BAFANA BAFANA!!!

At the Pick 'N Pay in Roodenpoort

June 11

(Forgot to mention if you double click on the photos, they become larger.

And to see more photos, go to www.gettyimages.com and search under my name, for the last 7 or 30 days- be sure to check Editorial Images.)

I find myself in the local Pick ‘N Pay grocery store with store workers decked out in yellow South Africa shirts, hats and waving flags as they watch the opening game of the World Cup- South Africa vs. Mexico. The store is equally decked out with flags of all the World Cup nations up and down the aisles and a solid row of South African flags over the entrance to the store. Several customers decided not to go home immediately. I made it with less than 20 minutes to go in the game, SA leading 1-0.

Australia had an ill-timed practice at nearby Ruimsig Stadium which started at 5pm, the opening game had a 4pm start. Fortunately media were allowed for only 15 minutes so we got our photos and headed out. We seemed to have missed a SA goal, having heard the blaring of the vuvuzela horns even louder than usual. Forgetting my soccer lingo, I asked a policeman at the stadium entrance if there was “still no score?” (about 4:30pm as I entered for the practice)—“Yes, still nil-nil.”

Tension was high in the Pick ‘N Pay, then Mexico scored a goal with about 10 minutes left. The deflated crowd suddenly erupts with a few minutes left in the game, only to collapse, disappointed. A South African player was mere yards from the goal and hit the goalpost with his shot. Replays only caused the crowd to erupt again, only to be again disappointed. The game ends 1-1, a good result for South Africa against the more powerful Mexico.

Women wave their SA flags afterwards, singing, “Fly your flag”, I think the official WC song. So we’re off, World Cup month has started. The tv is tuned to the France-Uruguay game now, the stadium sounds like its full of bees from the constant blaring of the vuvuzela horns. It really seems like the whole nation is enthralled by the tournament. Blacks, whites, waving flags, decorating cars, wearing the yellow shirt of the team, nicknamed Bafana Bafana. Even painting the SA flag on faces, foreheads. It does seem something that unites the people. The SA media is portraying this as “Africas’” World Cup, I think putting enormous pressure on the poor lads with the team to win or at least do well.

John Travolta visited the Socceroos this morning. He apparently has a connection with Quantas, the main sponsor of the team. It seemed an odd pairing. Our reporter said he flew the team jet to Germany for the last world cup and an AP photographer said he was on a plane returning to Australia with Travolta as pilot. The Socceroos are staying at a very nice lodge, the Kloofzicht, which is also on a game reserve. It’s nearby the Apricot Hill so convenient for me.

On the drive to the Kloofzicht, I see this sign. This whole area of the Guateng provence is labled “Cradle of Humankind”. It has several major human fossil sites, dating to 3 to 3.5 million years old, which had the oldest finds until discoveries in Kenya and Tanzania. Also many parks and reserves with the big African animals here. It’s a big draw for tourism.

So this is where it all began. Makes all the 'old' European and Asian history seem very young by comparison.

As i write this, halftime score is Uruguay- nil, France- nil.