Amid so much despair there is still hope for SA - Sunil Shah ex-top small-cap analyst.

Amid so much despair, uncertainty and fear in SA it is worth realising that inconsequential events, like the Rugby World Cup, Johannesburg, 1995, can turn things around and give us hope for the future. Highly-rated former mid and small cap Moneyweb market commentator, Sunil Shah relives the final.

It was against the odds that South Africa found itself in the final on that sunny day in Ellis Park, Johannesburg. This was after all, the first major rugby tournament in their post-isolation history. The pressure of hosting the event had exhausted the organisers, keen to stamp their credentials abroad, but it was the players who carried the real burden, the enormous expectations of a newly reformed nation on their home ground.

They had barely scraped through a rain-washed semi-final against France; embattled by injuries and disciplinary action the game had been as long and muddy as it had been close. But the Springboks were through, foiling a last-minute dive by a valiant frog that ended not past the tryline, but inches short in a puddle- C'est la vie mon grenouille, fortune seemed to cast a smile on the rainbow nation. 

If tensions had been high in the run-up to the final, they were now unbearable. The media had churned the public into a fever-pitch state of excitement.  Banners proclaiming, ‘One team, One country' fluttered boisterously in the wind as the Springbok team drove to Ellis Park, aptly replacing the old Zulu war cry of ‘One settler, One bullet' that depicted the state of turmoil before the elections.  The newly formed parliament had convened an emergency meeting, to assess what the government could do to aid the Springboks.  This was not just a game, this was an expression of the hopes of a people that had emerged from an unsavoury past and were hungry for a better future.

If one person embodied the challenge they faced, that one person was Jonah Lomu: the New Zealand phenomenon, the man-monster whose anatomy defied the laws of Science, who yielded a combination of sinew and speed that left rugby fans worldwide in search of new superlatives. He was unstoppable, he could turn effortlessly on a coin at full tilt, he could steamroll through a wall of defenders, just as he had in the semi-final, leaving a trail of writhing, smothered Englishmen in his wake.  Not once but four times in that game, the man had at the tender age of 21, secured his place in rugby legend.  And there he stood, defiantly, between South Africa and their greatest sporting moment.

A newspaper cartoon depicting Nelson Mandela on the phone to the Springbok captain, Francois Pienaar, showed Nelson asking, "About Lomu, must I call out the army?" But Mandela didn't summon the troops--in his inimitable style he did better. He summoned the nation. He wore the skipper's Springbok jersey on that day, giving his full support to a game that had essentially been the private playground of his white oppressors, this one gesture doing more to erase the divide that had segregated the nation for the past five decades than all the rhetoric parliament could muster.

The country was still raw after the elections that had taken place less than a year ago.  Granted the apocalyptic fears of a racial backlash and a bloodbath had been avoided, but that hardly meant the country had found a new equilibrium.  Tensions were still flying high after the first democratic process the country had experienced.  Every morning paper was still red with macabre news, portraying the atrocities of the previous apartheid regime and these continued to chill the nation.  Everyone had a story to tell, but there were few listeners. 

The Sowetan mother whose teenage child had been shot in a youth demonstration was still desperately searching for some form of answer--her tragedy was in no way mollified by her vote; the white housewife in Sandton, a leafy prime suburb of Joburg, still insisted on raising the voltage of her electric perimeter fence, in fear of retaliation from a recently dismissed and disgruntled gardener.  And the gardener was still looking for a job.

The Springbok team was far from flamboyant. But what they lacked in individual heroes they had in team spirit, a coherence that was tuned to perfection by their coach Christie. He knew the last thing they needed in the dressing room before the big final was to be hyped up further-43m people had already done that for him. Instead he read them a poem.  And he told them the earlier they stop Lomu in his tracks, the better. And he told them whatever happened in the next 90 minutes, they had done their country proud.

"It was when Lomu did the hakka in front of us before the kick-off that I realised how huge he is-that's one big bastard," exclaimed one player later.  But greatness was not to be rewarded in terms of size that epic day. The man never scored a single try. Eight times Lomu received the ball and eight times he was struck down by a swarm of green jerseys each dying to get a bite of him; before that godlike physique ever gained its stride, he was outmanoeuvred.  It was like every Bok knew it was his personal calling to defer the giant's destiny to another day.

The game is approaching its 90^th minute. The Springbok defence has kept New Zealand's flamboyance in check by disarming the Lomu nuclear missile but they are still the most formidable team this World Cup has seen. The All-Black attacks come in waves of synchronised muscle, they seek just a moment's lapse in the Springbok defence, but by some miracle, each crest is broken before the try line. 

The score is 9-9, neither team managing to score a try as the whistle tells the cramping players they are moving into extra-time. Almost immediately, New Zealand gains the upper hand, banging a penalty home with a confidence that makes sixty thousand SA spectators moan in agony.  Seconds later, there's a New Zealand foul, and Stransky, the Springbok flyhalf evens the score with a penalty.  12-12, three minutes to go, but a draw into extended time would automatically lead to an All-Black victory due to a better disciplinary record. 

Another New Zealand foul, it's a Springbok scrum. The tension is a high-voltage current coursing through the silent stadium.  It's within striking distance for a drop kick. It's a move the Boks have practised countless times before, with the ball spun out wide to Stransky whose deft boot goes for the posts. But this time it's not possible...the scrum is turning wildly out of control--it's too skewed for the planned piece.

Stransky still shouts for the ball, but there are two New Zealanders steaming down on him. His mate who has possession looks desperately around, but there are no other options. He passes it to Stransky, poised and waiting.  Stransky strikes the ball. He knows it's the surest kick he has ever made. The sweet thud is all he needs to hear as the ball leaves the whizzing arc of his boot.

Time moves into slow motion. Stransky turns around, his arms raised, his mouth frames a silent cry of triumph. He doesn't need to watch the ball. He knows it will fly true. It does.  A new nation is born.

The course of history is often turned by peculiar, seemingly insignificant events.  It may be facile to attribute so much to the outcome of 30-odd people chasing a piece of inflated leather in over-tight shorts. Yet the character of a nation, a nation so young, so fragile, so beset with the ravages of its legacy could have gone in any direction-there was ample explosive material in its past to self-detonate, enough unbridled injustice to tear it into shards; but there was also enough hope to unshackle it from a self-destructive trajectory.

The trajectory of that ball played a pivotal role in charting the course of the nation, it gave a beleaguered people what they yearned for most: self-esteem.  Kids in Soweto who in all likelihood had never seen a rugby ball screamed in delight, not knowing precisely what had happened, but knowing all the same it was something monumentally important, something that held the world in awe.  Granted the tranquillity of the recent election was against the odds and it had been received with worldwide relief, but recognition for something gruesome that did not happen is one thing, appreciation for excellence is another. 

When Nelson Mandela raised the cup to the sound of 60 000 delirious spectators, when he embraced the skipper, Francois Pienaar and said "Thank you for what you have done for South Africa," he wasn't kidding, this victory had produced a unity that might have taken decades to engender.

A South African Airways 747 jumbo jet thundered over the ecstatic stadium within metres of the uppermost seats, the roar from its engines causing the very foundations of Ellis Park to vibrate. It contravened every civil aviation rule in the book; but today the rulebook was theirs to write.  The racial divide that had been carefully constructed over half a century was momentarily erased, not by the vote but by the common sense of self-worth that every citizen shared in being the world's champions.  For a moment there was no unemployment, no colour, no inequality, no fear, no anger: there was pride.  The Sandton housewife was still keen on emigrating, but not today, today she was a triumphant South African.  The grieving Sowetan mother was not granted a reincarnation, but something profound had been restored, a sense of belonging to greatness. 

And so the course of history is turned, by seemingly insignificant events.

*Sunil Shah came to South Africa in 1995 from London for a one-week work visit.  Lured by the country's potential, this has somehow extended to a decade (and counting). He was with Coronation for seven years, first as the mid/small cap Fund Manager (where he had the best performing fund in the category for two years) and later as a strategist.  In 2004 he decided to pursue his passion for writing. He is currently working on his first novel, "Rags to Rainbows" a fiction set in the turbulent world of stock markets, destined for the book shelf in March.  "In the current climate of Eishkom darkness and despair, I thought this excerpt from my forthcoming book might remind us of this country's greatness."

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responses to this article

huh? huh? by x on December 01 2009, 12:11 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

SA's a great place..... ......when you've got a 1st world foreign passport and a pocketful of Euros, Pounds or $$$s. by Cynic on December 01 2009, 12:13 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

. too boring to read by sjambock on December 01 2009, 12:30 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

article too backward looking . Look at ttru windscreen & not rear view mirror!! by crime victim on December 01 2009, 12:42 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Eish, I wish a$$holes like these .... would stick to their jobs of being analysts. It is so easy for that segment of the population to be positive whilst they enjoyed prosperity under the apartheid regime and procede to do even better under the ANC regime. It is high time that the . .more Government do not regard them as acceptable candidates for BBEEE initiatives! . .less by Sipho on December 01 2009, 12:45 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Optimistic Should be reading more of this stuff. by Thiza on December 01 2009, 12:54 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Blurred photo Is the photo intentionally blurred to hide Bin Laden in the background ?Looks like the Tora Bora Mountans to me.Definitely Pakistan especially with that shirt by Gerald on December 01 2009, 12:56 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Looking ahead I loved the article by Duncan on December 01 2009, 13:34 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Sipho In my pocket I have three cards: a yellow one, a red one and one with a big letter "R" on it. FIFA has just deliberated...and, wait for it...yes, there it is: The card with the big R on it has been issued to you. Think what you . .more will of analysts....just don't bring colour into it. . .less by Magnanimous on December 01 2009, 13:48 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@all the pessimists You bunch of pr!cks. You'd cheapen any experience in order to whine. You lot are so often the complainers but never the doers/fixers or creators. You moan when things go slightly wrong but never perk up when things go well. You're incredibly myopic . .more and suffer from a horrible form of negativity bias. When all you focus on is bad new guess what, that's all you'll ever find. I'm not a blind rosy eyed optimist but how can this story not make you feel a bit better about your day? . .less by knobs on December 01 2009, 13:51 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

"Sipho" you idiot he is not south african only came here in 1995, can you read? bet your name is'nt even Sipho!!! by RUS on December 01 2009, 13:53 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

WONDER WHERE ALL THE "SOUTH AFRICA WILL NEVER HOST THE 2010 WORLD CUP" FOOLS ARE??? by SAM on December 01 2009, 13:54 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

speak to the average joe security guard etc he will tell you mugabe is the man. ask him why and he will say mugabe got rid of the whites and we now own everything. this is true. when you ask him about the poverty, the disease, the crime, the murders, the unemployment, the genocide, the fact . .more that millions have fled zim, that the economy and everything else is finished thanks to mugabe he will say it does not matter as long as the whites have gone and we own everything. when you then say but what about the farms that you now own but do not grow food for you. he will say it does not matter, we own everything and the whites are no longer here. when you ask him about the corruption and how rich mugabe is he will say it does not matter he got rid of the whites and we own everything and if it was not mugabe it would be another black leader and his family who will steal all the money so mugabe is fine. this conversation took place on sunday with a security guard at the waterfront who approached me for a job. he told me he did not like zuma or mbeki or malema but thought hani was great but the best person in the world was mugabe. he said he was born in the eastern cape. frightening but is this the way the majority think? when asked this question he said yes. then we are all doomed. . .less by no future on December 01 2009, 14:26 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The really depressing thing about this piece... ...is that you're all debating it as if it's anything worth debating. Guys, this is appallingly badly written pulp fiction. It's a piece of this guy's novel. It is drivel. It is worse than drivel. I know this "author" - he lives in a huge Victorian . .more pile in Tamboerskloof in Cape Town and is the cliche of idle rich - and I will eat my hat and anyone else's if he finds a reputable publisher for this rubbish. If we're having angry debates about awful amateurish novel extracts by fund managers who are vain and ignorant to think they are novelists then maybe we deserve everything we get. . .less by Chucky on December 01 2009, 14:45 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@chucky I know his house- its Edwardian actually. by hint of envy? on December 01 2009, 14:57 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Lots of good news in SA... Its a daily choice whether you embrace it or choose to live a negative life every day look at this: http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/ by JWise on December 01 2009, 15:25 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Awesome This is awesome ... by Jan on December 01 2009, 15:28 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

More good news.... http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=24 by JWise on December 01 2009, 16:32 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

good for me Nice to read - not sure why people bother to continually respond in the negative on every article by PMarc on December 01 2009, 17:17 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Inspiration and potential Who can forget that magnificent day, those of us lucky enough to see it? Our nation still holds that fantastic potential, and we're realising it slowly but surely, despite the many problems we experience en-route. And it is great sometimes to be . .more reminded of who we are by someone who came from elsewhere and chose to stay here and engage. Its good stuff. Mr Shah, find that agent and send a copy to Chucky, our esteemed literary critic. You think Chucky will pull his copy of Proust out from his A** before or after he eats his hat? . .less by Kidjo on December 01 2009, 17:29 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@ Kidjo Kidjo, old fruit, nice try with the Proust thing but don't write cheques your education can't cash. I'm just stating a fact: if Shah is publishing that drivel, he's self-publishing. Hint Of Envy, sure, I'd love his house. I could never . .more afford it. Because I chose the Humanities route rather than the commerce route. So I am qualified to dis the writing. Mr Shah could run rings round me with his financial knowledge, but when it comes to writing I must pull rank. For the rest, if you're still drawing inspiration from a rugby match 14 years ago, you need to get out more often. . .less by Chucky on December 01 2009, 17:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Bollywood Priceless posed picture- hoping for a Bollywood casting agent to respond perhaps ? by Voortrekker on December 01 2009, 18:27 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Great Read Well done situ by Fulkundas on December 02 2009, 00:08 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Sunil Shah So you reckon the bafana boys will win the wold cup? by Fred on December 02 2009, 11:37 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Gees Chucky for some one who "chose the humanities route ...." you sure are a bitter F***. You should focus on your own life and not be so biter and negative on the success of others.... It really shouldnt bother you...now go hug a tree!!! by billythebob on December 02 2009, 17:00 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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