South Africa’s relationship with the rest of Africa is fascinatingly complex.
On one hand, South Africa fascinates the minds of other Africans in a largely positive way. Here we have an African country that is a development giant illustrated in its status as a key member of the G20 not merely as Africa’s representative but in its own right as an economic powerhouse. Here we have a new democracy which behaves like an old democracy, changing heads of state as easily and bloodlessly as cutting a toe nail. Here we have a country that is comfortable enough in its multi-ethnicity to have 11 official languages and a national anthem with verses in three languages. A nuclear power, the home of the first open heart surgery, with a gross domestic product (GDP) four times that of its southern African neighbours and comprising around 25% of the entire continent’s GDP. South Africa leads the continent in industrial output (40% of total output) and mineral production (45%) and generates most of Africa’s electricity (over 50%).
On the other hand, you have South Africa’s relationship with the hearts of other Africans. Here too South Africa’s story is largely positive. Here are a people who fought the longest battle for liberation from oppression with apartheid falling only in 1994 meaning that the “born frees” are only 16 years old, not yet of voting age. Despite this South Africans have managed to lift themselves up, decide that their focus is forward not at looking backwards. In addition South Africa is double rugby world cup champion (1995, 2007) and African Nations Cup Champion in 1996 only two years after the fall of apartheid.
However, while South Africa has managed to capture the minds of Africans, it has had a much harder time winning over the hearts of other Africans. No doubt South Africa generates intense respect that comes with a recognition and acceptance of its status as the economic and political leader on the continent. The warmth of brotherhood, which is different from respect, while there, is not as intense.
There are several reasons why this could be the case. The one I have encountered most regularly is the “except South Africa” syndrome. The “except South Africa” syndrome ironically is a direct consequence of South Africa’s huge strides in development. It presents a unique dilemma as the same things about South Africa that fascinate positively African minds are the same ones that push away African hearts by making it appear so apart. For example take Wikipedia’s entry on Sub-Saharan Africa:
Sub-Saharan African countries top the list of countries and territories by fertility rate with 40 of the highest 50, all with TFR greater than 4 in 2008. All are above the world average except South Africa. Figures for life expectancy, malnourishment, infant mortality and HIV/AIDS infections are also dramatic. More than 40% of the population in sub-Saharan countries is younger than 15 years old, as well as in the Sudan with the exception of South Africa.[47]
Sub-Saharan African countries spent an average of just 0.3% of their GDP on S&T(Science and Technology) in 2007. This represents an increase from US$1.8bn in 2002 to US$2.8bn in 2007. This represent an increase of 50% in spending in S&T in Africa. South Africa is the sole exception. South Africa spends 0.87% of GDP on S&T.[85][86]
(emphasis mine)
In so many ways, some positive, some negative, South Africa seems so removed from the rest of Africa. It is almost impossible to get any meaningful statistic on Sub-Saharan Africa that does not exclude South Africa as the inclusion of that data would transform the results completely. I first noticed this during Idris Mohammed’s talk at TEDAfrica in which most of his statistics on the economy of Sub Saharan Africa excluded South Africa. While it is a blessing to be a trailblazer and a honour to be a leader, South Africa has also found that it can be lonely place to be.
This explains South Africa’s obsession with making the world cup not just about celebrating South Africa but about celebrating Africa. This I believe is not so much about selling Africa to the world but about selling South Africa to the rest of Africa. South Africa is tired of being just the cleverest kid in school; South Africa wants to be the most popular kid in school.
MTN, official sponsor of the World Cup, main advertising campaign is centred around urging us to support team “Africa United”. South Africans in particular were urged to make “every African match a home game” by buying tickets to matches involving African teams and (equally important) to go to the stadia and support those teams with the same passion they support Bafana Bafana. MTN also shouts, “Let’s go Africa. Let’s go 2010.”
South Africa is reaching out to the rest of Africa, perhaps “except South Africa” and “accept South Africa” do not have to be mutually exclusive.
I am taking part in the “Blogging the 2010 FIFA World Cup” project. Highway Africa in partnership with Global Voices and supported by MTN will provide coverage of the 2010 World Cup from a citizen media perspective through the use of on-the-ground reporting and the aggregation and amplification of online conversations across the continent, with a special emphasis on development issues. The content will be published on our own blogs and on the Reporting Development News Africa blog. Check out the other blogger’s taking part in this project Eduardo Avila and Rebecca Wanjiku.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
enjoy your trip. It’s gratifying that South Africa wants to ingrain itself with the rest of the continent, and not just because of the world cup. I think the rest of the continent is largely proud that the event is taking place here.
This is a very interesting topic and that I am sure will always raise a few eyebrows, however it is true that the richest or cleverest kid in class will always want to be more popular. One other thing to mention would be the constant confusion by people that have never visited africa before where South Africa is considered to be the whole of Africa. This has played very well into South Africa’s campaign and gives them even more popularity outside Africa. So to add on your point, it is a win win situation for South Africa… Win over the rest of Africa while taking the role of the “Chosen Bride” for the rest of the world.
Couldn’t agree more. Great article: between the lines it points the way to a spiritual, economic and democratic future for Africa which becomes visible when you DO include SA in the statistics – and why not? Some parts of the body develop slower and some quicker – especially in teenagers – but it’s still all the same person!
That person is Africa. The oldest man and the youngest child in the world: wise and tenacious – wondering and tender; with all of human time both behind it and before it.
Someone wrote that SWC visitors were taken by Africans’ warmth, variety, extremes, appetites, energy (or something like that) – and that, in this, African people reflect their continent. I believe that the vast majority of visitors who indicated they will come back to Africa, were indeed touched, amazed and blessed by partaking in its magical spirit.