, there’s all this bitching about just wanting another man’s money. You lot…
And 5 wealthy blacks? I can think of 5 I know. And that excludes the guys in the newspapers. There are more than 5.
And even so, government taxes that white devil’s wealth that springs out the ether and uses a lot for redistribution. Or so they say. The pie is sliced. Income is taxed in order to pay for public services and to feed the poor. Yet we still buy our own schooling, policing and health care. And then the poor is still not helped and still angry. I used to do social work as well, which means in addition to paying government to do it, I do that as well. What are they doing with almost half our income?
The root of the problem is this sense of entitlement. If you drive through any African country our rural area people hold their hands out in that well known beggar fashion, in an almost automatic way. Babies sit on their mother’s hips and hold their hands for a free handout. And it runs from the poorest to the rich. Give or I’ll take. Government does it, the poor does it and you suggest it. It’s pathetic. The rich make wealth. Go watch Chris Rock on being rich and being wealthy. At least he can say it because he’s black.
@Doctor L and Zamo (who I suspect are the same person). Would you expect ALL wealthier South Africans to share their homes, or just the white ones? Is it okay for the likes of Julius Malema to say “why shouldn’t we have these things?” when they are accused of a lavish lifestyle while you are lambasting middle-class whites for wanting to live in their own homes?
By claiming that the amount of wealthier black South Africans is insignificant, you conveniently deflect this luxury-gap argument from being an issue of income and “class” to a more sinister agenda which is rooted primarily in culture. I say this because it is very clear that you actually don’t mind the vast majority of blacks living a very basic lifestyle (you’re smart enough to realize that there’s not enough money to make evryone comfortable), but what is intolerable for you is that whites continue to live here in the manner of their own choosing, with their own cultural preferences upheld and supported by a “capitalist” economy. That’s what hurts more than anything else. Depriving whites of wealth would not be enough, a true victory would be to have them submit to your cultural practises, rituals and lifestyles. That would be a true and complete victory over Apartheid – complete assimilation to the point that skin colour really is the only remaining differentiator (and within a couple of generations that too would start to fade, or rather darken).
And I suspect that this is becoming a more pressing issue for you because the “few” wealthier black people here are moving things in the opposite direction. Their extra income is not being spent on entreching and promoting traditional African culture in our society, it is being spent self-indulgently on trappings of a distinctly Euro-centric nature – palatial homes with very Western architecture, Armani suits ahead of African couture, German and Italian luxury cars, domestic servants and electrified perimeter fencing. They want all these things and you cannot persuade them otherwise with the virtues of your cultural traditions.
So in the absence of seductive appeal and competitive edge, your cultural preferences are best employed as an instrument of revenge. By directly associating the lifestyle preferences of all wealthier people with the evils of Apartheid you hope to leverage a different result based on white guilt and black outrage. And if South Africa were still an isolated state subject to international sanctions and cultural boycotts you may just stand a chance. However, that is no longer the case and Global Capitalism will not free South Africa from its gaze. You need to travel far and wide to realize that the things desired by all wealthier South Africans are in fact the prerogative of all ambitious people across the globe. If you tink that you can dictate a different ethic in our land based on a guilt-fed argument, then you are farting against thunder.
Hello and well done for a very depressing but real report on the WC debacle.
South African culture is being completely sidelined including the rich repertoire of soccer songs SA fans sing in the stadiums.
We have Sean to thank for that, what has anything you say have anything to do with S.A music or The Fifa World Cup. Arsehole!
@ Marius
I’ll just repeat his bit. “It’s relevant because my original point was that SA has not presented themselves as competent which is why we can’t moan when we can’t get to sing the song.”
and then explain some more…
People then started to defend many aspects of the current government and I replied. You (Marius Fourie) has not made any real contribution to this argument. You claim that you’re above it and yet you constantly return to tell us that you can’t see the link between the argument and the article (which is worrying).
Realism Puh-leez made the first interesting point in pointing out the natural tendency for wealth to follow European ways. Now you can swear and argue but if you step back and take an honest look, you’ll find it is true. Not absolutely, but significantly. Also note the lack of words like “vok” and “arsehole”.
…and what do you thank me for?
@Marius, if you still don’t understand why you should probably re-read this whole lot of posts again from beginning to end. More than most posters, Sean has written very concise, unemotional, rational sequence of comments and responses. In contrast, you’re just writing a whole lot of baseless, emotional garbage. Then you go on to to repeat it. How about using this opportunity to have a rational conversation and perhaps learn something, rather than spew vitriol?
@Zamo: if it were up to you, SA would just turn into another Zim. Your argument about poverty vs wealthy happens to occur outside of SA as well. It’s referred to as inequality in classes. I think you’re confusing the race argument with this, which is understandable and very common in South Africa, since the lines of race and class correspond almost entirely. This is not so elsewhere, like India, Brazil, China, or even the US, for example.
Class inequality in countries is partly due to certain technological advances that certain societies/countries have over others. This has always been so tribally as well. The tribes with the best tech (for example, Ghenghis Khan’s use of advanced weaponry like flaming/loudly whistling arrows, England’s superior naval fleet, or the Vikings before that) led to considerable advantage over other societies. This is a simplistic view, of course, but since when in the past few thousand years (pre 1900s) does mankind just dish out housing, food, money, or whatever, for the sake of ‘past injustices’. I’d say never. The fact that they do is a fantastic indicator of how much civilization has advanced. I’m afraid your remarks, Zamo, are not quite at that level. All you seem to want to do is redistribute, rather than reward, and fight out of envy (‘let whites be with their fat wallets’) rather than learn for us to measure our own wealth truly objectively.
Before the West landed in SA, people were in this state of “inequality” already, in comparison to westerners. What’s angering people in SA now is that they think that this state of rural/”disadvantaged” living is somehow entirely due to apartheid. It’s not. It was like this before the West came here. But I’ll tell you this, apartheid certainly did not help it, and definitely messed up other things along the way.
The fact remains that only 10% of the world’s population is middle class, and 60% live below the poverty line (<$1/day). It is impossible for everyone to have the same as everyone else, that is, if that something is the civilised toys and trappings in Western society like technology, cars, western medicine, cheap energy, etc. There is simply not enough resources to go around – money, energy from fossil fuels, raw materials, etc.
Sure, some people have it better than others, but if I consider that more people are "able" to live in the world at the moment, simultaneously, than the sum of all people that have ever lived on this planet since the beginning of mankind, it somehow puts things into perspective – for me, at least.
Concise? Is it? Do you expect everyone to suck all of this mis-representative regurgitation and put it in the same context as what this article is about. What is your opinion in any case on the subject matter?( That would be just the song). The performers credentials aren’t in question here. The entire basis of your argument is based on racial divides and is a series of gross generalizations that fail to to form an argument in regard to the subject matter. You have said very little about why Shakira or Freshly Ground should or shouldn’t be doing the song..The fact of the matter is it’s the Fifa world cup, with representatives from almost every country on the planet and that is why there are collaborations at every possible level with the yardstick being one represented by Fifa, the league of soccer nations’ governing body. I hope I never ask you for the time.
Not everybody agrees with the way that politicians go about their governance. The fact is that there is corruption in every faculty globally. Look at what’s happening in Greece as a result of corruption in loan ethics directly attributed to American banks and governance which has resulted in the debt. What are those people rioting in the street for? Is it because of an illusion of entitlement?
As far as it goes in S.A, is it wrong that people demand a stake in the economy that was built on the backs of their forefathers? A generations of broken tradition and social structured way of life where peoples cattle and land were taken away and 80% of the countries population forced to 13% of the least arable land and then forced to pay taxes, where their only recourse was mining and working for farmers on their own land to build the white peoples economy? It is easier and takes longer to break a limb than to heal it. Especially when you have a generation of unscrupulous militant politicians engineered by the apartheid system to not have any social responsibilities except to themselves. The quality of people in a generation can be directly attributed to the system in which they exist. Therefore is stands to reason that the 70′s, 80′s and early 90′s generations are some of the most violent revolutionary and corrupt in our history. They are generations engineered by the circumstances, essentially a product of apartheid. You have done much to link history to the present, now as much as it illudes you this is a major factor and your own wealth can directly attributed to black labour, whether it be the street you travel on, your clean clothes, or the building you’re sitting in.
Sorry to everyone….After being force fed garbage, retaliation is not unreasonable.
@ Marius
We covered the soccer song bit. But such a statement says a lot more than it says. Arguments evolve and what happened here was that the underlying mechanisms of the songs was pushed to the stage. They’re as relevant as the song itself. And no, a South African MUST no sing the song. They can (if chosen) but they weren’t so they can’t.
I do state earlier that I know all countries have corruption. The Greece situation stretches beyond the realm of governance alone but can still be argued to be relevant. The US has wiped out whole cities and rebuilt it themselves, making money in the killing, and then making money in rebuilding. But this (once again) is like saying it’s ok for you to kick someone in the leg because I kicked him in the head. The bar is not set at another countries violations, they are set with discussion, argument and mutual agreements.
Then, to go further and say that it’s ok if they are corrupt and militant because they come from a tough background is even worse. Ted Bundy had a tough life, doesn’t mean what he did was ok. South Africans no longer respect a system or a structure, we look to the Strong Men in that system. If we respected and lives according to the rules set out at the fall of Apartheid we would’ve been fine, but instead we replaced rules with men and regulations with their cronies. The Strong Man is a very African political concept and in my opinion, it has never produced a thriving country.
I sat down and thought about it for a while but neither the building I’m in, the clean clothes I wear, or my income is related to apartheid. Really not one. And there’s nothing wrong with other people being a factor in someone’s luxury. I’ve spoken to some Germans about Mercedes Benz and they’re ok with the fact that their grandfathers are a major factor in the making of someone’s luxury saloon.
And I disagree with the fact that suffering makes you “unscrupulous” and “militant”. Lots of people went through struggling and not all of them turns into corrupt officials. And still, the fact that you can tell why there’s a problem doesn’t make it ok. To add to my Ted Bundy example – if my car’s gearbox falls out I can’t say: “phew, don’t worry, the gearbox came undone, let’s be off”. The car is then broken and needs to be fixed. It’s exactly like saying, “phew, don’t worry, they are just a product of Apartheid, let carry on.” It’s still wrong and still needs to be remedied.
The current economy was not built purely on slave labour. The Apartheid economy is a little bit more complex than that. Very wrong,but very complex. And if it was built on their backs, why that generation? Why not 600 years ago. Don’t you think the Afrikaners had some influence. As far as I know we haven’t been selling cool military technology to the US since, well, they peak of Apartheid. Fact is they brought innovation. At a massive moral and ethical cost. It wasn’t right but it happened. And now it changed. And now it’s wrong again.
Also, it’s no secret that it wasn’t anyone’s choice to work in the mines. They were violently transported to the mines and forced to work. At times it was genuine slave labour. The old regime gives the Nazi’s a run for their money and if you think I support them, you’re wrong again. But I’m not 16 years old, I can think and argue and I don’t believe that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The old laager mentality the Afrikaner never appealed to me. I believe in inclusive systems of comparative advantage. The Apartheid regime was definitely not that and this current regime is not far behind. (And I’m not only talking white black, I’m talking the included and the excluded). Go look at the people who run this country and look at their qualifications. Also, see if you can find some of these posts from hard working students in the location to Julius Malema.
And you weren’t force fed rubbish. Don’t now try to back out of your vile comments and take the moral high ground – and the moral high ground is no longer populated by ANC comrades. They sold out a long time ago.. You came here. No one forced you. You read it. And once again, no one forced you. And then you commented.
I”Vok jou ” is hardly retaliation. This last comment of yours was a response (I refrain from retaliation as I don’t subscribe to a war mentality).
And thanks for the last comment. Really.
I can’t wait for the world cup to be over. It’s embarrassing how everyone’s scrabbled to get a piece of the pie, and at the end of the day, some poor bastard sitting in his hut in rural Africa won’t see a cent or the benefits of this fiasco.
roll on August.
@Marius Scroll up. I did comment on the song a few days ago.
Fifa is clearly not the yardstick, hence this article and all this discussion. They are what they are. What’s left is our unfulfilled, perhaps unjustified expectations of how the world, business and social equality should work.
If I were FIFA, considering the state of the global economy, Greece, unsold WC tickets, Eyjafjallajokull, political instability in SA, etc. no matter how do-goody I was feeling a few months/years before, I would at this stage of things maximise the chances of making money elsewhere to balance out these risks, as with this song where FIFA gets royalties on sales, by betting on more of a sure thing, i.e. mega international sales, like Shakira, than less of a sure thing, however likely, like Mandoza or Freshly Ground.
And I hate to say it, but I think the song is very well produced, performed and all in all, I like it. In fact, despite not being a Shakira fan at all, I played it about 8 or 10 times after reading this article. Sure, I’ll probably hate it soon, as with most pop hits.
What I don’t like is the fact that admitting this makes me feel as if I am somehow deeply unpatriotic. Isn’t that just ridiculous?
I agree with you, the production is great, well performed etc. and it’s not the worst song in terms of it’s African feel and is effective in A ‘The Lion King ‘ sort of way. The title is about the biggest problem I have with it and the tendency to repeat title, whether it’s Bafana Bafana, AmaBokoboko, ans waka waka….it’s just annoying…. no you’re not unpatriotic.
But S.A music has to go beyond this doobie doobie phase it’s just shows lack of intellect, but then the again majority of listeners are represented by the populis radio stations so that proved the point of our average listener lack taste.
You said it yourself: the World Cup is ‘a global showcase positioned entirely towards the rich and powerful markets of the first world… And FIFA and Sony were not about to take the “risk” on untested African artists…’ When last did anyone from SA have a big international hit? I’m thinking early 70′s, Clout… This is the beautiful game, but also the global game – nothing wrong with Fifa trying to appeal to a global audience with their theme tune. If we use your argument in the context of actual football, you’re effectively saying SA (or another African team) should be given a free pass to the 2nd round so that they can better “showcase for African and South African talent…” It’s B.S. So is the song admittedly, but 90% of the planet is gonna disagree…
I partly agree with Sean, but the last few comments..way too long Dude so I might be re-itterating something you’ve said. I think what everyone needs to keep in mind is that is not a South African World Cup, its a FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa. We’ve known that this was coming since 2004, but sat on our asses for 6 years. Now, artists and citizens alike are complaining because they want a piece of the 2010 pie, but expect to have to do anything to get it.
Dammit. All these posts are tl;dr. Ag. Now I have a nasty headache… and a tad upset I wasted an hour of my time reading this ;_; I couldn’t even watch the video cause it’s not available anymore. Fmylife.