In 2015, when load-shedding began to take a firmer, relentless grip on the country, Chad le Clos sat in the gallery at parliament in Cape Town for the state of the nation address (Sona). Le Clos had been invited as a guest of then president Jacob Zuma.
Zuma acknowledged Le Clos in his speech, and as the camera swung to the Olympic champion, a somewhat shy and apparently bemused Le Clos nodded and smiled, perhaps wondering what the hell he was doing there. Was it really worth beating Michael Phelps to have to go through this?
The state of the nation address is no place for the easily bored and, indeed, the easily angered. It is a tedious waft of nothing words, acknowledging the good and the bad without getting ugly. The numbers and lies ramble over your ears, breaking promises made in cabinet, where the decision-making process is less about debate and the use of facts but, simply, it seems, carried out by each of the cabinet ministers taking a spin on the big wheel of fortune.
Blah, blah, unemployment, blah, blah, long-term power security master plan, blah-de-blah. In 2015, SA had 99 days of load-shedding. This week SA celebrated its 100th consecutive day of load-shedding.
On Thursday night, Eskom was told to keep the lights on for the president’s speech. Nice one, Cyril. Who from sport was at Thursday’s state of the nation address? According to AllAfrica.com — and the capitals are the writer’s own copy-and-paste work — the “confirmed guests include 10 netball captains of the different countries gathered here in Cape Town for the World Cup. They are representing Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, SA, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
“The chairperson of the Netball World Cup board, the president of Netball South Africa, the head coach of Netball SA and the team’s captain. The president and the chairman of Cricket South Africa will be at Sona 2023.”
The lesser-spotted president of SA cricket, Rihan Richards, will be alongside the board chair, Lawson Naidoo, who was given more space in the spotlight after Cricket SA had a little huff that they weren’t being given more credit for the success of SA20. They wanted more mentions and more backslapping and the people at SA20 acceded.
According to Rapport, Cricket SA were concerned about the narrative that SA20 is a success because Cricket SA were not involved in it. I have seen some chat about this, but there is no constructed narrative, just some social media chatter, but it’s a PR burn and Cricket SA are sensitive about PR these days. They have been working hard on their image.
Recently, we had a series of profiles on the independent board members to show how much they all love cricket and how things are changing — like Sona, but a state of the board address, or Soba. A sober SA could do with a sports Sona. It is in a state of flux.
SA20 has been an extraordinary success, the SA Rugby Union is set to make a huge financial loss, its former CEO is now a consultant, there are pleasing signs of life at hockey and in school sports, swimming continues to produce world-class athletes against the odds and the Premier Soccer League should be renamed “Sundowns Inc”, such is their dominance.
As Cricket SA win with SA20, so do they bumble with the omission of Dane van Niekerk from the World Cup side, the results of a running test being adjudged greater than the results her skill and talent produces with the bat. Madness. Unjustifiable. Petty.
And then, this week, we lost the great John Moeti, part of the 1996 African Cup of Nations side that, sadly, remains the greatest day for SA football. I was a fan for a number of reasons, perhaps because we both played in midfield, perhaps because he put himself about, but mostly because he made me happy when I watched him play.
In all, the state of SA sport reflects the state of SA. An avalanche of words, actions and missteps by those in charge, while those on the field punch above their weight, carrying on regardless.
Banyana Banyana, who for years were forces to carry on regardless by Safa until they started winning, were invited to Sona on Thursday night but declined: “Due to their obligations at the Fifa Women’s World Cup they are unable to be with us.”
The lucky sods.
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