Cacophony is the word that came to mind at Flow’s Johannesburg office at midday – but in a good way!
The sounds of vuvuzelas, car horns and shrieks of solidarity wafted up into the sunlight, as Flowstars dressed in bright South African colours showed their support for Bafana Bafana at a busy intersection in Waverley today.
A call was made to busy South Africans to drop their work and line the streets, to get behind their national team at precisely midday. Flow rose proudly to the occasion, with flags flying, vuvuzelas blaring and a sea of green and yellow clothing – mixed, of course, with liberal dashes of pink.
Passersby joined in the festivity, hooting madly in support. There was even one multi-tasking man we caught driving, hooting, blowing a vuvuzela and chatting on his cellphone, all at the same time! South Africa flags fluttered on many of the passing vehicles, and excited passengers leaned out to cheer us on. Schoolgirls crossed the road to join in, too. It felt good to be right in the middle of things, and suddenly the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ really seems to be here.
Many of us sported patriotic space boppers (with flags instead of alien antennae), although the guys seemed to prefer wearing makarapas, even pink ones, to the Alice bands. There were a myriad vuvuzelas too, almost all of them decorated differently.
Flow journalist, Tumi Makgobathe, who sported some fetching oversized sunglasses, said, “I was bowled over by the vibe and mood around the city and across the country at that moment. Blowing our vuvuzelas out there reminded me of just how united we can be as South Africans. The Flowstars blew Waverley away; we rock! I also realised my vuvuzela blowing skills are not bad at all, although the effect on my lips is not the best. But I can bear a little pain for my country,”
Hoarse from shouting and blowing vuvuzelas, and deaf from listening to them, we all trouped back to Flow, where there were delicious boerewors rolls awaiting us – thanks to our super chef, Khanyi Shabalala – and a World Cup draw that kept us on tenterhooks.
Let the games begin!