South Africa will not be rid of the crime wave after the 2010 World Cup.
Well, for starters, it is not Fifa’s responsibility to eradicate crime in host countries.
World football’s flagship competition has been the catalyst for much infrastructural development, but never before has it been documented that, as a direct result of the month-long event, everyone in the host country lived happily ever after in a crime-free environment.
That’s a pipedream - and the sooner we face that reality the better. Fifa president Sepp Blatter had a full go at international detractors during his whistle-stop visit to the Mother City earlier this week, but little could he have known that the Cape would burn later the same evening courtesy of the latest war between frustrated communities and drug dealers.
Blatter could also not have known that, at about the same time, a helpless little disabled girl would be gang-raped or that another young girl would stab a woman to death or that somewhere on the Flats people were having their houses burgled, some victims being more fortunate than those who lost their lives in the process just last week.
We have a major problem, and World Cup 2010 will not bring the desired relief.
Yes, the 2010 show will deliver a couple of widened roads, bigger airports, better transport systems for some, hordes of tourists and upgraded (football) venues, and so on and so on.
But why must we wait for this wonderful sporting showpiece to be staged here before the authorities inject the missing urgency?
In this country, respect for life had, in fact, diminished a long time ago. In the dark days of apartheid, I lost a younger brother through senseless violence, his charred remains stuck in the front seat of his panel van after thugs had thrown a petrol bomb through the front window.
People blamed the system, saying a loss of dignity and human rights and poverty had led to his death and other tragedies of the time.
Years later, though, we all still live in fear; yes, even the previously advantaged whites who back then could not have imagined nor bothered about a day in the life of a township dweller.
Blatter said we must ignore “those jealous critics who rubbish South Africa’s ability to host a safe World Cup”, and so we should, because it’s not football’s job to ensure that the Promised Land materialise for the citizens of this country.
However, I take huge exception to the nonchalant manner in which the topic of crime is dealt with at press gatherings such as Tuesday’s on the site of the new Green Point Stadium.
Claiming that crime was rife all over the world anyway is tantamount to ignoring the plight of the local people and is no way of dealing with the scourge on our shores. It was a rather short-sighted view which does nothing to ease the pain and suffering of the masses.
Ultimately, though, the government and the police have to heed the desperate cries. They owe it to the people to find the solutions because it’s downright dangerous out there. And calling on the poor communities to do more is simply passing the buck, and this week proved exactly the dangers attached to empowering ordinary people who have spent most of their lives in fear.
Try solving the crime problem in your area after a tough day at work - with a family to feed and keep safe - or, even worse, a day spent begging for work or for food. Is that not exactly why, as a civilized society, we have law enforcers?
I have been privy to the wonderful atmosphere of the previous two World Cups and there’s absolutely no comparison. But then how much joy would 2010 bring to the then victims of especially violent crimes?
Would hosting the planet’s multi-millionaire star footballers mean a damn thing should life remain so cheap?
- Cape Times
Well, for starters, it is not Fifa’s responsibility to eradicate crime in host countries.
World football’s flagship competition has been the catalyst for much infrastructural development, but never before has it been documented that, as a direct result of the month-long event, everyone in the host country lived happily ever after in a crime-free environment.
That’s a pipedream - and the sooner we face that reality the better. Fifa president Sepp Blatter had a full go at international detractors during his whistle-stop visit to the Mother City earlier this week, but little could he have known that the Cape would burn later the same evening courtesy of the latest war between frustrated communities and drug dealers.
Blatter could also not have known that, at about the same time, a helpless little disabled girl would be gang-raped or that another young girl would stab a woman to death or that somewhere on the Flats people were having their houses burgled, some victims being more fortunate than those who lost their lives in the process just last week.
We have a major problem, and World Cup 2010 will not bring the desired relief.
Yes, the 2010 show will deliver a couple of widened roads, bigger airports, better transport systems for some, hordes of tourists and upgraded (football) venues, and so on and so on.
But why must we wait for this wonderful sporting showpiece to be staged here before the authorities inject the missing urgency?
In this country, respect for life had, in fact, diminished a long time ago. In the dark days of apartheid, I lost a younger brother through senseless violence, his charred remains stuck in the front seat of his panel van after thugs had thrown a petrol bomb through the front window.
People blamed the system, saying a loss of dignity and human rights and poverty had led to his death and other tragedies of the time.
Years later, though, we all still live in fear; yes, even the previously advantaged whites who back then could not have imagined nor bothered about a day in the life of a township dweller.
Blatter said we must ignore “those jealous critics who rubbish South Africa’s ability to host a safe World Cup”, and so we should, because it’s not football’s job to ensure that the Promised Land materialise for the citizens of this country.
However, I take huge exception to the nonchalant manner in which the topic of crime is dealt with at press gatherings such as Tuesday’s on the site of the new Green Point Stadium.
Claiming that crime was rife all over the world anyway is tantamount to ignoring the plight of the local people and is no way of dealing with the scourge on our shores. It was a rather short-sighted view which does nothing to ease the pain and suffering of the masses.
Ultimately, though, the government and the police have to heed the desperate cries. They owe it to the people to find the solutions because it’s downright dangerous out there. And calling on the poor communities to do more is simply passing the buck, and this week proved exactly the dangers attached to empowering ordinary people who have spent most of their lives in fear.
Try solving the crime problem in your area after a tough day at work - with a family to feed and keep safe - or, even worse, a day spent begging for work or for food. Is that not exactly why, as a civilized society, we have law enforcers?
I have been privy to the wonderful atmosphere of the previous two World Cups and there’s absolutely no comparison. But then how much joy would 2010 bring to the then victims of especially violent crimes?
Would hosting the planet’s multi-millionaire star footballers mean a damn thing should life remain so cheap?
- Cape Times
InternAfrica needs not point out the obvious again - as to how many houses could be built for the same cost. How much dignity could be delivered instead of a single use stadium…
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