By Nomonde Mnukwa
The power of sport to inspire, unite and ensure nation building and greater social cohesion has never been in doubt. Sport has driven our nation forward through pivotal moments since the dawn of democracy.
Who could ever forget Josia Thugwane running on the streets of Atlanta during the 1996 Olympic Games, powering his way to a gold medal and in the process capturing the hearts and minds of a nation. Or the late Clive Barker and his famous airplane celebration when Bafana Bafana won the historic first African Nations Cup on home soil in 1996.
Former President Nelson Mandela believed that sport can transcend race, politics and unite a country, and he once famously said. “Sport has the power to change the
world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else can. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.”
This was indeed the case several times this year. In July, sport took centre stage during the Netball World Cup 2023, in Cape Town, and in October and November, the Springboks and Proteas took on the world, with the Boks winning a record breaking fourth Rugby World Cup.
These moments of sporting triumph rallied the nation behind our sportsmen and women, and drew us together in hope and expectation, yet once the crowds dissipated and the shouting subsided, we inevitably returned to our inner circles.
Our nation has experienced this short-lived euphoria many times before but we have been unable to sustain it for very long. If we are to move beyond short-term elation and build real and lasting unity and social cohesion, we must begin to have serious conversations about sport development in our country.
Ours is a country of deep contradictions where staggering wealth often lives alongside stark poverty. A country where hope and expectation abounds, yet one where the scars of our ugly past continues to shape our shared future.
As South Africans, we must use moments that draw us together to promote inclusive nation building and social cohesion. We must talk to each other and deepen community and societal conversations. We must work to better understand our shared history, no matter how painful it may be.
Ignoring the many realties in our nation is not the answer. Only by truly working, together to build a better tomorrow will we begin to address the many inequalities, exclusions and disparities, which still exist.
We have all the tools to do so within our grasp. The Constitution calls on us all to work towards systematically eradicating divisions and injustices, while ensuring that we build a more inclusive society and economy.
There have been many highs and lows since 1994 but what has always stood out is the ability of South Africans to come together as there are many more things that unite us than those, which divide us. Let us therefore use moments of unity and social cohesion to unlock a better future for our children and ourselves.
South Africans are socially diverse yet there are many universal values that we all share, and we are united by the love for our country and our flag. Let us therefore work to prove that we are truly stronger together and bridge the artificial divides that still hold us back.
Government understands that nation building and social cohesion is not just an event. It must become part of the fabric of our everyday lives. The role of sport in nation building and social cohesion can be used as a springboard in moulding people, both for personal advancement and social progress. Sport also has a major role to play in promoting healthy lifestyles, a healthy nation and winning nation.
Let us therefore continue to harness the unifying power of sport to reach out to fellow South Africans to build the society we want to live in.
Nomonde Mnukwa is Acting Director General of GCIS
