14 Vukani Thursday July 9 2009
The ‘buzzzzz’of a million vuvuzelas is here to stay
he buzz of the Confeder-
T ations Cup is gently fad-
ing into the night and
there are questions if the
“buzz makers” will be present
when the World Cup returns
to South African soil in 2010.
The vuvuzela, possibly
originating from Zulu mean-
ing “making noise” or from
every other language meaning
“death to your ears and san-
ity”, is a long plastic trumpet John Adams
used in locally to create a buzz
at soccer matches. Reports
The noise is often described
as the sound of an elephant although
many have described it as the sound
of a swarm of bees.
Nonetheless, the spirit horn is
causing quite a stir among the inter-
national community, some even call-
ing for it to be banned from the 2010
World Cup.
FIFA has received thousands of
calls from angry fans complaining
that the sound of the vuvuzela is not
only distracting when watching the
NEWS
matches on television vuvuzela causes permanent ear
but it also drowns out
the commentators.
Coaches and play-
damage. They claim the damage is
magnified when a die-hard Bafana
Bafana fan, sitting directly behind
ers have joined in with them, blasts the vuvuzela right into
the disapproving fans their eardrum.
and have voiced their The only concern FIFA has
displeasure. voiced over the vuvuzela came out of
Dutch soccer a meeting in 2008 in which they con-
coach, Bert Van Mar- ditionally approved the noisemaker
wijk told reporters for the 2009 Confederations Cup and
that the sound of the the 2010 World Cup as long as they
vuvuzela interferes remain free from logos and adver-
with his ability to tisements and as long as “hooligans
coach his players on don’t use the vuvuzela as a weapon.” PICTURE: RICHARD DUCHON
the field. Entrepreneurs have pointed to
Spanish midfielder, Xabi Alonso, the financial gains as the best reason
■ Fans make themselves heard during a Confederations Cup game.
added that the noise makes it nearly to keep the instrument in the stadi- ditional African sound, but many until the completion of the 2010
impossible to communicate between ums. object to its African heritage claim- World Cup, and the opinions will be
teammates on the pitch, and that it Upon the FIFA’s announcement ing that the instrument’s prototype as diverse as the countries partici-
doesn’t add any atmosphere into the in 2008 allowing the vuvuzelas, there was developed in America. pating in the most watched sporting
stadium. He also admitted that the were more than 20 000 plastic instru- However, South Africans are event; but as for now, keep practising
noise makes it difficult to concen- ments sold in a 24-hour period. Econ- quick to point out that life began at because the vuvuzela is here to stay.
trate while playing. omists project more than 50 000 addi- the Cradle of Humanity located in ● John Adams is a journalism
Some fans at the stadium who tional instruments will be sold Maropeng in Gauteng, and thus intern from the University of South-
came to sit and enjoy a quiet after- during the World Cup next year. everything comes from Africa ern California who is working at
noon or evening of soccer, com- FIFA President Sepp Blatter remains including the vuvuzela. Cape Community Newspapers,
plained that the decibel level of the in support of the vuvuzela as a tra- No doubt, the debate will rage which publishes Vukani.