A bravely singular director, Khalo Matabane’s films have tackled issues central to South Africa’s fragile democracy with sensitivity and intelligence. His documentaries have ranged from topics like HIV/Aids (Love in a Time of Sickness) to the duct-tape effect of the liberation struggle on three township activists who, post-apartheid, have nothing in common (Young Lions). His first feature film, Conversations on a Sunday Afternoon, melded documentary and feature film techniques to expose the immigrant experience of Johannesburg and forewarn South Africa’s xenophobia scourge. He spoke to the Mail&Guardian about 2010.
What are your expectations of the World Cup?
This sense of cosmopolitanism that you see and feel in cities like New York — the world in one, hopefully, for a month in South Africa. Hopefully we will mix with lots of our fellow South Africans from Cape Town, too. I hope lots of our fellow Africans make it here and get to meet, share, dance and know each other. I would like the World Cup to remain in the continent and I think it’s not a far-fetched idea.
What has been the biggest challenge facing South Africa in terms of readying itself and hosting the World Cup?
Some people will always ask; was it necessary to host the World Cup and spend billions instead of building better hospitals where babies won’t die or provide free education? That is the political and philosophical and maybe human question. On the other hand, the challenge is how many ordinary South Africans who love soccer will manage to afford to go to the stadium with the high unemployment and poverty?
What has been the biggest shortcoming in our preparing for and hosting of the World Cup?
Development of young soccer players. No country can succeed without development.
What about Johannesburg will mark it out as especially different for World Cup tourists?
It is a bizarre city. All at once it has a feel like a battle of cultures: African, American and European and soon Chinese. It has developed infrastructure but also has so many poor people and is diverse — Soweto is not like Hillbrow, Alex is different from Sandton, Melrose Arch, a city within a city.
Three tips on things to do between matches in Johannesburg?
Get a piece of great steak because meat rocks here; go to Alexandra Township to observe the contradictions of the country and go to music and DVD stores and buy South African films.
How do you think the World Cup will change soccer — its infrastructure, administration and the way it is played — in Johannesburg?
I think South Africans, like most nations, are afraid of introspection so whatever happens at the World Cup, the government or soccer administration will come up with some complex political theory instead of going back to the drawing board and saying “Where did we go wrong?”
Bafana’s chances?
We all know soccer is a strange game. We hope our vuvuzelas, Madiba magic and the JZ dance plus sangomas will help where the players can’t.
Player to watch out for?
Leo Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba are the more obvious ones, but I think moments like the World Cup always make their own history that has nothing to do with popular or expert expectations. Locally I think Itumeleng Khune has the talent but you also one can’t rule out ‘ Benny McCarthy in the area!’.
Anything that you would have done differently in the preparations of the team?
Would have got Jose Mourinho as a consultant and also got them American psychologists to drum into their ears: ‘ Yes we can!’
Tip for the cup? Why?
Corny but true, play as a team. For the country: lets have fun but remember the price we paid to get here as a country.
Which matches will you be going to?
I will be watching at home and sometimes in the streets.