Hopefully the World Cup will shine the light on South Africa’s rich football history. Like the story of of Simon “Bull” Lehoko, a star defender of the 1970s and 1980s with Vaal Professionals and Kaizer’s Chiefs. In this video profile by journalist Leoni Marinovich (for the Twenty Ten project), Lehoko talks about the annual “multi-racial matches”–specifically the 1981 edition–arranged between the White XI and African XI as a sign of political “reform.” It was all politically dubious and some of the white players were often openly racist, but the players enjoyed these match ups. And saw in them what could have been. So did some white football fans.
Category: Hosting
The “Makarapa” was invented by Alfred “Magistrate” Boyoli. Boyoli’s mate was hit by a bottle at a Kaiser Chiefs match some years ago. It was this bit of football hooliganism that inspired Boyoli.
For the record, I remember Liverpool supporters wearing red and white hard hats emblazoned with sticky Liver Birds to away games back in the day, when bottles, sharpened coins, darts, golf balls with nails hammered in ’em, and piping hot steak and kidney pies were regularly hurled at matches throughout England.
Boyoli’s genius has been to elaborate with the addition of cut out players and patterns, with places to fly all your paraphernalia. The Makarapa promises to be one of the great fun features of the world cup.
I will leave it to Lusanda, a co-conspirator in the cyber world of football, to tell the story.
Is this the end of the Jester Hat? We can only hope!
This weekend football authors Simon Kuper and David Goldblatt published the kind of book reviews that warm an author’s heart.
“Nobody understands the background to African soccer better than the Italian-American historian Peter Alegi,” writes Kuper in the Financial Times. “This World Cup is his moment. His African Soccerscapes crams daunting erudition, gleaned over many years of study of African football, into under 200 pages of history.” Click here to read Kuper’s review.
In The Observer, Goldblatt wrote: “Peter Alegi’s African Soccerscapes is simply the best available overview of the history” of the game on the continent. Click here to read Goldblatt’s review.
Given the good news, today seemed like a perfect day to go to Durban, pick up our World Cup tix and spend the afternoon playing beach football.
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Uruguayan Ultras Descend on Cape Town
Albert Lutuli is installed as Honourary President of República Oriental del Uruguay!!!
Mvumbi looks like he’s feeling La Celeste!
These fine football folks had driven many miles from Cape provinces to get tickets for the World Cup.
They were disappointed Bafana Bafana will not be playing in Cape Town, but check out their Continental Coming Togetherness! The Bafanki Banfanki are feeling it!
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African Soccerscapes Launched in SA
What a great ride! Launched my book African Soccerscapes: How a Continent Changed the World’s Game in Joburg, Cape Town (in photo), and Durban over the past week and a half. Met so many amazing people from all walks of life and broke bread with old friends. The quality of the discussions was very high, with deep engagement on history, culture, politics and everything in between. Was extraordinarily privileged to have Sedick Isaacs of the Robben Island Makana Football Association as a guest of honor in Cape Town and the US Consul General, Jill Derderian, in attendance in Durban.
Been doing lots of press interviews, including one with the New York Times. Made TV appearances on SABC 2’s Weekend Live (thanks Lebo!) and CBC News too. Now that the blog is back up (finally!), I look forward to more thinking with my feet from African soil. Phambili!
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Coco Cola wants your World Cup
Not just the team that finally lifts the World Cup on July 11 will be winners. So will be the official sponsors. And FIFA will make sure of that. They’re banning anyone not selling “official” merchandise. One of the companies poised to make billions is soft drink manufacturer Coco Cola.
Their global ad campaign is nuts. Have a Coke and smile.