The Proteas have shown us that we can deservingly take our place as one of the world’s champion nations.
Millions of words have been written about the power of sport to unite a nation – and particularly this fractious place we call our home, South Africa.
The story of Temba Bavuma and the Proteas cricket side is also a metaphor – and a harbinger of hope – for a country which is struggling not to collapse into a failed state.
It was Bavuma and this side who have copped perhaps the biggest flak from demanding and fickle fans in recent times… even though the others who went before them always seemed to falter at the final hurdles in the big tournaments.
Bavuma himself was singled out for some of the harshest criticism when his form see-sawed and more than a few haters hauled out the old racist trope about “quota players”.
It’s tough to be surrounded by such hostility and toxicity, yet Bavuma’s stoic determination to get the job done was, in large part, what inspired the team to the heights of the World Test Championship this past weekend.
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He remained batting even though he was in pain from his hamstring issues and his “do or die” attitude would have filtered through to the team.
Take nothing away from the others in the team – the outstanding Aiden Markram in particular – who came together when it counted to beat the Aussies.
But it was Bavuma who got going when the going got tough.
As a nation, we have been chokers. We have failed to live up to the dreams of Nelson Mandela and truly become the “Rainbow Nation” that Archbishop Desmond Tutu would wax lyrical about.
However, we can rise above it, weather the toxic atmosphere of anger, racism and distrust and take our place in the spot we deserve as one of the world’s champion nations.
Bavuma and the Proteas have shown us how.
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