World Cup For All

It's a story that's received little coverage in the Western media, but thousands of South Africans held a march in Durban to protest against the government's massive spending on the World Cup. They were joined by hundreds of stewards caught up in the ongoing dispute over low wages, which saw riot police break up a demonstration with tear gas and percussive grenades on Sunday, and which has now spread to five of the ten South African World Cup stadiums. "Get out Fifa mafia!" chanted the crowds in a Durban park, their ranks swelled by stewards who were involved in clashes with riot police on Monday after protests over their wages.
Those Monday's protests triggered walkouts by other stewards, which have led South Africa's police to take control at the World Cup stadiums in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Durban.

Marchers complained about the lack of service delivery and high electricity prices. They demanded a "World Cup for all", saying the country should put people before profits.

Originally, football was a very unorganised, rough and wild "folk game" between village teams of different sizes and with no fixed pitch boundaries. Only in the nineteenth century was it adapted for mass consumption. Commercialism has shaped it along certain lines, making success more important than enjoyment. The partisan crowds at football matches are prepared to see only their own sides win, and applaud any sort of play to that end. Winning isn't the main thing— it's the only thing. No matter how skilful its play, a losing team has few followers— and its income falls. The language used by football clubs, clearly smacks of the business element in sports. Football clubs who hire the services of footballers are often heard talking of “buying”, “selling”, or “giving out on loan” such-and-such a player. Football has become infested by the sort of parasites whose idea of fun is making money, especially at other people's expense.
Football can be made to achieve its original objective—to entertain both participants and spectators only when it is freely organised by all persons interested in it—and not only by those who have money or ideological motives.

In the meantime, to add insult to injury , the South African government has asked its citizens to use less electricity to ensure a smooth power supply for the World Cup. "We urge our communities and the public at large to continuously reduce their consumption of electricity, and thus ensure that Eskom and other role-players are able to keep the lights on,” Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said.