Dutch Clutch at Home Away from Home

 Cape  Town – Before the riveting Netherlands vs. Spain final transpires at Soccer City Stadium on Sunday, a sea of Dutch orange will overrun South Africa.  If Spain wants to carry home its first ever World Cup trophy, they must overcome a steep disadvantage.  South Africans, many of whom are descendents of the Dutch Boer settlers in South Africa in the 1600’s and 1700’s, are rabid for Netherlands’ first World Cup championship as well. 

After Uruguay beat Ghana in a hectic quarterfinal game, all six African teams were eliminated at FIFA World Cup 2010. It seemed as though Africans had no one left to cheer for at the first World Cup on African soil.

“Netherlands are the last African team,” a South African joked behind me as I walked to Green Point Stadium in Cape Town for the Uruguay vs. Netherlands semifinal amidst massive herds of raucous Netherlands supporters blaring orange vuvuzelas, screaming “Let’s go Holland” and climbing up railings on the side of the road.  Cape Town, built in colonial style and tucked into the coast of the southern tip of Africa, resembled a mini-Amsterdam.  Uruguayans had to be shaking their heads at their strange misfortune, outnumbered by tens of thousands Dutch supporters. 

The Dutch influence can still be seen everywhere.  The Dutch accent can be heard in local Afrikaans speech.  Caucasians with blonde hair and pale blue eyes look like Dutchmen.  Even the townships resemble the ones of native Amsterdam. 

The Netherlands’ players are at a home away from home anywhere they go as natives, black, colored and white, wear orange jumpsuits, scarves and top-hats.  Their faces are painted with the colors of the Netherlands’ flag and their backs wore the same patriotism. 

When I entered Green Point Stadium for the semifinal, orange covered the stadium. Only very small patches of Uruguay blue could be noticed.  South Africa had chosen their team.  And the Dutch delivered.

The Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2 with a high octane offense and beautiful passing in the open field to come within one win of a championship.  After the game, people danced around their cars in the street in celebration.  Fans with crazy Dutch costumes yelled at the top of their lungs in joy at a team who did not lose in qualifying and now is 6-0 during the World Cup.  Native Dutch back home in Europe can hardly believe the impeccable streak because Netherlands is historically known to flop out of the tournament at the most inopportune of times. 

Dazzling stars Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Robin Van Persie take the party to Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.  Sixty-four games will have been played in this wild tournament, and only two teams vie to claim the most glorified trophy in sports.  The “best team to never win a World Cup” will attempt to change its fate against the World Cup favorite in the perfect orange storm environment on Sunday.

Philip Deutsch

Security, Safety Ensured as Countries Come Together

When FIFA selected South Africa 2010 World Cup, talk of Afro-pessimism such as lack of skilled workers, high crime rates, disease, prostitution and sex slaving began.  To many, these worries were legitimate as over 400,000 tourists of more than 32 countries were coming to see probably the biggest sporting spectacle in the world in a mysteriously developing country at the Southern tip of Africa.  The question was would it be safe for fans of all nationalities to harmoniously spectate and the event to become a complete success for the world? Or, would the month-long event turn into chaos that could not be controlled?

Thus far, I’ve stayed in South Africa for 23 days.  I’ve attended ten games, sat in five of the ten stadiums, taken countless train rides, rode in many taxis and buses, watched gamed in three fan parks and walked for miles around Johannesburg and Pretoria, even alone at times.  I’ve experienced zero threats to my safety at 2010 World Cup South Africa, and I haven’t been cooped up in my hotel for a month either.

I can’t speak for every visitor when say I have not been mugged, but as I look around the public view areas (fan parks, stadiums etc.) and transportation systems the level of apprehension declined. The World Cup in South Africa has and continues to be a safe place where cultures of six different continents mix in amazing fashion and watch their teams compete during the trip of people’s lives.

After the South Korea vs. Argentina game at Soccer City Stadium on June 16^th, a normal, quiet train ride (yes, clean, no crime and speedy enough) from Johannesburg to Pretoria turned into an intercultural special.  Our study abroad leader, Hugo Herwitz, from Argentina wearing all of his Argentina soccer paraphernalia, determinedly passed out pretzel sticks to every hungry, tired passenger on the train car.

Then, a South African man named Vengashnu responded to the kindness by making every South African on the train sing together two well-known African songs.  Then, he convinced the Argentines and Americans to sing their respective national anthems.  Finally, he finished by refereeing a rap battle between two Americans. A train car filled with bewildered people after an emotional game shot to life, clapping and laughing at the music.

I got a chance to talk to Vengashnu after the singing, and he said, “Sure, if you dug up the bad of every country, ours (South Africa) might look worse than most, but there are brilliant and kind people who never get a chance to be seen because the media only wants to focus on mugging and prostitution.  Look around, do you see that in any of the people here.”

None of this would occur without excellent preparation from South African construction workers (five new stadiums built) and the near flawless job of South African police and security.  Police almost excessively line the outsides of the field only about arm’s length apart.  Nothing gets by the police at the gate.  I’ve seen no fights nor brawls and no real confrontations in the midst of intense games between polar opposite countries.

Even outside the stadium, police aren’t afraid to patrol outside their boundaries and search the pockets of possible illegal ticket scalping.  I’ve seen it happen multiple times, even to myself.

Talking to a cop named Sam on the train on the way to the Ivory coast vs. Brazil game, I noticed the seriousness and patriotism of how he handled his duty during the World Cup.  He said the police forces are so strong that muggers had essentially gone into “hiding.” He said the policies of jailing criminals are much more stringent and thorough for this event.  The policeman Sam said he had made no arrests and heard of very few from his colleagues.

It seems as though security professionals are dousing visitors’ initial fear of the streets of South Africa.

Philip Deutsch