South Africa wins the World Cup: Why their victory is about more than sport
Photo Courtesy: Government ZA, via Flickr
On the 28th October, South Africa’s national rugby team, the Springboks, won the Rugby World Cup final. They defeated New Zealand’s All Blacks team by one point - the final score was 12-11 - winning their second consecutive World Cup, and a historic fourth overall. This sporting victory has inspired new hope for South Africa’s citizens, in a country that has long faced economic plight and political grievances.
Siya Kolisi, the Springboks’ first black captain, has led his team to both victories in 2019 and 2023. Commenting on their most recent win, he stated that “I can’t explain [its significance] to you, you need to come and see South Africa to understand”. Mr Kolisi’s own story is inspirational. He grew up in the township of Zwide, located in the Eastern Cape province, before winning the sports scholarship that would go on to launch his career. Following the 2019 World Cup victory, he established the Kolisi Foundation alongside his wife, with the “vision to change the stories of inequality”.
A country in trouble
Photo Courtesy: Government ZA, via Flickr
Stories of inequality are rampant in South Africa. Despite being Africa’s second-largest economy, the nation faces high levels of poverty and unemployment (42%). According to the International Monetary Fund, youth unemployment exceeds 50%. And racial factors also come into play: nearly half of black South Africans cannot find a job.
Additionally, inefficient energy resource management has led to ‘load shedding’ - when electricity is only given to specific areas at specific times of the day, resulting in blackouts that last for several hours. This load shedding is the result of the near collapse of South Africa’s power utility Eskom. More than 80% of South Africa’s electricity is generated by coal stations, meaning it is the world’s 14th largest emitter of C02.
When I was visiting South Africa this summer, the country was nearing the end of their cold winter season, in which load shedding had been a constant factor. In Soweto, a sprawling township in Johannesburg with a population of 3.5 million people across 25 neighbourhoods, our guide Tbogo explained to us the paradox of a country rich in minerals, such as coal, having to undergo load shedding, due to poor resource management. Nevertheless, load shedding affects all districts, and many times throughout my visit I found myself sitting in a dark hotel bar, surrounded by candlelight. A nuisance for tourists perhaps, but a sobering reality of everyday life for South Africans.
In addition to such economic factors, South Africa’s political landscape remains contentious. Comparisons have naturally been drawn to the 1995 victory, with the hope that this recent win will inspire similar political progression. However, there is a significant difference: in 1995, under a new democracy and president Nelson Mandela, the hope for change was vibrant. Now the failures of the current democratic system have come to light, with corruption, poor leadership, and the effects of apartheid still visible in the country’s economic and political state. The African National Congress, which was once lauded as the party that helped to end apartheid under Mr Mandela’s leadership, has seen a drastic change in its image.
This is likely why it did not hesitate to link the Springboks’ recent win to the government’s own efforts. With national elections coming in 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa attempts to capitalise on the victory for his own political gain. The ANC released a statement after the win commending “the pioneering leadership by President Cyril Ramaphosa”. Mr Fikile Mbalula, Secretary-General of the ANC, tweeted that Mr Ramaphosa “is the only president in the history of rugby to be a two-time rugby World Cup champion President”. Mr Ramaphosa has also declared a public holiday on the 15th December, stating the government wants it to be “a day of hope, a day of celebration and unity. Our sportsmen and women have shown us what is possible”.
What next?
So what is possible? It is doubtful that the sport will really influence the politics - certainly not as much as it did in 1995, during the presidency of Mr Mandela. But it can inspire a nation, and offer lessons for its leaders. After the Springboks’ recent victory, Kolisi also declared that “Once we come together nothing can stop us, not just in sport but also in life”. South African sports journalist Mohammed Allie, who was in Paris for the match, said that "If there is one thing the country can learn from this Springbok team and this victory is that how, if you work together, if you're determined to achieve a goal, you certainly can do that”.
The ANC has had little political competition in the last three decades, but pollsters expect the A.N.C. to win less than 50% of the vote in 2024 elections. This would mean the end of its majority in parliament, and the ushering in of a new era of coalition politics. The ANC will need to work together with the liberal Democratic Alliance, their official opposition.
The Democratic Alliance has governed the Western Cape - South Africa’s second-richest province - since 2009, and it has done well. If moderate ANC members - not the pro-corruption members - were to partner with the Democratic Alliance, South Africa may see the economic and political change it so desperately needs. Tbogo, much like the rest of the South Africans I spoke to, are hopeful for a government that will bring change, and with it an improved South Africa. The Rainbow Nation would once again be winning both on and off the field.