Media Portrayal Of South Africa Borders The Criminal
ByIt feels like I’ve been away for ages and trying to get back into the groove at the Stone Cold Arsenal Towers is going to be a project in itself. Nevertheless, it was a good break and glad to be back.
I tried a time tested strategy of “staying away from the news” while tending to matters at the reservation; but I fell foul of those little USB things you plug into the side of your laptop and connect to the ether that is cyber space.
In between the hogwash that was Xavi Hernandez’s crusade to get his knees capped because of his bullshit about Cesc, Rapha Benitez getting a cool £6m while on holiday before taking the reins of power at Internazionale, and the English football establishment getting paranoid about England playing some South African Platinum team in a friendly; I did manage to get into the groove of the 2010 World cup.
To tell you the truth, I’m really excited and will be stuck to the telly, radio, web and anything that will give me up to date material on all aspects of the World cup. However, one aspect does sadden me, and that is the role played by the media in the systematic and negative portrayal of Africa as a cess pit.
I read an interesting report last week from Tom Cargill, the head of the Africa Programme at Chattam House, UK’s premier think-tank on International Affairs. IN this report, Cargill points out that the ‘West’ must change its approach to Africa and stop seeing it as a basket case that needs aid and development.
He urges the west to emulate the model taken by the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) who are engaging with Africa as trade partners and stimulating growth and the local economy. Africa has vast resources which the BRIC countries want to tap into, and many more like South Korea are also joining the party.
My belief is that the ‘Aid And Development’ industry (for that’s what it is) is a self serving, patronizing, neo-colonial sector that is run by the self interests of folks who have mortgages to pay, kids to take to school, debts to service – and you know, a livelihood to maintain. Suggesting that they’re in it to ‘alleviate poverty’ is like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas. Without poverty, the industry dies – it’s a self fulfilling prophecy.
The notion that a sector structured on a top down Neolithic approach to interacting with hundreds of millions of people from the continent that they say is “troubled” is a disturbing one.
I don’t know what is more dangerous; the misguided self righteousness of those in the sector who operate with the view that it’s their destiny to “save Africans from themselves”, or that there are people who think that the hopes and dreams of an entire continent lay firmly at the hands of two ageing rock stars in Bono and Bob Geldof.
I digress…but the point I’m trying to make is that I so agree with Tom Cargill in the view that we should move away from patronizing neo-colonialism and treat people like human beings. I mentioned his report because of the parallel I can draw between western governments and aid agencies, and the western media’s portrayal of Africa in general, and more recently, the build up to the first World cup being hosted in Africa.
It can’t be a conspiracy because a conspiracy suggests that there are people with a sinister view who have an agenda that they want to see through and they want to hide it from the rest of us.
The way the media has operated is far from conspiratorial, it’s criminal in itself. Fuelled by a substantive dose of ignorance of the highest order, an engrained culture of always looking for the ‘negative’ in anything to do with Africa, and an almost relentless determination to promote scare mongering and sensationalism.
I was listening to Jacob Zuma yesterday during his press conference, and I tried to recall a previous world cup where a sitting president has taken the pro-active view of “spinning” the country. It was masked as a lot more, but the bottom line is that President Zuma had to “spin” South Africa.
You don’t need to ask yourself why, just pick up any paper or tune into any report about the build up to the games and the usual suspects crop up – security concerns, terrorism threats, ‘African’s are too poor to afford tickets so the world cup is already a failure’, threats to the ‘western’ teams and their fans. You name it, you’ll find it in the most sickening and twisted reporting that should have some authors quartered for the crime of prejudice and ignorance.
I should know better really, but it still get’s to me. It’s not like South East London during the day is any safer than down town Johannesburg. We even have folks in sleepy towns now going ’postal’ because of whatever reason.
Imagine the reporting we’d be subject to if someone in South Africa went ’postal’ a week before the tournament.
The truth is that South Africa is more than capable of hosting a global event – as they’ve shown with their hosting of the Rugby Union and Cricket world cups in previous years. It’s just unfair to suggest that England fans are on their way to a cess pit (for that is the impression they give).
South Africa like many others in Africa is a beautiful country with breath-taking views, a rich culture, and a vibrant and growing economy. Perhaps more focus on the celebration of the football game and the continent will be more productive.
Mainstream media is bad enough in its negative reporting of Africa, and I shudder to think of sports journalists indulging in something they know little of.
I would hope that the reporting and journalism is focussed on what happens on the pitch. I can’t wait for Friday when Carlos Vela and his boys kick off against Bafana Bafana.
Tue 13th September 2011; 19:45, Dortmund
Well you’ll be happy to know that the press is doing no such thing in Sweden. 90% of all press surrounding the World Cup have been positive
Oskar. Great to hear that there’s some sanity around. It will be nice when the football starts so we can read and here more about what happens on the pitch.
Yeah man, right on soul brother.
Ex-pat Brit in Cape Town here.
Frankly, I find it embarrassing to be associated with Britain in any way when the UK papers and media generally go for the sensationalist angle for everything ahead of the World Cup. Snakes, earthquakes, race wars, violence, stabproof vests etc etc etc etc etc.
Sure, SA has its problems, but so does anywhere else. Read Sky News or the Daily Mail and you’d think that you were never going to make it out alive. Of course, the IPL was moved here last year because India was too dangerous. We also had the World 20/20 tournament. The2009 Confederations Cup went off without a hitch. The British and Irish Lions tour – no issues. But no news doesn’t sell papers.
The World Cup draw in Cape Town in December – flawless.
There will be glitches during the tournament. And they’ll be jumped on by the British press. But I’ve just about given up on believing anything they write. When you are HERE – IN SOUTH AFRICA – and you see what is going on and the difference between reality and what they is being reported, it’s laughable.
This is going to be one big party!
Viva Bafana Bafana! Viva South Africa! Ke Nako!
As a Motswana, sharing a border with South Africa and having studied in London for 4 years where i fell in love with AFC, i can only praise your call.
One thing that really pisses us off is generalisation. Africa has 52 different states with many different ethnic groups but the way its portrayed in the west you would think that all Africans are the same.
Thanx again Darius.
PS: by the way its not Bufana Bufana but Bafana Bafana (Boys Boys but with love and appreciation).
Hi, there – as a South African Gooner, I’m always bemused at the media – especially the UK Media- and its treatment of the World Cup being in South Africa. Yes- we have crime; yes -you can get eaten by wild animals, but you have to be a numbskull to think that this is the norm!
Hope everyone enjoys the WC games.
BTW, did you know that if France meet Ivory Coast in any of the knockout games, it will be the match with the most number of current and past Arsenal players!
Raven. I submit to you that every country, not least England, has crime. You just have to watch the 6 O’clock news and the regional news and more often than not, the first news item is that of a crime. Don’t laugh when I tell yu that even here, animals kill people – dogs that should never be kept as pets, foxes that only yesterday mauled two kids (they didn’t die), but an animal mauling someone is not out of the realms of possibility.
The issue here is that the African press don’t issue travel advisories or warn visitors about the hazards of visiting Britain.
@Arselicked…LOL! I think my spell checker got the better of me there with Bafana. All corrected now and thanks for pointing it out.
@6000.
Great points there. I tell you it has been sickening just watching the ignorance. For example, the game today against the Platinum stars is being reported by Sky as being one of concern following yesterday’s game between the Eagles and North Korea. So Sky FA the FA are cautious and taking extra measure – I actually felt like blowing the said presenter who by the way was standing outside the England training camp) with a shotgun.
Someone should tell Sky that it’s highly unlikely to be a repeat of yesterday’s “stampede” at the Platinum Stars v England game because there will be no fans allowed – it’s a closed door training match.
Welcome back, Darius!
Another good and timely article. I agree with the general sentiments of the posters above.
Did anyone else see that appalling headline on the BBC’s Football website, about African footballers’ escaping from the “Ghetto”, the other day?
I’ve never ever seen the BBC run an article about European footballers escaping from the “Ghetto”. Deeply unimpressive.
@6000.
When did Sky Sports News ever let facts get into the way of a good story to feed the beast that is the 24 hour news cycle…LOL! Too late anyway, the headlines story this past hour is that England security chiefs are seeking talks with the tournament organizers; supposedly to seek assurances that African’s don’t have the habit of stampeding. I mean, why else would they seek special dispensation of what is a practice match being held with local school kids and various officials in attendance?
If it wasn’t this, they’d be complaining about the pitch (Read: We’ll only play on pitches as good as Wembley…hehehe).
Magneto, I’m one of those who believe that the BBC is too big for it’s own good and is no longer fit for purpose. It should be broken down in order to allow it to adapt to the fast changing world that we live in.
Just like the Knights Templer conglomerate and multi-national of the 12 and 13th centuries, right through to the financial colossus’s of the 21st century like Lehman Brothers, empires fortunately come to an end.
I’m not surprised that BBC would come up with such a heading. If you consider the crop of headliners they’re taking to that glass studio that’s costing me my licence fee, don’t be surprised when the only time they remove their foot from their mouth is so that they can get more room to fit the other one in.
The BBC have spent thousands of pounds installing an elevator so that their precious pundits don’t have to climb 3 flights of stairs. Why can’t they just report from outside the stadium like everyone else who is running on a tight budget.
That again, a classic example why the beast should be cut down to size.
Glad you enjoyed your break Darius but good to see you back at it.
Very interesting article & comments. I have no knowledge of the matter in question but can only say that I no longer believe much that appears in the media. They all appear to have an agenda, sadly particularly the BBC who have sunk to levels of integrity possessed by the Daily Mail.
Good luck to RSA with the World Cup, I am sure it will be a success. I hope an African nation can go all the way. Cameroon or Ivory Coast have a good chance on paper let’s see it on the pitch.
This is the first time I’ve come across this site, but it won’t be the last. Politically concious football blogging, blimey! I agree 100% with what you say, the latent racism and neo-colonial mindset in the popular media directed to the world’s second largest continent (although if you follow the media’s coverage you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a country), is totally unacceptable in the 21st century. I too have have generally given up trying to get my information on anything from the popular media (including the broadsheets), as the blinkered ‘narratives’ that they all follow give you a decidedly scewed view of the world. On the subject, I’m not looking forward to the likes of Tyldesley commentating on this World Cup either. Making jokes about ‘unpronounceable’ names, admiring the ‘brute power’ of the African teams etc. This also, I hope, is totally out of step with the modern world.
Thank you for such a balanced view on this issue, if only the traditional media were as sane and respectful as you seem to be! As a super proud South African it almost drives me to tears when we take an unfair beating in the media, especially as every foreign visitor I know, who came and faced the ‘wild animals’ and the ‘lawless war’, left this country vowing to come back, and they do!
I can’t wait for the WC to start, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, especially at this critical time with the world’s negative eyes on us!
@Darius Stone
With the “stampede” story, it’s the equivalent of someone questioning whether Wembley was fit to hold a game after an issue at the Exeter City v Rotherham United reserves – played in Brentford.
This had nothing to do with FIFA or the LOC or anyone who is going to be organising anything. Stupid that it’s even getting press.
Depends on the “media”
If you want a decent examination of South Africa this week’s Economist has a pretty good 12 page article.
Of course, don’t expect the broadsheets and tabloids (is there a difference anymore really) to have any sort of in depth analysis of the many contrasts of South African society. They wouldn’t want to offend their base by appealing to their intelligence
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