A Nation United: Miko Schneider Reports from the World Cup

The 2010 World Cup has kicked off with little trouble, much fanfare, and many touching moments adding to the South African feeling of interracial togetherness and determination to pull-off a world-class event, giving renewed meaning to the Zulu phrase ‘simunye’ – ‘we are one’.

"It was crowded. It was ear-drummingly achingly loud. But it was MAGIC.Standing shoulder to shoulder with black people, listening to their chants and their songs, their remonstrations with the players and the refs, their knowledge of the game and their total involvement really, really took the vibe to the next level. The interaction and the good humour and camaraderie was what this World Cup is about. And the FLAGS. Everywhere, boosting the landscape in our national colours. And when we scored our first GOAL!!! Against Mexico!! It was a heart stopping moment in time and the roar that went up said to the world and to each other 'we are all South Africans.'"

This was the description of the opening match of the World Cup, between South Africa (Bafana Bafana) and Mexico, by Johannesburg resident Jill Lieberman in an email to her friend who has left South Africa.

Just like many South African expats, this email was forwarded around the world to countries such as the US, Canada, Israel, and the UK, and even those expats thousands of kilometres away felt proud to be South African-born and raised.

As of writing this article, the first weekend of the 2010 World Cup seems to have gone off with little trouble, much fanfare, and many touching moments.

The Star, Johannesburg’s daily broadsheet, reported how neighbours encapsulated the true spirit of community by unexpectedly surprising each other with homebaked cakes topped with green and yellow candles and miniature chocolate soccer balls.

Read the rest of Miko Schneider’s article here