kameraad mhambi

A while ago Kameraad’s friends – The Wedding DJ’s – gigged in Soweto, and they met the Smarteez, a fashion crew from Soweto. Now the hipster mag from London Dazed & Confused have discovered them. I took an excerpt of the Dazed Video for you.

…three things happen that puts things in perspective and makes you think its not all that bad in South Africa.

Firstly and most trivially, there a huge rucus in New Zealand because Andy Hadden claimed that the Canturbury Crusaders have a maximum qouta of non-white players or rather ‘darkies’, that they allow in their squad, and that’s the secret of their success. Now New Zealanders are tearing into each other, with many expressing the concern over the “browning of the sport”. Excuse my schadenfreude especially in the context of the Orlando Bulls.

Secondly Israel intercepts an flotilla carrying aid and fails to anticipate the reception they get when they board. Trigger happy soldiers ends up killing 10 odd civilians. Sounds not unlike Sharpville. Thank goodness we are not still desperately trying to enforce an unworkable and unjust system and state.

As someone pointed out on Twitter Israelis are paranoid that the whole world hates them. But their paranoid actions is making this a self-fulfilling prophecy. But this incident could force them to rethink.

Lastly, and most relevant the DA won two by-elections in Gugulethu-Heideveld and Grabouw, which are black and colored areas, seeing a massive swing towards them.

Careful analysis shows that the amount of black voters that now vote for the DA has increased, but not massively. Rather black voters failed to turn up at the polls. So perhaps not the end of identity politics, but the racial firmament is shaking and cracking, who knows?

This week both the UK Guardian (Video) and SA Mail & Guardian reported on claims of threats of xenophobic violence – directed at mostly African foreigners – that would supposedly start when the Football World Cup finishes.

Tara Polzer, a researcher in Wits University’s forced-migration studies programme, said that she has seen little evidence of centralised planning of post-World Cup violence but “the idea is spreading on a local level; it’s being discussed and legitimised by being repeated over and over again”.

There are even allegations that South Africans that don’t take part will also be targeted.

these threats have also been extended to South Africans who are sympathetic to refugees.

She said a Sotho friend who runs a stall at the Yeoville market was told: “We’re preparing the paraffin and matches. We’re coming to burn you too because when we have our meetings, you’re not coming.”

Today Jacob Dlamini wrote in Business Day:

A BANGLADESHI trader who runs a spaza shop on our street was recently visited by a young man. The man told the trader that, come July 12, he and other foreign traders in Katlehong must leave the township. The trader did not know the man and was certain the man was not one of his regular customers.

On Tuesday, I overheard three local women teasing/taunting a Mozambican man. “Make sure you are packed and ready to go by July 12,” they said. “But you know some of your sisters will starve if I am expelled from here,” he answered. “We don’t care,” said the women.

And he ads…

Naturally, rumours do not stop being important simply because they are rumours. People have been known to kill on the basis of rumours. They have been known to start wars on the basis of rumours. The rumours about July 12 are telling in at least one respect. They reveal that while the country gets ready to party, many ordinary South Africans are already looking beyond the party. It is just a pity that they are looking to the future with such venom and bitterness.

Last week I was wondering bout the historic game of the Bulls in Orlando Soweto:

“The Bulls, from Pretoria, traditionally are seen as the most Afrikaner of all South Africa Rugby Unions. The game will be an opportunity to smash or reinforce some stereo types.”

And they were smashed.

The Independent waxed lyrical:

Forget fortress Loftus Versfeld, fortress Orlando proved to be a worthy home from home for the Bulls as they powered their way to their third Super 14 final in four years by beating the Crusaders on Saturday.

The blaring noise of the vuvuzela, the boeremusiek, thousands of Bulls fans and the welcoming screams from the Soweto locals gave the Bulls the necessary motivation to win, and to ensure that the final against the Stormers is played at their new home – Orlando Stadium.

While the Bulls may have found that Orlando is as intimidating as Loftus, if not more so, the players have now been invited to become part of the people of Soweto by struggle icon and former wife of Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Here’s some pics that my friend Donald from the Wedding DJ’s sent.

The PAPA project aims to preserve pics from South Africa’s past. Part of them are currently on show at Die Waterkant gallery in Cape Town. And Visi magazine has a few of them online.

And we are good at assault. But South Africa is good at other things as well. Like having the biggest range of flowers, the largest man made hole. And arguably the worlds best rugby team.

So why focus on the negative?

This weekend, due to the Football World Cup, history will be made when the Blue Bulls play the Crusaders in the Super 14 Rugby tournament in Soweto.

The Bulls, from Pretoria, traditionally are seen as the most Afrikaner of all South Africa Rugby Unions. The game will be an opportunity to smash or reinforce some stereo types.

Click below to open the map and see the stadium.

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