Joe Walker's Postings

In the shadow of the World Cup

There is a different story behind the glamour and excitement of this summers FIFA World Cup in South Africa. 2010 will be a defining moment, not just for South Africa but the whole continent. The “forgotten continent”, so often seen through the prism of poverty, war and famine, will get to show the world a different face. But in the shadows of this sporting extravaganza are the street children. For South Africa’s street children the World Cup might not be such a positive experience and the authorities anxious for their faces not to be seen.

Urban planners have often commercialised public space excessively, leading to the exclusion of the poor, the disadvantaged and unaccompanied children, including street children. This is also the case for South Africa’s street children who call the streets their home. South African cities hosting the World Cup games have been desperate to ‘clean-up’ the streets and make them safe and attractive for the event, with the victims being the street children. I've been writing about the issue of round-ups here in Durban. Round-ups are not new to the city and have often been used when they are hosting a major international events, but now with the World Cup in mind, it appears the police are stepping up their efforts to ‘sweep’ the streets clean.

Umthombo Street Children who work closely with the children still living on the streets fear that further round-ups that take them to live in so called ‘safe houses’ for homeless people, will only lead to sexual abuse and coercion into criminal activity. The Mail and Guardian (January 22, 2010) http://bit.ly/86S9Wp article concluded that a major sticking point for cities like Durban is that street children remain a provincial responsibility rather than a national one. This has lead to provincial departments regarding street children as a ‘safety and security issue, rather than social one’. If this attitude prevails then societies perception of street children will remain a negative one and they will forever be marginalized and forgotten.

The FIFA World Cup is a positive event and can be a force for good for South Africa. It should be celebrated, but only if it benefits the many and not just the few. Its often said that football brings humanity together. Steve Biko often talked about one day betowing upon South Africa the greatest gift possible – a more human face. If the country is to truly realise this dream and humanity really does come together to celebrate the World Cup, the street children who call the streets their home also need to be seen with a more human face.