South Africa is not what you expect, its everything and more, the same but different. It reminds me of Australia with spices and colour thrown in. Everyone is very friendly except the odd miserable white Afrikaan who can come across as a little unhappy.
It’s winter here in Cape Town and there is snow on the mountains. Despite it being the first winter World Cup since Argentina in 1978 the locals are having an absolute ball and won’t let anything spoil their party even if it’s looking impossible for Bafana Bafana (Brother Brother – South Africa’s Football team) to get to the next round.
Since independence and the end of Apartheid South Africa has come a long way but has to go so much further. The majority of whites still live in comfort and the black South African population in the majority are struggling still to put food on the table.
There is a sense of unity between the many different people but there is still racial tension. I have been in South Africa for only a short time and I have fallen in love with it, despite its obvious problems. South African people think anything is possible and even though all the sceptics thought they couldn’t pull off the greatest show on
earth, they have – with flying rainbow nation colours.
It is a privilege to be here and it’s an absolute crying shame Ireland failed to qualify. If you are thinking of coming to South Africa on holiday come and if you want to buy a villa here do. The crime rate and violence is an issue but no worse than parts of Dublin.
The best thing about this World Cup is not the football, it’s the country….and the sound track is the Vuvusales
Bafana Bafana – Henry
