Time to say goodbye

Yes, folks, the show is over but the memories remain. Last night's 2010 Fifa World Cup Final saw spectacular fireworks over Soweto as Spain and Holland battled it out at Soccer City. It was an extraordinarily frustrating match with no memorable moments, besides a record number of yellow cards, and one red one. The closing ceremony was infinitely better than the opening one (unbelievable light effects and loved the elephants at the waterhole) and rumours abound of Lebogang Morake, aka Lebo M, being "relieved of his duties" because according to one source he did not write the African music that was in his contract. He kept the title of co-executive producer of the ceremony, though and got paid several million rand. Sinister shades of what we need to avoid from now on ...

So unlike the Fifa endorsed Andrea Bocelli concert, which formed the Grand Finale. That will live in my heart for many a year to come. Was I in Milan, or at The Dome in Northgate? No matter what the venue was, the music was like the music of the spheres which I used to learn about when I studied medieval literature as a student.

South Africa goes back to work with a vengeance today but the memories of this time will linger long. It is time that ordinary South Africans put pressure on their elected government to quash crime and corruption so that we can live our lives in the same way as we have for the past month. I am not saying that Fifa are wonderful, but it was entirely in their own interests that things worked and that there were no outbreaks of crime (or none reported, I wonder how much happened that we did not hear about?). And so it should be with the South African government. With all the focus on this country it is simply bad PR to allow the vultures, hyenas and scavengers of the criminal world to continue feasting on the flesh of South Africa.

Down with crime.
Down with corruption.
Down with political lies and mismanagement.
Down with public figures backstabbing each other.
Down with xenophobia
Down with non-service delivery.
Down with the likes of Julius Malema, may he fall silent for ever.
Down with poverty.
Down with HIV/Aids
Down with rape and domestic violence.
Down with racism.

And long live:

A united non racial nation.
A virtually crime-free environment where citizens can walk freely in the streets.
A thriving economy.
Service delivery: let the taxpayers' money go where it should go
Lengthy jail time for those who break the law, whoever they may be.
A strong leadership that cares about the interests of its electorate and refuses to allow rabble rousing.
Zillions of tourists who come back with their families and fellow countrymen to share their cultures with us.
Jobs and food for everyone who lives here, regardless of where they come from
A first world infrastructure
A "green" environment, with solar powered robots and public buildings

Utopia? No, I don't think so. Look what we just showed the world ... we can do anything we put our minds to.