2010 SOUTH AFRICA SOCCER WORLD CUP
by: Guest
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Word Count: 291
2010 Soccer World Cup South Africa Township fever Life in the townships has perked up since Bafana Bafana the South African Team's nickname which means "The Boys" zipped up the world rankings after their improved showings in the African Nations cup. And why the renewed enthusiasm? Well, football has been somewhat in the doldrums in this new democracy, and the prospects of the host nation putting in a good performance at the 2010 World Cup has sparked the imagination of the country and more specifically the teams followers in the townships. Historically the dusty townships have lacked the kind of street football mania seen in other parts of the world. The renewed energy has resulted in the erection of all kinds of structures that serve as goalposts. From tree stumps to lampposts, in fact any old thing will do. The 2010 moon is on the rise. The shebeens, traditional drinking holes, mostly not legal, but sort of recognized as being legal, have television channels devoted to football as it is played wherever in the world. So Chelsea supporters are found right in the middle of Dube, Soweto, or Mahwelereng, a remote township in the Limpopo Province. All this is surely good nation building. In a country which tasted true freedom a mere 13 years ago, this is the sort of community building that brings the nation even closer. Even if the fields are dusty, the spirit is strong, with emerging Beckhams showing their faces in the remotest of places. And the intensity will continue to build for the next three years. Perhaps some of the emerging Beckhams are the future bafanas. What better motivation to hone their skills to become one of the masters of this beautiful game called football.
About the Author
Kay van Zijl is a published author living in South Africa where everyone is getting very excited at the prospect of the World Cup in 2010
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