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This article, written by Hassen Lorgat, was published on the 17 of April 2011 by the City Press.

This morning I called a friend and comrade, Press Ombudsman Joe Tholoe, to ask him if there was a forum where the public could engage with the media on matters of concern to the broader populace.

Since football is more than a game, I proceeded to tell him that I was asked to call and complain to him on behalf of FC Barcelona’s ­official supporters club in South ­Africa, Mzansi Penya ­Barcelonista.

The complaints, in the main, ­centre on the fact that our media continues to be trapped in old ­colonial loyalties when it comes to football, covering the English ­Premier League but granting scant coverage to the Spanish league – ­despite their players ­being the World Cup champs.

BBVA Spanish Football League (popularly known as La Liga), cannot be ignored when it comes to watching and reading about the Uefa Champions League, and this has thrown up problems of how some teams are reported on.

And this brings me to how journalists report on FC Barcelona, ­popularly known as “Barça”.

For some strange reason, sports editors persist in calling the team Barca, with the hard “k” sound, ­pronounced as “Barka”.

After trying to get another view from an obviously pro-Arsenal journalist Carlos Amato, I suggested to an editor that his paper considers using the ­Catalan “ç”.

Needless to say, the ­response was not published, as was the case of many others who wrote in. One of those “unpublished ­writers” informed me that Amato ­replied to him bilaterally, thereby missing a great opportunity to ­engage the public on matters of ­mutual concern.

Since then, I have scanned a range of our newspapers and every one of them have fuelled public ­ignorance on this issue.

But as I was beginning to despair, one weekend over coffee I spotted it. For the first time ever in a South ­African newspaper: the cedilla.

My excitement, however, was ­limited when I went to the paper’s website only to find a repeat of the old error suggesting that what I saw was ­either an apparition or simply an ­aberration. This is what I found: “Barca lose key defenders.”

This could be remedied if all ­editors simply got with the programme: we are living in a global village, and the use of a cedilla is not undermining the English language.

If, however, it is too much of a ­cultural bridge to cross, I suggest that our editors think of using an “s” as many other newspapers are ­actually doing.
Olé, an Argentinian sports paper, wrote: “En Barsa, Messi tiene a ­jugadores de su nivel.”

If editors think we are wrong, go and test the word with your readers, then return and tell me if we are ­barca-ing up the wrong tree.

Well it seems that our backup keeper Pinto has gotten himself under some sort of trouble after UEFA charged him with improper conduct on Friday for allegedly whistling to fool FC Copenhagen’s Santin  into thinking he was offside during Wednesday’s Champions League game.  It appears that the Danes were not too pleased with that move by Pinto and now UEFA wants to charge him. After psyching out Mallorca’s Marti before taking that important penalty shot in the second leg of the 2008-2009 Copa Del Rey semi-final, it seems that Pinto is enduring himself to the fans by being remembered as a keeper who is a sly fox in the box with his whistle trick on Wednesday. However, was the whistle trick unprofessional or just a smart trick and København is just displaying sour grapes?

Wednesday’s Champions League victory for Barcelona against København seems to have a bit of controversy attached to it courtesy of Pinto’s mimicking a referee’s whistle. There was a play in the first half where København’s player, Santin found himself with a lot of real estate in front of him as he chased after a through ball. However as he ran towards Barça’s goal, he unexpectedly stopped and turned around after he thought he heard the whistle from the referee signaling off sides. Much to Santin’s and his manager’s dismay, the referee never blew the whistle and the play ended there with Puyol getting to the ball and ending that threat. It was without a doubt one of the best “oops” moments that I have ever seen a player commit on the football pitch and perhaps the whistle came from one of the fans.

To read more, go to the Miami Penya’s website.

JOIN US IN A PUBLIC PROTEST TO RE-OPEN GREYVILLE SWIMMING POOL

SUNDAY 3 OCTOBER 2010

10am to 12 (noon)

Meet at the pool on Olifant Street in Extension 2

Greyville Swimming Pool, the Home of Lenasia Swimming, has been shut down for four years. This land mark facility has been neglected by the Jo’burg City Council depriving our community of a much needed recreational facility as well as depriving community swimmers to develop to their full potential, and become professionals in the sport.

NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND UP

TOGETHER WE MUST SAVE GREYVILLE SWIMMING POOL

HANDS OFF OUR POOL

The resistance to Apartheid’s Group Areas Act, which formed the racial dormitories of Lenasia, Eldorado Park and Soweto and others, to essentially serve the then white Johannesburg, is widely known. Lenasia was designated as a township for South Africans of Indian origin, and struggles over housing, basic recreational facilities, quality education, and universal franchise took root in this township. The Greyville Pool was the first swimming pool opened over 40 years ago to cater for the recreational needs of communities discloated from their homes in Fietas, Fordsburg, Doornfontein, Jeppe and elsewhere. The people of Lenasia, having to travel daily over 30 kms to work, fought for justice, in the areas of work, politics and recreation.

Lenasia has always been a very active township in the anti apartheid sports movement, led by Sanroc in exile and Sacos internally, which organised in football, tennis, table tennis, swimming, darts and other sporting codes, with the main aim of isolating Apartheid sport internationally. The struggles for playing facilites for non racial sports, in particular football, pitted the communities against the Johannesburg City Council. Thus many rate payers and users of public services were shocked when, over 3 years ago, their pool was locked up and closed to one of the poorest communities in Lenasia. Various media agencies reported that the Johannesburg Metro Council had decided to close this pool because of structural faults which would cost close to R3.5 million. There was no public discussion with the community about the veracity of the causes of the closures and costs to rehabilitate the swimming pool.

THE SAVE OUR POOL CAMPAIGN WAS FORMED TO RESIST SUCH CLOSURE, AND WILL BE MEETING ON 3 OCTOBER AT 10 TO 12.00 PM AT THE GREYVILLE POOL, TO DEMONSTRATE OUR DISPLEASURE AT THIS HIGH HANDED ACTION.

OUR DEMANDS

• We demand a real say in our lives and solutions to our problems.

• Hands Off Our Pool. We demand that Jo’burg Metro rescind its decision to close the pool and that they begin with immediate effect to rehabilitate the pool.

• We demand that Council considers various independent studies on the so called structural problems of the pool, and that a date be given to the community for the pool’s re-opening. This must be no later than December 2010. If Council can get millions of randS for the World Cup extravaganza and beauty queens, it can find some funds to meet the basic recreational needs of the poorest communities in Lenasia.

CONTACT DETAILS OF THE SAVE OUR POOL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE:

• Mzansi Penya Barcelonista (Right to Play Programme) – Hassen Lorgat 082 3626180; Terry Jeevanantham 084 5041091
• Dolphin Swim School – Julie Cassim 082 336 2816
• Atlantis Swimming Club – Ismail Ally 082 4114675 / Naazim Adam 082 3366711
• Abu Asvat Institute – Jerry Waja 082 8561484
• Women for Peace – Naeema Moosa 082 085 5574
• Lenasia Muslim League

Ens complau anunciar-vos que la Mzansi Penya Barcelonista ha estat aprovada com a penya oficial per la Junta Directiva del FC Barcelona en la reunió celebrada el passat dimecres 22 de setembre.

La vostra penya va ser aprovada amb el número 2018. Properament rebreu la documentació que acredita la seva oficialitat.

A partir d’ara ja formeu part de les mes de 1350 penyes oficials que representen el Futbol Club Barcelona a tot el món.  Rebeu les nostres felicitacions més sinceres, i els nostres millors desigs per l’èxit d’aquest projecte.

In other words, we received news this morning that the FC Barcelona Executive Board approved our application last 22 September 2010. Thus, we are now the first Official Barça Supporters Club in South Africa, and the fifth in the African continent. And joining the 1350 Official Barça Supporters Clubs worldwide.

Visca! … or, as Terry puts it, Is dit nie the height of Ayobaness?!

Hassen Lorgat

Two people drown every day in South Africa and most of them are under 14, yet the Johannesburg Metro Council is closing at least 3 pools in Lenasia and two outside the township but also serving working class communities (Rhodes Park and Murray Park).

The Greyville Swimming Pool

The official reason given is there is no budget, but the cost of death in social terms does not add up. In addition, the pool in Lenasia, the Greyville Pool, has served this community well. It has taught many of the Lenasia community the basics of survival. Take the two sisters Kali Naidoo and Roshnie Moonsammy, clinical psychologist and Urban Voices  Festival director respectively, who said the closure was  a “shame, and a blundering disgrace… I learnt to swim and took it more seriously than learning to become a driver,” says Ms Moonsammy amidst laughter. It is true that she does not drive and thus, does not have to mediate her way through the traffic as we do, but she’s proud to say that she can swim to save her life and was keen to take up lessons to save her children’s lives, three years ago, when she heard that the pool was closed due to structural defects.

Empty pools

Terry Jeevanantham, Secretary of FC Barcelona supporters club and a former Bluebells United Player, has evoked memories of the Bells resistance against apartheid’s control over the Lenasia football grounds, because his team was playing in the non racial anti apartheid league. “The JCC then used their control of playing facilities to keep out non racial sport and give support for the white controlled football association of South Africa,” he said. “We resisted, and organised an international campaign to isolate Apartheid sport. Nationally we built up coalitions and we had our community, cultural activist, the bard of liberation Omar Mattera and progressive councillors like  Selma Browde to thank for their support.”

Capacity for 366 persons?

For Terry, it appears that today’s officials in the renamed Joburg Metro have forgotten the contribution of this community to democracy and  the fight for non racialism in sports. He should know as his family was one of the first five families that settled in the then Lenz farm, that became Lenasia.

“It’s illogical,” says musician and treasurer of Mzansi Penya Barcelonista, Gus Poonan, “why they would want to close pools in Black areas, if the Metro has a campaign called learn to swim. How can children learn to swim without a pool, and living 100 of kms from the sea?” he asked rhetorically.  To back them up, campaigners to keep the pool open say that learning to swim is not only for recreation but a life skill or a life saving skill.  During 2007, Swimming SA reported  652 drowning deaths, of which 44% were children under the age of 14. In addition, 144 children were four years old or younger. They also reported that if one excluded pedestrian deaths (transport related) deaths due to drowning was the leading cause.

Inspecting the field

FC Barcelona supporters got involved in the pool issue as part of their objectives to generalise the right to play for all children, and are negotiating to rehabilitate the park adjacent to the swimming pool. Last weekend, its principal officers visited the site and spoke to residents who advised them to start by campaigning for the reopening of a swimming pool that  has been closed for 3 swimming summers – pools traditionally open here on 1 September.

The Greyville pool served as a training ground for many of our swimmers in the area as it was the only pool and we remain unconvinced that the reasons for closure is a lack of funds to repair some apparent damage to the pool.  Many residents are saying that if the Metro Council can get funds millions of rands to bring beauty queens to Joburg, and to show off about being a world class city, why not show off to your own ratepayers by providing quality services? Lenasia, with a population of about 350 000 residents,  has currently only two functioning pools.

What is more, it served one of the most depressed communities of Lenasia, who lack basic recreational facilities, and now have been dealt another blow. But they will not be cowed and have joined forces with various other sports and cultural organisations including the leading role played  by Mzansi Penya Barcelonista (FC Barcelona’s supporters in South Africa), who approached individuals and organisations such as Atlantis swimming club, Dolphins swimming club, the Abu Asvat Institute and a range of other sporting codes and non governmental organisations to form Save Our Pool Campaign. The campaign has written to the Mayor Amos Masondo and, at the time of writing, has not yet received a reply. A mass protest is planned for 3 October, outside the pool area, in Greyville, Lenasia.

All sports loving fans are asked to write to the mayor to keep the pool open. If you love good sports, you love FCB

The Executive Mayor

Mr Amos Masondo

fax 27 11 339 5704

email: sydneyn@joburg.org.za

PLEASE copy us when emailing the mayor: mzansipb@gmail.com

(writer is the chair of Mzansi Penya Barcelonista, and pics by Marta Garrich, adviser to the penya)

We write to you about our opposition to the decision to close the Greyville Swimming Pool, which has been inoperable for at least three years. It served the poorest communities of Lenasia and its closure  forces us to consider taking the spear against people and political formations we have supported for decades.

Almost 4 decades ago  todate, a simila coalition to the one we are setting up now was set in motion by progressive non-racists rallied around the  campaign  to allow Bluebells United  Football club. a Lenasia based team,  to play their home games at the Townhip’s Stadium. As they were a non racial team, and strongly opposed segregated sport, the City Council of Johannesburg then, opposed to let them have football fields, and the players and officials decided to resist the Council, and their racist policies especially as it related to sports.  This egregious statute was sponsored by Dave Marais a United Party councillor and white football administrator in retaliation for the successful international isolation of racist sport.

An international campaign was launched, which brought  in other cultural workers and councillors and also inspired the  bard of liberation Don Mattera to write

The bard of liberation Omar Mattera wrote To the Bells…

Ring out the challenge my valiant brothers

Ring out the cry of the oppressed and the down-trodden

You that must suffer for great and pure principles

The Bells, ringing against discrimination in sport

Tell the Whiteman you are his equal, if not better

The trumpets sounding in the distant

Light of invincibility, against the darkness of Apartheid,

So ring out the message loud and clear

Man was not born to live in fear

Ring Bells, and be proud of your heritage

Your name inscribed in Freedoms page

Dr Selma Browde, then a Councillor joined the battle in the Council Chambers deserves immense credit for her unstinting support . The  Council law was repealed and a noble noble battle was won as was the struggle against racist sports and racism and oppression in South Africa.

A truly landmark event that ensured that non-racial football/sport would not have to a repeat of what happened to The South African Soccer League and the great Orlando Pirates team of the seventies .  The League having to downscale and operate as a Coastal football organisation and Orlando Pirates having to offload their coloured and one Indian player .

We offered this historical detour to remind you of the contribution of the people of Lenasia in the struggle for non racism, and to inform you that some of the authors were active in that an subsequent struggles that led to our democratic breakthrough.

The GReyville Pool, served as a training ground for many of our swimmers in the area, as it was the only pool and we remain unconvinced that the reasons for closure is a lack of funds to repair some, apparent damage to the pool. Why is it that funds can be found for 2010 World Cup or beuty queens but  not  for the fundamental health and sporting rights of Johannesburgers¿? Would such a closure be tolerated in other  communities, or are Lenasians regarded as soft targets, disposable voters?

To contextualise the severity of the situation , Lenasia has a population of approximately 350 000 residents , there are 2 pools that are currently operational . as indicated the closing of this  pool is in a working class area , itself a misnomer as this area has been hit by rampant unemployment, with little access to jobs and recreation opportunities . An inspection this weekend of the area, found that there were no no recreation facilities for these impoverished  children as there are no Community Centres in this heavily populated  part of Lenasia .

In addition, we are concern that the Council’s dilly dallying for over 40 months, prior to your decision to close the pool, has indeed caused a further  rapid deterioration of the infrastructure. We believe that the correct thing to do, is to fix the pool, and we have sought other opinions that confirm that it can be repaired with less financial costs to ratepayers but we fear if this is not grabbed now,  the  pool will irreversibly be damage  and cost the ratepayers much much more later on. The closure of the  pool will further undermine, the  City’s Teach a Child to Swim campaign, a laudable initiative, given the high rates of death  caused in part because many  people do not know how to swim. It, however, begs the  question: how can one teach children  and  adults to swim without  swimming pools?

The 1^st of September has always been a much anticipated date , but for the children, and swimming enthusiasts and clubs of Greyville and Lenasia and its neighbouring townships, there is no joy of going to the swimming pool .

We are part of a coalition of concerned citizens under the banner Save our Pool – and would appreciate you meeting with a delegation to discuss the way forward and to hear our concerns  and to find a way that  will benefit the ratepayers of Lenasia.

* This letter was delivered to the security desk at the Executive Mayor’s Office at 14:58 on  Wednesday 22 September 2010. All sports loving fans are asked to write to the mayor to keep the pool open. If you love good sports, you love FCB…

The Executive Mayor
Mr Amos Masondo
Fax: 011 339 5704
Email: sydneyn@joburg.org.za