That Man From Zwide

Although I predicted a win for South Africa by three points on Superbru, I didn’t believe it in my heart of hearts. England had played too well against the All Blacks in the semi’s for me to hold out any hope. As the final proved, the unpredictability of sport is its real fascination. At the trophy ceremony, I sneaked a look at my wife, Pippa, as she surreptitiously wiped away a tear when Siya Kolisi lifted the William Webb Ellis Trophy. By no stretch of the imagination, can she ever be described as an afficionado of sport, but even she realised the historic significance of this moment. It was then that I recalled to myself that well-known quote which Barack Obama had made at the 2004 Democratic Convention:

'There is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.’

I wish we could express a similar sentiment in South Africa. In these bleakest of times when Moodies downgrade is threatening us; constant revelations about corruption keep emerging; ongoing incidents of femicide continue to shock us and where there is a never-ending a shortage of inappropriate racial slurs, I live in the hope that this historic win could show us the way to unite us as South Africans.

The words of Siya Kolisi in his post-match interview should be displayed on billboards throughout the length and breadth of this country:

‘We have so many problems in our country. We have a team which comes from different backgrounds, different races but we came together with one goal and we wanted to achieve it.

Since I have been alive, I have never seen South Africa like this…. We appreciate all the support - people in the taverns, in the shebeens, farms, homeless people, people in rural areas.

We love you South Africa and we can achieve anything if we work together as one.'

I live for the day every Springfield girl can have the conviction to stand up in an assembly and say something similar straight from their hearts. Not carrying the baggage of the past, they have the advantage of youth on their side. In their relationships with one another, our girls have to be encouraged and mentored to be the change that we need in this country. There is no point in waiting for someone else to begin the change-in-thinking process – it begins with their own personal relationships with every person on this campus. Let’s make it work at Springfield and make this school the change we would like to see in South Africa.

We certainly cannot rely on our politicians – they seek approval of their electorate by exploiting differences. It has taken a humble young man from Zwide in the Eastern Cape to give us a different vision.

I played the video here to the girls in assembly on Monday. It should be compulsory viewing for every South African so that we can all ask ourselves: So what is our excuse?

Keith Richardson