Fighter jets sped low over Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium, briefly drowning out the constant din of tens of thousands of vuvuzela trumpets as South Africa opened the 2010 soccer World Cup with a celebration of African culture.
The stadium, resembling a massive African cooking pot, erupted in cheers as performers took to the field to mark the first time that sports’ most watched tournament has been staged on the continent.
Reported traffic problems, though, delayed some fans, leading to the ceremony kicking off to many empty seats.
PHOTO: REUTERS
A giant dung beetle rolled a ball across the arena as Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu danced in the stands and 1,500 performers jived to African music.
Boards displayed the colors of the 32 teams and banners pointed to the nine host cities while drummers beat a constant rhythm.
About 70,000 people, a sea of green and gold, South Africa’s national team colors, listened to songs from the six African nations in the tournament — South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Algeria — and Grammy winner R. Kelly’s anthem Sign of a Victory.
PHOTO: AFP
Pockets of Mexican fans waved banners and flags, many adding to the overwhelming noise made by vuvuzelas, the loud plastic trumpet that has quickly become a symbol of this World Cup.
But one of the loudest cheers was reserved for former South African president Nelson Mandela, whose image appeared on screens to a message of hope from him in song.
“The generosity of the human spirit can overcome all adversity. Through compassion and caring, we create ... hope,” he said.
PHOTO: AFP/NELSON MANDELA FOUNDATION
The 91-year-old Mandela, who led the country out of apartheid in 1994 and whose global stature helped win the country the right to host the World Cup, canceled an appearance at the ceremony after a great grand-daughter died overnight.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation said Zenani Mandela died in a car accident after attending the World Cup kickoff concert at the Orlando Stadium on Thursday.
Mandela and his family were “torn up” by the accident, the foundation said at its Johannesburg office.
PHOTO: AFP
“Mr. Nelson Mandela this morning learnt of the tragic death in an accident of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela,” spokesman Sello Hatang said, reading from a prepared statement. “It would therefore be inappropriate for him to personally attend the FIFA World Cup opening celebrations.”
“We are sure that South Africans and people all over the world will stand in solidarity with Mr. Mandela and his family in the aftermath of this tragedy,” Hatang said.
Johannesburg Metro police spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said the driver of the car, a man, had been arrested and charged with drunk driving. Mamonyane said the driver, who police would not name, could also face culpable homicide charges.
“He lost control of the vehicle and it collided with a barricade,” Mamonyane said.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter wrote to Mandela to “convey the condolences of the entire football family.”
Zenani, who celebrated her 13th birthday on Wednesday, was one Mandela’s nine great-grandchildren.
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