A Tale of Two Very Different World Cups for South Africa

When the football extravaganza kicked off in 2010, South Africa was celebrated as the first nation on the continent to host the sport’s showpiece event.

The roar following Siphiwe Tshabalala’s left-footed rocket — the first goal of the tournament — reverberated far beyond the cacophony of the vuvuzela trumpets in the Johannesburg arena to rooms and bars from Lilongwe to Libreville and Lagos.

Judging by the tone on social media, that sentiment ahead of Thursday’s spectacle against the very same opponents is long gone.

Many fans across the continent — outside of South Africa, of course — are throwing their support behind Mexico, angered by anti-migrant demonstrations in the region’s biggest economy.

While some of that may be the usual competitive banter that animates national football rivalries, the public spurning of Bafana Bafana — as the South African team is known — underscores the deep resentment about the treatment of migrants.

There’s a sense that a country that once welcomed other African nations to share in its relative wealth following the end of apartheid three decades ago has become increasingly hostile to those seeking legitimate work opportunities.

The 2010 World Cup unfolded at a moment when the mood in South Africa was buoyed by sporting fervor and its economy by the construction of new stadiums and upgrades to public infrastructure.

Today’s South Africa is weighed down by high unemployment, failing logistics and deterioratingpublic infrastructure, leading some citizens to direct their anger at migrants.

President Cyril Ramaphosa tried to regain controlwith a televised address that condemned attacks and promised tighter immigration enforcement, but a June 30 ultimatum issued by a protest group and continued clashes have stoked bitterness.

It’s not the first time that xenophobia in South Africa has soured regional relations, with images of past violent flareups, including brutal beatings of refugees, resurfacing on social media.

Already, several African governments have repatriated their nationals and there have been calls for retaliation against South African businesses.

Unlike in 2010 when Africans urged on Bafana Bafana, many will be wishing for their early exit this time round. (Bloomberg)