On January 2 2023, ahead of the burial of football great Pele, Fifa president Giovanni Infantino, who was in the city of Santos in Brazil to pay his final respects, spoke openly with the told local media about his wish for every Fifa-member country to name a stadium after Pele.
True to form, the response by the leader of the South African FA Danny Jordaan was erratic to say the least. Seemingly overwhelmed by what should be a reasonable request especially for the developing world which produced Pele, Jordaan said Infantino's proposal was "a tricky thing for South Africa".
“We will have to wait and see what he [Infantino] is proposing because... I mean Pele was very supportive of us as SA. What’s best for now is to wait for Fifa’s full proposal and then we will have to discuss it. The tricky thing in SA is that stadiums are owned by different entities, including local governments, so a lot of people need to be consulted if this is to be a reality in this country.”
As if that was enough excuse for lack initiative, speaking to Sowetan newsapper, Jordaan went on: “Here in SA it’s unlike most teams in the world where stadiums are owned by teams themselves like Nou Camp and Santiago Bernabéu are owned by Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. Stadium ownership is an issue in SA... it is something we need to discuss as well because other stadiums are generating income through their commercial names.”
If Jordaan had focused on what being Pele really means beyond a decorated football legend, then he would received the idea with overflowing enthusiasm because of the opportunity it represents. Infantino's suggestion presents Jordaan and his organisation SAFA with a chance to get their hands dirty with a new project for football development, and improvement of society in a small corner of the country.
Kgakala is Setswana word meaning "far". It is also the name of a township in small town of Leeudoringstad in North West. I don't know anyone there but I visited Kgakala last year during my tour of Kenneth Kaunda District. The district in southeast of the North West province is mainly a goldmining and farming region, whose economic hub is the city of Klerksdorp. Leeudoringstad and Kgakala are in the southern end of the district, with the likes of Makwassie and Wolmaranstad. It's a zone of grinding poverty despite the gold mines.
It was Saturday around noon when I drove into Kgakala. The township has an eerie quietness, and nothing much happens. As I drove further in I reached the the local stadium. What remains on the site is a sight of forlornness and broken dreams; dilapidation and deprivation.
Kgakala stadium can be restored and be renamed Pele Stadium, in a joint project by SAFA and the provincial authorities. The deal will be sweeter with a private sector brand on board. The project must go hand in hand with a football development programme, which will not only be offering local youngsters a chance to play soccer but also upgrade their community.
The Pele Stadium in Kgakala can house the development hub to serve other communities, including Makwassie and Wolmaranstad.
Pele of Brazil did not come from a small town, but he had to beat the odds that came with the poverty of his neighbourhood in the city of Santos to emerge as the most exciting footballer the world has ever seen. After retirement Pele continued to serve the game as its lifetime ambassador.
The message of Pele Stadium in Kgakala will be that a kid from small, forlorn town can emulate Pele and grow up to be an icon. It might not be in football but talent in the game can open other doors in life for youngsters.
With a clear strategy and intention, there's nothing that can prevent SA and its football authorities from upgrading and renaming and Kgakala stadium in honour of Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
(The picture above is the James Motlatsi Stadium - formerly Harry Oppenheimer - in Orkney. It is among a long list of dilapidated stadiums in the region.)
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