An African view: maybe it was a conspiracy

1:00 PM - By THOMAS KWENAITE


ZURICH - It wasn't Africa's turn, and neither will the dark continent - as perceived by Europe - get a chance to stage the greatest soccer showpiece in the near future, because Africa isn't ready yet.

That was the message that came out loud and clear in sometimes irritatingly patronising fashion at the imposing Masse Zurich hall on Thursday as anti-South African conspiracy theories surfaced.

There was no explosive jubilation when Germany was announced as the winner: it was a kind of lukewarm, lacklustre affair that lacked the spontaneous reaction one would have expected had it been, say, South Africa.

Danny Jordaan, the bearded South African driver of the bid who pushed his body and physical endurance to the limit in the past four years canvassing support, dropped his head when the decision was announced.

When the 24-man Fifa executive committee members cast their ballots, there was a feeling of optimism that, finally, based on the hard work put in by the South Africans, Europe's monotonous staging of every second World Cup would be broken.

Germany grabbed 10 votes in the first round, Morocco three, England five, while South Africa surprisingly garnered a mere six to qualify for the second round.

The second round ended with South Africa grabbing 11 votes while Germany had gained only one from the previous round, and England, with only two votes, had to fall out.

It was at this stage that the message filtered through to the media centre that Germany had pipped South Africa through the narrowest of margins in the final sprint.

But we dismissed this as a rumour without any substance, largely due to the strict voting procedure.

When Blatter announced that Germany had won, a pained expression crossed Jordaan's face, as if he had been hit with a body blow.

Blatter's words brought to an end the dreams of millions of Africans, and silenced those in the hall who had begun singing Vicky Sampson's African Dream.

- THE STAR, JOHANNESBURG