OUR FOOTBALL MUST POSITION ITSELF STRATEGICALLY

My dearest readers...

Standing on the podium with the eyes of the whole world, training on his every word he uttered, during the passing of the South African constitution in Cape Town, on May 8, 1996, Deputy President Thabo Mbeki cleared his throat. He made a cursory glance at the filled-to-the-brim Parliament, President Nelson Mandela had his hand firmly on his left cheek, watching him closely. “On an occasion such as this, we should, perhaps, start from the beginning. So, let me begin. I am an African. I owe my being to the hills and the valleys, the mountains and the glades, the rivers, the deserts, the trees, the flowers, the seas and the ever-changing seasons that define the face of our native land. My body has frozen in our frosts and in our latter day snows. It has thawed in the warmth of our sunshine and melted in the heat of the midday sun. The crack and the rumble of the summer thunders, lashed by startling lightening, have been a cause both of trembling and of hope. The fragrances of nature have been as pleasant to us as the sight of the wild blooms of the citizens of the veld.

Dramatic

The dramatic shapes of the Drakensberg, the soil-coloured waters of the Lekoa, iGqili noThukela, and the sands of the Kgalagadi, have all been panels of the set on the natural stage on which we act out the foolish deeds of the theatre of our day. At times, and in fear, I have wondered whether I should concede equal citizenship of our country to the leopard and the lion, the elephant and the springbok, the hyena, the black mamba and the pestilential mosquito. A human presence among all these, a feature on the face of our native land thus defined, I know that none dare challenge me when I say - I am an African!” There is no speech that best sums up the beauty, history and diversity of the majestic African continent better than the former South African President Thabo Mbeki’s speech poem of ‘I am an African’. The immortal speech raced back to my mind after the expected election of Dr. Patrice Motsepe as Confederation of African Football (CAF) president during the 43rd CAF General Assembly held at Rabat, Morocco on Friday. Motsepe, the first English-speaking leader to occupy the top seat in the organisation since formation on February 10, 1957, has called on the 54 members of CAF to hold hands in improving African football. Say your say Dr. Motsepe.

Competitive

“There is a sense of urgency in terms of steps we need to take to ensure that African football is globally competitive and self-sustainable.” What really got me swinging on my chandeliers was his solemn plea and assurances that the success of his reign will be what happens in all 54 member countries. “The test of success will be what happens in every country. That’s why I’ll be visiting all the countries in the next 12 months. We have no doubt about what needs to be done. A few years from now, we should measure our success by looking at how our clubs perform globally. We have to compete at the highest level in the world – that’s the World Cup – and do well. We should be able to compete and hold our own in the World Cup. We have to succeed on the field of play,’ said the Mamelodi Sundowns billionaire owner who is reportedly worth a staggering E31 billion. There is no doubt, Motsepe ascending to the head honcho position of the corrupt-riddled CAF is a welcome respite on many levels for the game on this mother continent. How he assumed the position in particular, the role played by FIFA president Gianni Infantino is the only fly on the ointment. Infantino not only brokered the deal that saw Motsepe’s competitors in the presidential race, Augustin Senghor, Ahmed Yahya, withdrawing, but his involvement in the whole ‘arranged’ coronation of Motsepe cannot be ignored.

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